Anyone familiar with colonial gardens and placement of herbs?

[canfossi]

I am trying to design my perennial gardens in a colonial style and the one thing I am having trouble to decide on is the placement of the herbs. I know the herbs were placed in their own area, but can the herbs also be placed amongst the perennials so it's inkeeping with the colonial style? Hope you can help. Thanks Chris

[rowan57]

I don't know if this helps: Colonial Garden Design (PDF)

[ronbre]

colonials always fenced in their gardens, genearlly with picket fences, because they had to keep the grazers out.

they generally had them foursquare, with a cross shaped path..often with a birdbath or ornament at the center point of the paths.

they didn't necessarily segregate their herbs into groups..but rather they would combine them together..often with perennials..but also often into USES, such as all teas, all medicinals, all culinary, but not necessarily..

those that did may have done so to help remember what the use was for the herbal that they were planting...or to make it easier to find them or harvest them.

their gardens were nearly always fenced just outside a doorway..often the front door, but sometimes the rear or side doors of the home..so they were very easily accessed and cared for.

it is also a common practice to combine food stuffs including fruit trees and grapevines in a colonial garden....which is also sensible as the flowering herbals will draw in pollinators and predetors, and will keep out a lot of the problem critters..as they don't often like the strong smell or taste of the herbals

[canfossi]

Thanks for the reasearch and info you all did for me. I would like to get this as authentic as possible. The fencing will come down the road. Thanks Chris

[SueMc]

Here is a teaching outline from the Colonial Williamsburg site. There are links that may be helpful. http://www.history.org/history/teach...chstrategy.cfm
At the bottom of the page of the "Kitchen Gardens In CW" link, it is stated that herbs were included in the kitchen gardens, but no evidence for "Colonial herb gardens".

Authentic or not, here is a link to a Colonial herb doorway garden site that may be helpful to you: http://www.neuhsa.org/dooryard.html
Plants and plans links are near the bottom of the page.

If you've never been and ever get a chance to go to Col. Williamsburg, I HIGHLY recommend it. We were there once in Nov. which was great for the Christmas decorations and carole singing. We also saw butchering and processing of hogs then. I would love to go back during the gardening season.