Ideas for herb garden/flower bed

Have an unusual raised planter bed outside house we moved to. It's about 10 m long, 1m wide, 0.5m deep. It's south facing. The previous owner used it as a herb garden but it was very overgrown and montbretia took over half of it with herbs either growing wild or strangled by grass.

Plan to dig it all up and start afresh. Any ideas what might fill the space? I'd happily plant all herbs...but maybe flowers or small shrubs would add some colour or look a little "warmer" than rows of herbs.

bored_newbie

Looks like a nice little project. Maybe post the aspect of the house, how much sun does it get, and what type(morning/midday/evening)..

HeidiHeidi

You could mix it up a bit, alternate herbs with bulbs that will flower at different times - I have daffodil and crocus bulbs that I stuck down in a similar bed donkey's years ago and they flower every spring. And leave a bit of it to plant lettuce seeds/young plants in the summer - there is nothing nicer than picking fresh lettuce leaves every day!

Beware planting wild garlic, it will take over your entire garden!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119649834#Comment_119649834

It gets any sun that's going, it faces due south and it's elevated so from mid to late morning until evening. It looks a bit gloomy in the photo, but it's very bright and airy. The conservatory is like an oven!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119649883#Comment_119649883

Yeah, I'd like to put down lettuce or something else too, and flowers. I suspect the herb garden might not take up too much space unless I plant it on an industrial scale!

HeidiHeidi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119649995#Comment_119649995

Most herbs will spread to fill the available space, I grow most of mine in pots for that reason.

Rosemary and lavender are lovely scents to have. I've never managed to keep a lavender bush alive for longer than a year or two, but I have a rosemary plant that is literally indestructible, and supplies most of the neighbours with sprigs for their lamb and potatoes!

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119650025#Comment_119650025

When we moved in the herb that was thriving was rosemary, in fact it was very woody. My wife loved it, but some workers taking up and relaying patios were a bit enthusiastic with cutting back. At this stage, I'd prefer to just dig it all up and start afresh so it can be a bit more orderly.

I spent as much time sifting for montbretia corms as digging, but spadework done anyway...

The Continental Op

Just a thought having dealt with montbretia in the past. Why not plant your herbs in slightly over sized pots for the first year - don't for get watering? Means you can change things around if wanted and you can pull the pots and dig any residual montbretia out.

Herb gardens are not a favourite of mine even though I've made several. I'd be very tempted with that raised bed to have areas for more annual herb crops like garlic and parsley and have an area you can put a cold frame over for more tender herbs like basil.

I also spy a wall that doesn't have a climber growing up it ;-)

Some edible flowers would suit the herb theme, like marigold, borage, nasturtium, pansy, chamomile, chives (nice flower), lavender, cornflower, dahlia, primrose.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119722224#Comment_119722224

Thanks. I've actually dumped a lot of the montbretia corms in a big old planter that I might put back into it. And had planned to put mint in pots anyway as believe it's pretty aggressive. Might put others in pots too as you suggest.

The house has an odd layout, a very old cabin, converted to 2 storey with front door - the window with the tiles around it - then a few wings added. So the upstairs windows are not over the downstairs and climbers would have to be stopped or change course.

Accumulating bits and pieces in Aldi, they are doing a good deal on 30 bulbs for a fiver, and Pampas grasses which might add some height on the wall sections.

Tomorrow I have to dig out an overgrown shrubbery, including moving 6 yuccas. I think chainmail might be needed...

The Continental Op

I bought the Aldi Pampus grass as I've loads of room. Just noticed tonight (torch taking dogs for a walk) that one of our old ones is probabaly 12 ft tall!

I suspect the one from Aldi is a smaller form and might only make 3 feet + flower stems. I was hoping it was a bigger one as its now planted in a gap to try and reduce the wind further up the garden.

Anyway long expereince of Pampus grass is give it loads of space and plant carefully as its a total pig to dig out again once established.

I like them away from other tall plants and buildings so I can set fire to them every couple of years, they go up very quickly when dry with just a single match. It keeps them in check and they grow well afterwards.

One really good Pampus grass is Cortaderia Richardii, flowers earlier in the year isn't very tall in leaf but has very long more elegant plumes.

bad2thebone

I'd put a lemon verbena between the two windows, dig out those Crocosmia.

Plant multicolor sage on the left. Hypericum St John's wort right of the lemon verbena. Some nasturtiums in front. To the right of the St John's wort I'd plant three Lobelia cardinalis 'Queen Victoria ...

Some Agastache cana to the right, they smell like bubble gum, dot in a few blue hyssop, lavender again and if you have space a few Helleborus for winter flowers.....

Sarcococca confusa smells absolutely gorgeous during the winter time,thats another shrub that's a must in a country garden. They like shade, thrive on it.

billyhead

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119746542#Comment_119746542

How of ten and when is best to prune pampass grass?

The Continental Op

I burn them anytime when they are dry between January and April. Do not do this if there are taller shrubs, walls or anything that might burn within at least 5 meters probably much more for really big clumps. They burn very very fast and hot if good and dry. One match to the base and 20 seconds later you can have quite a blaze. Where I can I do that about every 3 years and they grow away like mad afterwards. Some I have are near specimen trees and I don't do anything to them.

If you want the pain of cutting them back expect huge amounts of foliage to come off. I find a metal bladed strimmer is handy. Cut a good bit, rake it out the way then get back in and cut some more. You can cut back to about half the height of the tallest leaves will no ill affects.

But you don't need to do anything unless they are getting to big and to be honest I would look to leave room for 2m of growth all around on the larger ones but obviously plant the empty space up until they fill it.

I removed one larger 7-8 yo plant recently that my wife despite my protestations planted in the wrong place. It grew too big at the front of a bed. I strimmed it down to a solid mass of dead leaves about 40cm high and it still kept growing back until it was finally taken out with a pick axe.

Thinking about it the only pruning I do each year is to cut the broken plumes off whenever they get broken down by the winds.