Herb wheel?

[Earthbabe]

I'm toying with the idea of a herb wheel! I reckon wheel will be about 8'0" diameter. What would be the most suitable tall-ish herb for the middle? Thought about a clipped Bay tree?

Any other ideas/recommendations particularily about setting up a herb wheel would be appreciated!

I know it's ericaceous so you'd have to take appropriate action but in "The Range" (cheapo department store thingy) I saw a "clipped camellia" ball shaped like the bay trees you can get. That would be different.

[Snadger]

My wheel will have eight segments.(I've scrounged some granite 'sets' to make it with!) I would like to grow Bergamot,Sage,Thyme and Chives. No mints as they are too invasive and I have them elsewhere. I also have Rosemary elsewhere.
I have a small Bay tree which I will stick to convention with and put in the centre in a nice terracoota pot.
That leaves me four spaces for other herbs, preferably perennial, preferably decorative flowers, low growing and possibly evergreen?
Tarragon possibly and three others.......ideas please?

[*Feather*]

What about borage? It's got lovely purple flowers and it goes great with Pimms!
Don't know if it's perennial though...

[madderbat]

Borage is perenniel, and gets quite large too.

How about some of the low growing thymes? Lorna Doone, creeping thyme and lemon thyme come to mind. Have a look here
http://www.garden.org/foodguide/brow...perennial/1245

[denise]

thinking of building one in tha back garden, i have the herbseeds and I was thinking of putting the stone bird bath OH was giving when he left his last job, it has moved to all places in the garden, not really find a home. Bless it.
Might try a flat spiral now SS love that idea, dont think ill be able to make a raised one, but planning planning planning

[Snadger]

thinking of building one in tha back garden, i have the herbseeds and I was thinking of putting the stone bird bath OH was giving when he left his last job, it has moved to all places in the garden, not really find a home. Bless it.
Might try a flat spiral now SS love that idea, dont think ill be able to make a raised one, but planning planning planning

A stone birdbath would make a very nice central hub to the wheel!

[Snadger]

A stone birdbath would make a very nice central hub to the wheel!

Better than the OH's idea of one of those spinning clothes driers!!!

I can just see me now taking bin bags full of wet washing to the lottie to dry, not!!!

[Poledragon]

Have been considering doing the herb spiral in my south facing, sandy, drought prone front garden. The main stumbling block I've got is where to source the stones and what kind to use. Don't want to spend a fortune, but don't have much to hand in the garden. Not close enough to a beach either!

[Gryfon]

I love the spiral idea! However all my herbs are scattered in a big bed. Although I wish I'd done a plan first as some of my markers have disappeared so it's an educated guess to what some of them are...also some of my thyme is fairly slow growing and I've got to remember it's there when I weed!

I went to the garden centre and just bought all the herbs I didn't already have One I love is feverfew as I like the flowers though some people have told me it smells bad but I've never noticed that! Also fennel will self-seed quite happily and spread at least 4' away from the original plant! Although those little seedlings you can always pick and dry

[Snadger]

Progressed with the herb wheel today....but made a bit of a boo boo!!

Got my radius mixed up with my diameter and finished up with a 12'-0" diameter bed instead of a 6'-0" diameter bed!

Never mind, it looks ok and even though I don't require THAT many herbs I can always grow veggies that could be loosely termed 'herbs'!
Garlic springs to mind and no doubt I'll think of a few others, maybe even the mini veg that are becoming very popular!
Still haven't got the 'spokes' in the wheel yet. I was going for dividing it into eight sections but because of its overall size I may go for twelve!

[Muddy Sarah]

Sounds good Snadger. I had to laugh when you said it's 12ft instead of 6 - sort of thing I'd do!!!

Now, I'm going to hijack this a bit, as I'm after some tips for my sister.

My lucky sister has a beautiful house in Spain that she and BIL are able to get out to at least once every couple of months. They're planning on moving over there permanently at some stage, but have kids and a business to think about here for the time being.

She mentioned to me a while ago that she really fancied growing some herbs when they go over to Spain for more than a couple of weeks at a time, and I've known for a wihile that she really liked the herb wheel idea for her back garden here. So I daftly suggested she might want to think about building a herb wheel in Spain, using traditional spanish herbs that might be suitable for lasting in the hot weather without too much attention.

This has now bitten me on the behind, as she's asked me to look into it a bit for her to find out what herbs might be worth considering, but I have about as much idea as she does (ie none!!). Do any of you clever people have any thoughts or comments?? Is it actually that good an idea after all??

One bonus for me might be that, if this proves a possible and if I can get the airfare together, she's thinking about taking me over there to help her build the herb wheel, as she doesn't think she can do it on her own.

Cheers guys

Sarah

[Snadger]

Sounds good Snadger. I had to laugh when you said it's 12ft instead of 6 - sort of thing I'd do!!!

Now, I'm going to hijack this a bit, as I'm after some tips for my sister.

My lucky sister has a beautiful house in Spain that she and BIL are able to get out to at least once every couple of months. They're planning on moving over there permanently at some stage, but have kids and a business to think about here for the time being.

She mentioned to me a while ago that she really fancied growing some herbs when they go over to Spain for more than a couple of weeks at a time, and I've known for a wihile that she really liked the herb wheel idea for her back garden here. So I daftly suggested she might want to think about building a herb wheel in Spain, using traditional spanish herbs that might be suitable for lasting in the hot weather without too much attention.

This has now bitten me on the behind, as she's asked me to look into it a bit for her to find out what herbs might be worth considering, but I have about as much idea as she does (ie none!!). Do any of you clever people have any thoughts or comments?? Is it actually that good an idea after all??

One bonus for me might be that, if this proves a possible and if I can get the airfare together, she's thinking about taking me over there to help her build the herb wheel, as she doesn't think she can do it on her own.

Cheers guys

Sarah

I think most herbs originate from the Med so they should thrive in Spain! The herbs like Thyme, Rosmary,Dill etc are small leaved sun worshippers and shouldn't transpire water as quickly as broad leaved plants so should be well suited to the Spanish climate and even drought conditions!

If water can be supplied regularily, I would think the world is your oyster as nearly all herbs will thrive, although the mints tend to like damp shaded areas!

[Snadger]

Herb wheel is nearly complete and it has eight spokes. Its made with grey granite sets that I just happened to have lying around.
Because the gardens on a slope its been a b*gger to set out and my hands are like sandpaper with handling the sets. Meant to take a photograph but by the time I left the lottie it was starting to get dark. Quite pleased with the effect though, now all I've got to do is fill in the spokes with herbs!

[madderbat]

Well done snadger, look forward to the picks. Have you decided what to plant yet?

[Snadger]

Well done snadger, look forward to the picks. Have you decided what to plant yet?

The only definates at the mo are bergamot and sage. Intend using thyme,lavender and box on my bed edges and already have rosemary. Mints are a bit invasive, but I've grown variagated apple pineapple mint before and it wasn't too bad.Some of the prostrate Thymes may be a good idea. I suppose I'll just have to have a look to the garden centre and see whats a bit different and available.

PS Forgot about parsley....must have some of that!