Herbs are magical. They are the gift that keeps giving whether you are having a relaxing mint drink or making salsa with fresh cilantro. Most herbs do well in Southern Arizona, as they love our mild winters and do well in the heat of summer.
Spiral garden beds can offer diversity to your herb garden that you may not get from a standard bed. The spiral is versatile, aesthetically pleasing and makes harvesting easy. You can create different microclimates in a spiral garden. For instance, if a plant likes more wet soil you plant it near the bottom, or if a plant needs more shade you can plant it opposite from the sun, limiting its sun exposure. Companion planting will also help your herbs thrive. You can use river rocks, wood, bricks or anything you choose to construct it with.
Plant mint at the bottom of the spiral. It loves its soil wet and it can sprawl out of the spiral. Mint can help settle a stomach ache and tastes great in tea. Thyme grows well in similar conditions to mint. Place the plants approximately 16 inches away from one another to give them enough room to grow. Thyme is one of those herbs that can dress up any pasta and will clear up any sinus congestion. Thyme and rosemary are great companions, rosemary is wonderful with roasted meats and is said to boost memory and the bees love the tiny flowers. Basil enjoys full sun and wet soil, so this should be around the midpoint of the spiral. Basil is a great anti-inflammatory. In the summer I love to make watermelon agua fresca and blend fresh basil into my drink. You will thank me later.
Oregano is next, this plant likes its soil a bit drier and loves the sun. I was able to harvest wild mexican oregano here in the Patagonia mountains last year. I really enjoy it. I use it many ways, including in my Christmas tamales. Sage and oregano go well together. Sage can grow in many environments but prefers dry soil and some sun.
An ancient native cilantro, papaloquelite or papalote, grows all over the empire area. The name means butterfly in Nahuatl, the Aztec language. This herb is one of my favorites and it is great in salsas. The flavor is strong and zingy. It grows in full sun but prefers shade and dry soil. It has been a part of my garden for many years and never disappoints.
The top of the spiral should have tarragon. It loves its feet dry and hot. Tarragon can help with digestive issues and is good in salads and dressings on meats and soups.
You can start construction of your new spiral herb garden in January and start putting herbs in February or March. If it gets too cold at night throw a light cover over the top to protect your herbs, but most of these will be just fine with the cooler temps. Other herbs that do well in zone 8a are borage, chervil, chives, comfrey, coriander, cumin, dill, European oregano, fennel, horehound, lemon balm, lovage, marjoram, and parsley.