herb wheel - which herbs?

[queen of the cobs]

Hi, I'm planning a herb wheel for my back garden (well, half wheel actually) and wondered what I can grow in the UK?

I've got a small-ish rosemary bush, and some chives and some mint. What else? Will oregano work? Or would it die over winter?

thanks very much.

[FoxHillGardener]

My oregano made it though the winter in a pot outside, as did marjoram, parsley and sorrel. though I think parsley is a biennial so is probably planning to run to seed any time soon

I've got my first French tarragon this year, which I think is not hardy, likewise basil.

then there's fennel and dill, which have always fed the slugs before I've had chance to find out how they'd do

[Snadger]

My wheel has eight sections:-

1)Chives
2)Coriander
3)Thymes(various)
4)Sage
5)Rosemary
6)Feverfew
7)Mints(Various)
8) Undecided, probably a new home for my Egyptian tree onions!

All I can suggest is grow the herbs you use regularily and try and get as many leaf and height variations as possible!

[TonyF]

French tarragon is indeed hardy and will comeback every year when established - I have a herb box full of it.

I can't see the point of planting rosemary in a herb wheel, it can grow too big and can do equally well in a pot or in the garden. I'd go for a mix of perennial, annual and bi-annual herbs, mixture of bought plants and seeds. I overwintered my parsley from last year and it's sprouting away well in the pots, just added some seeds round the exposed soil and they're sprouting also.

[JO,JO]

put in dill,corriander basil and parsley.in a trough,could do with more selection of herbs i think

[Snadger]

French tarragon is indeed hardy and will comeback every year when established - I have a herb box full of it.

I can't see the point of planting rosemary in a herb wheel, it can grow too big and can do equally well in a pot or in the garden. I'd go for a mix of perennial, annual and bi-annual herbs, mixture of bought plants and seeds. I overwintered my parsley from last year and it's sprouting away well in the pots, just added some seeds round the exposed soil and they're sprouting also.

There are different species of Rosemary Tony. I have one in my garden which grows about 6 foot tall but the Rosemary in my wheel is a dwarf one which only grows 18 inches!
My wheel is about 10 foot in diameter so would look very boring if everything was ground hugging!

[Jardiniere]

Lemon Balm and Vervain if you like to make teas.

[Snadger]

My wheel has eight sections:-

1)Chives
2)Coriander
3)Thymes(various)
4)Sage
5)Rosemary
6)Feverfew
7)Mints(Various)
8) Undecided, probably a new home for my Egyptian tree onions!

All I can suggest is grow the herbs you use regularily and try and get as many leaf and height variations as possible!

This is the first time I have ever quoted myself!:eek

Did a bit of weeding on the herb wheel today and thought my Bergamot had died but on inspection it had sprung into growth. Divided it up into three pieces and I should be able to fill one segment with it! Brilliant stuff if you stick a few leaves in with a tea bag and make your own version of Earl Grey. Very pretty flowers as well.
Also found some Golden Savoury in there which I may dig up and use for edging, some lemon balm and an indetermiate herb which looks a bit like a larger leaved thyme, possibly summer or winter savoury methinks, or I seem to remember sowing some Hysop last year, it could be that I suppose!
In the mints I have pineapple mint(variagated)apple mint, spearmint and peppermint....I think?

[queen of the cobs]

thanks everyone - lots of advice. I like all herbs so it's more a question of choosing what I can fit in than deciding what I like!

[Snadger]

thanks everyone - lots of advice. I like all herbs so it's more a question of choosing what I can fit in than deciding what I like!

Or what you can scrounge..........if you're anything like me!

[Mikey]

thanks everyone - lots of advice. I like all herbs so it's more a question of choosing what I can fit in than deciding what I like!

I would go down the other route, put in what you use regularily or what could be useful in your recipes. We plant oregano, parsley, thyme, mint, sage, rosemary, sorrel(great for peppery bite in salads) and feverfew(good for indigestion, and headaches when made into a tea). All of which I use regularily, beware the tap root of sage its a real pain to dig out when it gets woody, mine had a 24" root on a 12" plant after 2 years. I wouldn't bother with ingredients you are unlikely to use, I cut and wash the herbs when they are plentiful and freeze for use over winter, in resealable bags. Most of your mediterranian herbs like free draining and poorly fed soil, oregano especially, it is slower growing then, but tends not to run away with you.