biodiverseed: biodiverseed:New, improved and finally finished: The firepit and herb spiral I start
biodiverseed: biodiverseed: New, improved and finally finished: The firepit and herb spiral I started building this area from scratch two years ago, but was never really happy with how it turned out the first time around. Like most things in the garden, it has been a constant work in progress. In context This circular patio is the structure around which my hügelkultured swale is built, which also hosts my meadow gardens. Water drains off the patio and in to the swale, and the wildflower-covered crescent-shaped hill that now surrounds the patio blocks wind, so it’s much easier to keep a fire going here now. An early-spring view from the top The rock-lined swale beside the hügelkultur mound The wildflowers in bloom on the hügelkultur mound Building The bricks I used to make the thing are salvaged (I dug them out of the ground in another part of the yard, and got others from construction sites), and they are now laid over very environmentally-unfriendly layers of plastic bags. I figured using the bags as a weed barrier was no worse than putting them in a landfill, and I may as well take some responsibility for our own waste by using it on our property. They plastic layer is surprisingly permeable to water, owing to the gaps between individual bags. All it takes to achieve an even plane between irregular cracked bricks is covering the area with sand, and sweeping the sand in between the cracks. Usually, I go over it with a mallet and a plank of wood and pound down sections of bricks, in order to even them out in between applications of sand. Finishing up The end result is a cosy little retreat that I think I am finally satisfied with. It’s surrounded by cherry trees, weigela, black lace elderberry, and a purple catalpa. The hügelkultur meadow gardens have seven different colours of butterfly bush in them on them as well, so eventually, this place will be a mess of fruit and flowers. It took laying the bricks twice, planting trees around it, and building a long wind-breaking hill, but I can now enjoy a morning cup of coffee out here without agonising over how to finish it properly. Enjoying these tutorials? Support my work on Patreon. -- source link
#gardening#botany