The
herb and fruit garden was one of the very first projects when we moved to La
Petite Guiberdiere early in 2010. In fact the bit of wasteland that was
to be the garden was dug over even before we moved in. We had our 2 first
weaners, Large Blacks, on most of the garden from early April 2010, with the
intention that they would root up the nettles, thistles and long
grass. Turns out that Large Blacks are more grazers until they are much
older, by which time they were in the freezer!
I have planted many of the usual culinary herbs such as sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, mint and marjoram, but also a great many medicinal herbs and plants such as Echinacea, borage, tansy, marigold, lemon balm, peppermint, verbascum, poppy and valerian.
I have planted many of the usual culinary herbs such as sage, rosemary, thyme, oregano, mint and marjoram, but also a great many medicinal herbs and plants such as Echinacea, borage, tansy, marigold, lemon balm, peppermint, verbascum, poppy and valerian.
I also have many plants which are beneficial
to bees, butterflies and moths such as nepeta, clovers, honeysuckle,
cosmos, sunflowers and globe artichokes. I like to plant perennial
vegetables in this garden such as fennel, rhubarb, lovage and asparagus and
also lettuces and spinach.
There are mostly soft fruits growing amongst the herbs including strawberries, raspberries, red, black and white currants, gooseberries and goji berries (not had any fruit yet from this one but hopeful for this year). I've got some fruit trees like Victoria plum and William’s pear with the idea that I will espalier them to form a border to the main path through the garden. There is also a large cherry and an apple tree (cider?) which were already there. Two rampant figs which bear very few fruit (yes I know I need to restrict the roots but they just go over the top of my defences!)help to hide the ugly concrete block wall of the old piggery which forms one side of the garden. I've planted clematis on this wall too and I'm going to plant more honeysuckles.
There are mostly soft fruits growing amongst the herbs including strawberries, raspberries, red, black and white currants, gooseberries and goji berries (not had any fruit yet from this one but hopeful for this year). I've got some fruit trees like Victoria plum and William’s pear with the idea that I will espalier them to form a border to the main path through the garden. There is also a large cherry and an apple tree (cider?) which were already there. Two rampant figs which bear very few fruit (yes I know I need to restrict the roots but they just go over the top of my defences!)help to hide the ugly concrete block wall of the old piggery which forms one side of the garden. I've planted clematis on this wall too and I'm going to plant more honeysuckles.
Permaculture
You’ll find lettuces and New Zealand spinach inbetween and around the herbs. They provide ground cover to suppress the weeds and they’re good eating. I try to disturb the soil as little as possible in the herb garden. Firstly because the perennial plants don’t like having their roots messed with and secondly, because turning the soil over and digging destroys the billions of beneficial bacteria and fungi that inhabit the soil and which are essential for nutrient capture by the plant roots. Instead of “digging in” the manure and compost in the autumn, I just mulch and let the wee beasties do the work for me. I tend to leave most of the seed heads on my plants and let them self-sow. I prefer to remove or transplant seedlings rather than sow seeds in pots or trays and then plant them out where I want them. It makes weeding more of a challenge as I have to really watch what I’m pulling out but I love finding tiny new thyme, lavender and borage plants.
I’ve cherry-picked from different styles of gardening to fit in with my own ideas of how I want the gardens to look and function. Every plant is useful in its own way. I get my inspiration from studying monastic, forest and permaculture gardens, though on a day to day basis, permaculture is the method of gardening I most subscribe to.
You’ll find lettuces and New Zealand spinach inbetween and around the herbs. They provide ground cover to suppress the weeds and they’re good eating. I try to disturb the soil as little as possible in the herb garden. Firstly because the perennial plants don’t like having their roots messed with and secondly, because turning the soil over and digging destroys the billions of beneficial bacteria and fungi that inhabit the soil and which are essential for nutrient capture by the plant roots. Instead of “digging in” the manure and compost in the autumn, I just mulch and let the wee beasties do the work for me. I tend to leave most of the seed heads on my plants and let them self-sow. I prefer to remove or transplant seedlings rather than sow seeds in pots or trays and then plant them out where I want them. It makes weeding more of a challenge as I have to really watch what I’m pulling out but I love finding tiny new thyme, lavender and borage plants.
I’ve cherry-picked from different styles of gardening to fit in with my own ideas of how I want the gardens to look and function. Every plant is useful in its own way. I get my inspiration from studying monastic, forest and permaculture gardens, though on a day to day basis, permaculture is the method of gardening I most subscribe to.