Herb spiral

An herb spiral is a three dimensional garden bed for the cultivation of culinary herbs. The herb spiral is an example of permaculture design. It enables a variety of plants with different needs to grow in a small space and makes it possible to cater to the smallest space habitat requirements of plants of different climatic zones.[1][2]

Herb Spiral in early summer

Structure
Herb Spiral
Side view of a Herb Spiral
Building plan

The spiral winds around a cairn and rises continuously. The padded bottom is increasingly mixed upwards with sand to make it permeable.[3]

Seen from below, the herb spiral begins with a small pond on the south side. This creates a moist microclimate and also reflects light and heat against the south wall to the roots of the heat-loving herbs.

The middle part is called the normal zone. The soil here corresponds to typical North American growth conditions but is also still humid, though more permeable than in the humid zone. There are also areas that are in partial shade.

The upper part of the spiral forms a dry zone. The soil is permeable and lean. The internal structure of the herb spiral ensures good drainage. These are ideal conditions for a number of culinary herbs of the Mediterranean region.[4]

The transition between these zones is fluent, so that a wide range is covered by growth conditions.[5][6]

Plants

Example planting schedule from Bill Mollison[7] (from top to bottom):

History

The herb spiral was invented by Bill Mollison.[8] In his 1988 book Permaculture: A Designers‘ Manual [9] he talks about the omnipresence of spiral shapes in nature and early cultures, though he had been working with the idea since at least as early as 1978.

See also

References
  1. Engels, Jonathon (17 April 2015). "The Magic and Mystery of Constructing a Herb Spiral and Why Every Suburban Lawn Should Have One". Permaculture News. Permaculture Research Institute. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  2. Herb Exchange. "Advantages of an Herb Spiral". The Herb Exchange. The Growers Exchange. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  3. Worst, Jen (17 June 2023). "How to Make an Herb Spiral Garden & Why You Should Do It!". Worst Room Home Design. Worst Room. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  4. Balcony Garden Web. "How to Build a Spiral Herb Garden - Spiral Garden Design, Plants and Plans". Balcony Garden Web. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  5. Sagouspe, Tanner. "A Guide to Herb Spirals". Rise. pp. 18 September 2019. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  6. Engels, Jonathon (17 July 2014). "Herb Spirals and Herb Circles". Permaculture News. Permaculture Research Institute. Retrieved 9 September 2023.
  7. Mollison, Bill (1987). Permaculture two : practical design for town and country in permanent agriculture (Updated. ed.). Tyalgum, NSW: Tagari. p. 11. ISBN 0908228007.
  8. Die Kräuterspirale – ein Element der Permakultur. Sondernummer „Neues aus der Permakultur“, Mitteilungen des Permakultur Institut e.V., Steyerberg. April 1991.
  9. Mollison, Bill: Permaculture: A Designers' Manual. Tagari Publications, 1988, ISBN 0-908228-01-5 (engl.)
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