Union County EMG Teaching Garden
Herb Spiral
What is an Herb Spiral?
An Herb Spiral is a highly productive and energy efficient, vertical garden design. Plants can be stacked horizontally AND vertically to maximize space. It’s a practical and attractive solution for urban gardeners.
An herb spiral is typically 5’- 6.5’ wide in diameter at the base and rises 3’- 4’. Too wide and the average gardener couldn’t reach the plants. The center of the spiral is at the highest point. The spiral ramp provides a planting area large enough to fit in all your common culinary herbs. It is similar to a garden bed, but winds around itself. The soil slopes down from the top or core of the spiral and is held in place by rocks, tiles, bricks, or wood. This design allows for high sunlight capture, efficient use of space maximizing edges. Place taller herbs to shade others as needed.
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Wind and water are factors as taller herbs can be used to shelter others while herbs needing the most moisture are placed in the lower levels. Owing to receiving more shade, the lowest plants also lose the least water to solar evaporation.

Herbal Spiral Plant List

Sage
Salvia officinalis 'Tricolor'


In bloom
Common Thyme
Thymus vulgaris

Oregano
Origanum vulgare

Rosemary
Rosmarinus officinalis 'Tuscan Blue'

Dill
Anethum graveolens
Garden Talks Schedule
10:00 How to Test Your Soil
Debbie Dillion, NCSU Extension Agent
10:00 Garden Tour
Syl Walker, Extension Master Gardener Program
10:30 Erosion Control
Jake Barbee UC Natural Resource Conservationist
11:00 Tree Pruning 101
Keith O’Herrin, Union County Urban Forester
11:30 Intro to Native Plants
Linda Nelson, President, Wild Ones Charlotte Piedmont Chapter
12:00 All About Daylillies
John Smethurst, Piedmont Daylily Club
12:30 Garden Tour
Kathy Rushing, Union County Master Gardener
1:00 Growing Lavender in Union County
Mary Roberts, Windcrest Farms
1:30 What are Keystone Plants?
Linda Nelson, President, Wild Ones Charlotte Piedmont Chapter
2:00 How to Become a Master Gardener
Debbie Dillion, NCSU Extension Agent
2:30 Garden Tour
Kathy Rushing, Union County Master Gardener
3:00 Garden Tour
Syl Walker, Extension Master Gardener Program
StoryTime Schedule
10:00 am
The Poo at the Zoo
Author: Keri Culp
Chris and Frankie: Sight Word Stories 1&2
Author: Christopher Singleton
Christmas Lights
Author: Brooke Kramb
My Daddy Doesn't Need a Cape
Author: Sheryl Smiley-Oliphant
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12:00 pm
Applesauce Afternoon
Author: Brooke Kramb
Chris and Frankie: Can You Help Us Count???
Author: Christopher Singleton
Mystery Book Kathy Gardner
Toulouse on the Loose
Author: Keri Culp
New Baby Coming, New Baby Here
Author: Sheryl Smiley-Oliphant
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2:00 pm Excerpts from two Chapter Books
Boots and TZ and the Magic Cat Tree
Author: Keri Culp
No Clues, You Lose: A Joey Jacob Mystery
Author: A.B. Donohue
Free Dance Class Schedule
Hip Hop
10:00 -10:15 am
Ballet/Lyrical
11:00 - 11:15 am
Dance Performance
11:30 - 11:45 am
Jazz
12:00 -12:10 pm
Dance Performance
12:30 - 12:45 pm
Hip Hop
1:00 -1:10 pm
Ballet/Lyrical
2:00 -2:15 pm
Jazz
3:00 - 3:15 pm