HERB SPIRAL
I helped make a herb spiral during my PDC (2 week design certificate). It gives the extra space of the vertical and also showcases plants beautifully. This was set in a quarry in Brazil with lots of slabs of rock to easily make the walls of the spiral. The raw materials available in the allotment was soil so using earth seemed appropriate here. The reason for the herb spiral in the first place was during the design stage of the People's Community Garden a 9m square gap in the zone 1 hub needed something to fill it. "Dan you can put some herbs here"
To keep the design simpler please see 2.2 Herb Lists - the result of this design was to come up with my favourite herbs to use in gardens.
To keep the design simpler please see 2.2 Herb Lists - the result of this design was to come up with my favourite herbs to use in gardens.
DESIGN METHOD: OBREDIMET
MORE ON FIRST EVALUATION LEADING TO THE DESIGN (ANALYSIS - oBREDIMET)
To decide which plants to use for different functions I looked through herb book, scoured online herb sites and made lists under headings writing down in a list and ticking if the plant was:
- native or not
- possible to grow (noting any particular likes e.g damp/ full sun etc)
- available to buy as plant or seed
- perennial/ biennial or annual
- of particular herbal interest
- plants I prescribe regularly
- size!
When it came to where in the spiral the plants were placed, As part of the events it was the finale to plant up the herb spiral. Each plant was help up, I explained what it was used for, what conditions it like and we chose where to plant it. Taking into account the space needed, shady or sunny side, Drier at the top and damper at the bottom (in reality it made very little difference), smaller nearer the path. Instead of a plan to follow plants got moved about according to aesthetics and participant's whimsy, within the general guidelines mentioned above. then they were planted.
ABOVE: Sector Sketch: sunny/ shady, drier/ wetter
BELOW: Size of plant. Proportionality of the planting.
BELOW: Size of plant. Proportionality of the planting.
MORE ON IMPLEMENTATION
LOST: The Herb Spiral event planner I developed to show my boss what I was planning.
Below: The letter to ask for funding to cover some of the costs.
Below: The letter to ask for funding to cover some of the costs.
EVALUATION:
DID THE DESIGN WORK? YES AND.....
WWW: What Went Well:
- Novel ideas like herbal fedges (fence hedges).
- The site was really magical and held people and families in a lovely way when at the community garden.
- The events went well and it captures people's imagination.
- The herb spiral led to an article in permaculture works. It also inspired a herb spiral at the Suffolk show in 2012.
- Funding received led to BT staff from their HQ nearby joining in with the project. It was a good task for me to make a funding request for. I researched what we needed and then implemented it.
- The beautiful painting of the herb spiral documented what was growing in it. Paul died shortly afterwards so his paintings are particularly special.
EBI: Even Better If:
- The main things I underestimated was the sheer time and effort shifting soil, though it did mean we used on site materials. Over time the willow weaving, earth bags, seating areas and herbs have needed several tweaks.
- The vision I had for the area did leave it vulnerable to changed use when I left.
- Labels are rubbish and always fade.
- Construction never was my strong point and though a conclusion is to learn more or get help, the final wooden version was build by Steven (thanks). It was primarily an issue with it being rebuild a few times was the initial weeds on site that grew through the earth bags.
MARK 3. (Mark 2 was a big weeding that took place). Mark 3 was a change in the look. After I left, a newer improved edging system with wood was installed. Plants removed and carefully replaced after being weeded. These things need regular maintenance. In the foreground the lavender has grown and the one willow stake turned into a living post. The side rosemary fedge (fence/ hedge) has grown but the back bay hedge got frosted two years running and stunted but will come good eventually. Lessons Learnt: People like neat things. Weeding of nettle roots and couch grass could have been more through (earth bags didn;t hold them), signage always fades!
REFLECTIVE THOUGHTS
For me as a designer the herb spiral took me from an idea to it happening with costing, workshops, organising materials to several re-tweeks and finally the idea to come up with lists of herbs I would recommend for herb gardens.
The process of OBREDIMET is beginning to feel like just the start of a design which then leads to more detailed ideas further down the line e.g. the Design phase. I enjoyed coming up with identifying the function of a herb to work out its place in the garden. I feel that coming up with innovative ideas is a necessary part of the design process and if there is enough time and space in the Observation phase of the process then these links and dreams can be crystallised.
So really I think that OREDIMET was again useful in a general design gathering of thoughts and ideas. Also not to miss out anything. I used it again when reassessing the herb spiral in 2016
Please note a 2016 revisit to OBREMIMET in 2.1 sub page:
With the 2016 revisit I am finding that OBREDIMET can be quite quick and useful so I am happy to reuse this design method.
I think It took so much time and effort to build the herb spiral that I missed out the actual final drawing of which plants would go where. This would be the think needed if doing this design again for a client - they would want to know what herbs they were getting. Then It would lead to what does one do with the herbs to use them medicinally.
Using this online method for documentation has many benefits but I am aware that many photos of documents and drawings don't give great access to details. Also I lost a document when the updating of changes became clunky and slow. Otherwise I love it.
LLFNT: Lessons Learnt for Next Time:
The process of OBREDIMET is beginning to feel like just the start of a design which then leads to more detailed ideas further down the line e.g. the Design phase. I enjoyed coming up with identifying the function of a herb to work out its place in the garden. I feel that coming up with innovative ideas is a necessary part of the design process and if there is enough time and space in the Observation phase of the process then these links and dreams can be crystallised.
So really I think that OREDIMET was again useful in a general design gathering of thoughts and ideas. Also not to miss out anything. I used it again when reassessing the herb spiral in 2016
Please note a 2016 revisit to OBREMIMET in 2.1 sub page:
With the 2016 revisit I am finding that OBREDIMET can be quite quick and useful so I am happy to reuse this design method.
I think It took so much time and effort to build the herb spiral that I missed out the actual final drawing of which plants would go where. This would be the think needed if doing this design again for a client - they would want to know what herbs they were getting. Then It would lead to what does one do with the herbs to use them medicinally.
Using this online method for documentation has many benefits but I am aware that many photos of documents and drawings don't give great access to details. Also I lost a document when the updating of changes became clunky and slow. Otherwise I love it.
LLFNT: Lessons Learnt for Next Time:
- Document the process better. Especially if hoping to get paid work designing such spaces.
- Keep track of herbs planted in a spreadsheet.
- Herb spirals are a lot of work to create......
- Make a maintenance plan
- Ensure good labelling.
2018 Update: I used the herb lists created in this design in design 11.
ETHICS AND PRINCIPLES EVALUATION USING HOLMGREN'S 12
PERMACULTURE ETHICS IN DESIGN 2:
HERB SPIRAL Earth Care: IN THE GARDEN SHOWCASING PLANTS People Care: ALL ABOUT SHARING KNOWLEDGE OF PLANTS AND PLANT MEDICINE AND THE CLAY OVEN CREATED A WAY TO CELEBRATE Fair Share: OPEN ACCESS TO ALL AND HAS INSPIRED MANY PEOPLE. ARTICLE IN PERMACULTURE WORKS. This Design mixed the People's Community Garden with Herbal Medicine and was a great way to engage many different people. |
PERMACULTURE PRINCIPLES IN DESIGN 2: HERB SPIRAL
Stronger Principles:
Weaker Principles:
Stronger Principles:
- Produce No Waste: using the soil to make the spiral (earth bags), using plants for hedging/ fencing
- Design from Patterns to Details: Using the spiral design to identify the functions and habitats of the plants. dry/ wet light/ shade etc.
- Apply Self Regulation and Accept Feedback: It took a few attempts of the years to tweek it right.
- Integrate rather than Segregate: the use of many volunteers, Company assistance schemes, volunteers and workshops. The pizza oven (mark 2) is still being used for volunteer celebrations.
Weaker Principles:
- Obtain a Yield: Partly due to me leaving after two years but the workshops on herbs never took place. Problems with signage and weeds have left if looking a little unloved at times.