HERB SPIRALS
THE ADVANTAGES OF AN HERB SPIRAL
Herb spirals offer the gardener an opportunity to cultivate different environmental zones, modifying the soil
to suit specific plant specimens. Everything can work
together in the microcosms of the spiral garden. This
same circular, elevated structure will also help keep
plants from sprawling, and balance the problem of
placing dense small plants close to taller, spindly ones.
There’s more good news. If you live in an area
where water rationing or drought conditions are a
problem, an herb spiral offers a structure naturally
designed for optimal watering efficiency. When you
water, moisture remains within the spiral, filtering
down from the top to the bottom. Just place moisture
loving plants at the bottom of the spiral, and leave
Mediterranean and other drought-tolerant varieties
toward the top. So, not only do you water less, but the
different zones—dry on top and moist down below—
offer plants exactly what they need.
Last, but not least, herb spirals look good. They are a
hardscape features, same as fishponds or stone planting boxes. With proper planning, you can install one in
a weekend using any of a variety of materials you may
have on hand, including rocks, stones, pavers, cinderblock, bricks, or even recycled bottles. An elaborate
spiral can even incorporate a water feature, like its own
mini pond. It all depends on your budget and the look
you want to achieve. Once assembled, however, all
spirals make a natural focal point that will help balance
the corners and straight lines that tend to make a backyard landscape look more rigidly cultivated than pastoral. They’re also particularly eye-catching and dramatic
when viewed from a second-story window or deck.
HOW TO BUILD AN HERB SPIRAL
If you live in an area where water
rationing or drought conditions are
a problem, an herb spiral offers
a structure naturally designed for
optimal watering efficiency.”
Layout and Location
Before you start thinking about turning your whole backyard into a huge herb spiral, there are some scale issues
to consider. All those herbs you’ll have growing around in
circles need to be maintained and harvested. To do that
effectively, you’ll have to be able to reach into the center of
the spiral. That limits the overall size to about twice as wide
as your outstretched arm. You can make a spiral smaller or
larger than that, but a smaller spiral won’t produce as many
useful microclimate zones, and a larger one will be harder
to keep up. The most practical size is about six to 6.5 feet in
diameter. A gradual rise to the center should give a six-foot
spiral a maximum elevation of about 39 inches.
You’ll also need to choose a plant-friendly spot for your
herb spiral. Make sure it gets at least six hours of sunlight a
day, and it’s large enough for both the spiral a