Upon removing a diseased cypress tree that had been standing in the center of our front garden since the late 1970s, I embarked on designing a functional growing space to replace the tree and the sizable lawn surrounding it.
The motivation behind creating this herbal wheel stemmed from several factors:
a. The desire to cultivate our own herbs for culinary purposes, including cooking, soap making, and balms.
b. Growing interest in herbal remedies prompted the need for a dedicated space to nurture medicinal herbs.
c. This project served as our permaculture showcase, strategically positioned in the front garden for visibility to visitors, volunteers, and passersby.
The herb wheel was conceptualized to comprise four quadrants, with pathways approximately half a meter wide leading between each quadrant to the central point (marked by the stump of the old tree). Each quadrant was designated for specific types of herbs:
- Quadrant 1: Edible, everyday kitchen herbs
- Quadrant 2: Medicinal and healing herbs
- Quadrant 3: Unusual herbs and experimental varieties
- Quadrant 4: Herbs for teas and infusions, such as mints
Following the completion of the survey and design in March 2018, it took approximately three months to implement the plan. After laying out the design on the grass and establishing pathways with weed suppressant fabric, we mulched the area with cardboard and applied cow manure sourced from a local farmer. By June of that year, we began planting herbs into the borders. Since then, the herbal wheel has been a consistent source of fresh herbs for culinary purposes, delightful herbal teas, and ingredients for infusing soaps and balms.
As we enter 2024 and approach the herbal wheel's sixth year of operation, I felt compelled to reassess its design using a basic PNI analysis tool.
Positive Aspects:
- The productivity of the herbal wheel since its inception has been impressive.
- The kitchen garden quadrant remains highly utilized, featuring a variety of perennial herbs such as sage, thyme, rosemary, chives, salad burnet, oregano, parsley, and basil. While some plants are annuals, like parsley and basil, the majority are perennial.
- The herbal quadrant has organically evolved and expanded over time, influenced by self-seeding and personal interest in herb cultivation.
- The "experimental" quadrant has seen the spontaneous growth of Cape gooseberry, a recurring feature each year.
- The tisane quadrant consistently yields fragrant lemon balm, peppermint, and mint leaves for tea and culinary use, without requiring excessive watering in the summer except for the initial establishment of annual herbs.
Areas for Improvement (Negatives):
- The rampant growth of mints has encroached upon neighboring pathways, necessitating containment measures and renovation of this section.
- The medicinal area requires extensive weeding and soil enhancement efforts to optimize productivity.
- The experimental quadrant, characterized by dry and sandy soil, warrants reconsideration to introduce cover crops, particularly as summers become increasingly hotter.
- The presence of voles poses a challenge, as they target tender plant roots like parsley and basil.
- We used wood off cuts from our forest to create the borders – these are down rotting and need replacing
- The Centre point has been a recycled tractor tyre that we filled with soil and every year sweetpeas that grow up the hazel and willow trellising, but the willow has taken root and is growing – so it needs constant cutting back in summer
Interesting Observations:
- The herbal wheel serves as a significant attraction for volunteers, who eagerly engage in learning about the diverse array of herbs and often harvest them for personal use.
- Volunteers particularly enjoy gathering herbal tea blends during the summer months, utilizing a dehydrator to preserve the herbs for consumption throughout the winter season and beyond.
- The sweetpeas I planted in the tractor tyre self seed each year.
- Some medicinal herbs like clary sage and mugwort have a tendency to take over the area
Adjustments Required:
1. The tumbled glass surrounding the central tractor tire is sinking into the sand due to digging by the dogs. I need to remove and reposition this feature and consider redesigning the entire centerpiece of the garden, which will entail creating a new and smaller design.
2. The tractor tire filled with soil has become a nesting site for mice. Therefore, I need to reassess this setup and explore alternative solutions to deter rodents.
3. Introducing ground cover plants will help minimize the need for frequent weeding, enhancing the overall maintenance of the garden.
4. Containing the spread of mint will pose a challenge, but I plan to employ cardboard and mulch as a method to replant this herb in the designated quadrant.
5. The rosemary bushes have grown excessively tall and bushy, encroaching upon a significant portion of the kitchen herb quadrant. Addressing this issue will involve pruning and managing the growth of the rosemary bushes to maintain a balanced garden layout.