How To Create A Small Vegetable Garden Using A Garden Spiral
Today, I am sharing How To Create A Small Vegetable Garden Using A Garden Spiral! I am really excited to share this as it was my big spring must-do project. Not to mention I love how it turned out! This is also right next to my patio where we sit and entertain…I love that it is pretty to look at as well as functional.
For the last four years, I have planted a small vegetable garden at the corner of my house near my patio. Nothing too elaborate, but fun to watch the plants grow and enjoyable to cook with homegrown vegetables.
Last year, I stumbled upon a photo of a herb garden and thought that this technique was perfect for my small vegetable garden.
Part of the problem in my tiny garden was that the zucchini plants would overtake the space and dwarf all the other vegetables. I love to cook with zucchinis, so I didn’t want to stop planting them…but they get crazy big.
So, as I said, the herb spiral was the inspiration for my Garden Spiral and so far it has worked well for my small vegetable garden! See how I completed it below…
Garden Spiral Building Supplies:
- 4″ River rock from a garden supply supplier
- 6 or more bags of organic garden soil
- Tarp to lay river rock on after delivery (optional)
- Herb plants or seeds
This has been my garden space for the past four years. I used my foot to sketch out the design in the dirt. I honestly don’t know how much stone this is, but it was just about the right amount. It’s best to judge by the space you have and the size of your stone – I used 4″ river rock from a landscape supplier.
Following the design in the dirt, I place the stones, making sure they fit together well…kind of like a puzzle. I also tried to use the largest and flattest stones on the bottom. Once I had several layers of stones on the deepest side, I began to add the dirt. For this, I decided to use bagged organic garden soil.
It became necessary to add the dirt as I built the walls so that the dirt would help support the stone. As the dirt was added, I would push it into the crevices between the stone and it began to support and hold the walls in place.
As you can see, I also began to lean the stone in as the walls got taller so that the base was the widest part of the garden spiral.
As it came time to build up the center of the spiral, I chose not to have it supported from the ground up. Instead, I packed down and sloped the dirt to be able to gradually layer the stone on top. This worked out very well and used less stone.
Here is the garden spiral finished before I planted any vegetables. I really like how I took the stone from the edge of my walk and wrapped it up into the spiral – it adds a little architectural element. I also had enough stone to edge the garden from my flower bed on the left as you can see below.
This is my garden mid-summer. It looks as if I have a few veggies to be picked! Check back for additional photos of how my small vegetable garden spiral looks at the end of the summer!
More Garden Ideas:
How To Grow Basil And Use It In Recipes
Small Space Gardening – Grow Cucumbers On A Trellis
How To Build A Pond Waterfall Step By Step
Susan B
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What an ingenious idea. How much did you have to spend buying the river rocks? Also, is that pine straw or pine bark mulch you are using? I would like to try this.
Hi Marlene – thank you for your nice comments. I did not use any mulch for the garden spiral even though it looks like it. I think I used Miracle Grows organic garden soil in a bag. It does look a little like mulch, but it really wasn’t listed as a mulch. I the plants seem to be growing well! Let me know if you need any more information!
By the way, thank you for all of the pictures that you took to show how you did this and the end result. It really helps to see it done, step by step.
Your welcome…glad it helps!
How very lovely! My son and I want to plant a garden in our new home. I’m going to have to see if we have room to copy. I’d love if you’d share at Inspire Us Thursday link party at Organized 31.
Oh my goodness, I LOVE it! Thanks for the visual tutorial. This is definitely something I have to try when we move into a house. I love unique and pretty garden arrangements like this, the round stones make it for me!
I know, Bethany, I love the round river rock as well! Thanks for stopping by!
This looks wonderful – I love it!
Thanks for sharing at #FlashbackFridays!
I love this idea!! I’m inspirated!!!
Glad to here you are inspired! That’s what gets the creative juices flowing!
Love this. i have a flat spiral within a heart made of beach rocks in my garden and this would be a great addition. Thanks!
Your beach rock heart sounds cool, Bridgit! Thanks for stopping by!
I LOVE this idea!! we may need to give it a try next year!
Thanks for linking up! I featured your post in my wrap up http://tidymom.net/2013/creative-ideas-2/
Have a wonderful rest of the weekend!
I would love for you to share and link up at my weekly TGIF Link Party if you haven’t already this week. Your favorite posts, most popular, recent or new! The party is open every Thursday night and closes Tuesday’s at midnight. Followed by (Not SO) Wordless Wednesday! http://apeekintomyparadise.blogspot.com/.
I would be honored if you join us and follow to stay connected Have a wonderful week!
Hugs, Cathy
How smart are you?!! I love how it turned out! Thank you so much for sharing at Monday Funday this week! Have a good one!
Take care,
Trish
Thanks, Trish! Glad you like my Garden Spiral!
wow, that is amazing, and It looks like your veggies are really thriving there, too.
Yes, they are thriving! I need to add a recent photo as I have a garden gone wild 😉
This is so cute! Thanks for sharing!
What a wonderful project – I love the way this looks (wish I’d thought of it!)
I’m pinning this to my ‘gardening board’ – Now following on Pinterest and Google+ also 🙂
Happy Monday!
Ang – Juggling Act Mama
Thanks so much for pinning my Garden Spiral – it’s been a perfect solution for my small space!
WOW! I’ve never seen anything like it before! I’m sending this my mom’s way. She will die for this!
XO
Thank you so much, Corinna, for the sweet comment! My garden is growing like crazy!
So totally cute! Saw you over at Fox Hollow Cottage and had to come see more! Life to the full! Melissa
New fan here! I just found you through From Dream to Reality! I LOVE this. Please come share at my From the Farm Blog Hop:
http://www.fresh-eggs-daily.com/2013/07/from-farm-blog-hop-42.html
Hope to see you there!
Lisa
Fresh Eggs Daily
How pretty! I just put in a raised bed garden with decorative blocks so that it would be a pretty accent with the rest of the landscaping. I then used another area of our landscaping (which had an open space) for some container vegetables which looks pretty ugly. Your idea is perfect for the space that has the containers and using rocks matches the rest of my landscaping. Bookmarked your post and will be trying the spiral garden this fall! Thanks for co-hosting Whimsy Wednesday.
Terri Henkels – Easy Life Meal & Party Planning
Great and easy diy project… i will keep it in my mind for my village garden.
I love the free flowing look of your garden, awesome job. I am inspired to make one in my backyard. I am pinning your post. ;o) Happy Gardening!
Oh wow Susan! I want a garden like that too!
Thanks Christine! Your so sweet…have a great weekend!
beautiful!!! Its lovely to look at and functional! thanks for linking up to the Tasteful Tuesday party… You are being featured today. I’d love for you to tweet, share or +1 your feature :o)
Emily @ Nap-Time Creations.com
It’s awesome, Susan! I need this in my yard…maybe with flowers. Great tutorial too. I’ve pinned it and I’m “showing off” a link back in this week’s DIY highlights. Thanks for sharing your creativity (as always!). 🙂
Thanks so much, Roeshel, for the feature and pinning my Garden Spiral! It has worked out very well for my small space! Have a great time at Haven!
LOVE this – you definitely live up to your blog name. 🙂
Sharing on FB today and will be featuring you on Thursday. Thanks so much for linking up to support Habitat4Humanity!
I love your little vegetable garden and especially the unique shape you made with the terraced stones.
Love it ! If this were mine , I,d stuff it full of hens and chickens …no not real ones …sempervivums ! lol ! Daisy Debs
We have a river flowing on the farm, when it is dry during summer it would be ideal to collect
those stones for stone “pots” and spiral gardens. Can’t wait to start!
I paid for my stones but a river bed sounds like a perfect place to gather free ones! Good luck with the project!
I plan on doing garden spirals around my recently bought house, closing is in April perfect for planting season, my question is more about the veggies and how well they do that close to the house? Do they do well with that much indirect sunlight or is that side of your house not very shaded. Thanks!
Hi. I love this. Could you tell me what you planted in the more shallow areas as iv been thinking of doing this but need to know how deep the soil needs to be, as when iv researched it states at least 10 inches. Yet yours doesn’t seem that deep. Abviously the middle bit does..lol … Thanks 🙂
The center of the spiral is about 18 inches deep. I really didn’t concern myself with the depth as the roots from all the plants will grown into the ground. I water everyday so everything thrived and did well!
Great idea! I would love it if you joined and contribute your awesome posts at my link party at City of Creative Dreams on Fridays 😀 Hope to see you there at City of Creative Dreams Link Party
Very impressive…So happy that you showed all of the pictures so I can re-create in my garden. Thanks so much for the inspiration.
What a great idea for a small garden space. I too have limited space but would like to grow some space hogs such as zucchini, cucumber and even squash. Thanks for the inspiration. Found you at Project Inspire(d).
This is a darling little garden – the design is so fun! Thanks for sharing with us at Throwback Thursday!
Mollie
Hello Susan ,
Thanks for your creative and informative post regarding garden stones.
To be honest, i am fully impressed. One things , you used 4″ river rock for decorating stone garden. Will we able to use other stones for example lime stones or feature rocks.
By profession , i am landscaping suppliers. Sometimes, local customer ask for garden design or idea. Your blog can be best solutions in this stage 🙂 i will forward to them , if any one looking stone based garden idea.
Cheers Mate
Nicloas
I love how this turned out!!!
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Supreme idea- love it:) Think I will use it for a similar need- thank you for sharing!
I just built one of these! Im excited to plant in it. I used composted manure and organic compost and local dirt to fill mine. Im going to transplant my rosemary in the top this weekend. It will be mainly for my medicinal herbs, but also some tender annuals that need a good microclimate. Im now which plants to place where.. Some need the southern sunny side and others do well with the shady north side. Do you have any suggestions on what grows really well in certain spots?
Hi Alana, I plant only vegetables and herbs that like full sun. I usually plant basil in the very center. Then I plant pepper plants around the top of the spiral. I have tried other veggies like beets, green beans and carrots. Peppers always to well for me. I plant cucumbers in the back against the house. I place a trellis there and have them climb the trellis to save room. Along the sides of my spiral, I plant a few zucchini plants. The get so large…I don’t want them to cover my other plants. I plant lettuce all along the front. Experiment and have fun with it!
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Love this idea, I’m going to use it in my new garden.
That is awesome! Great job! Really beautiful! Thanks for sharing!
This is a very creative idea and very efficient use of space. More plants can be planted in a spiral than in just the flat space because the elevation allows for roots to have their own space and not crowd in on the other plants. Well done!!!
Hi there!
We just moved into a new house and have SO many river rocks and no garden beds, so I was very happy to find your post! Question: how do you keep the dirt from “leaking” out from between the rocks? Also, how do you turn the dirt every year without the whole wall collapsing?