Yesterday it was finally time. The pieces and parts of things came together and the time was right to convert one of our raised beds into an herb spiral.
An herb spiral is basically a round herb garden with the height to give more growing area. Plants that love the sun are planted on the south side, and plants needing shade are planted on the north side. Those needing less water – near the top and those needing the most at the bottom. Also, a main reason for the herb spiral is to have a space near to the house that is easily accessible to pick herbs.
I will be adding some sort of water pool at the bottom for water plants and critters and creatures that are thirsty.
We started out with the bed and removed the framing to reuse on another raised bed.
Raised bed in the center will be the herb spiral
With the frame removed.
We dug a hole in the center to put a log in to stabilize the middle. Also, my thinking is that it will take many years for the log to break down and will give the warmth and nutrients to the herb garden.
Hole dug out of the middle
Log in place.
And then we started to use the cedar edging to form the spiral…taking off the corners and creating a gradual raised path around the log…
The beginning of the spiral.
Finishing the spiral.
View from the other side.
So now this combination Hugelkultur/Herb Spiral/Raised bed awaits planting at the end of April and beginning of May. We have 20 or so different herbs, both culinary and medicinal to plant. Also, the 4 corners that were eliminated will become 3 flower patches and a small water pond. There is still much to do, and having the foundation of spiral done brings us a little closer to getting the seeds in the ground and seeing what this experiment brings.
"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us." ~ J.R.R. Tolkien
