Knot Garden Description
A knot garden is planted in an intricate looking design and kept trimmed to appear that the plants are grown in a knotted shape. Knot gardens were representations of medieval embroideries and were micromanaged to keep their appearance. Knot gardens were originally designed to be viewed from above. These gardens were considered formal gardens. Formal gardens were the ones that had to be constantly maintained in order to remain visually appealing.
Make an Herb Knot Garden
Making an herbal knot garden is a grand undertaking but definitely not out of the realm for a moderate gardener to maintain. You must keep everything tightly trimmed, constantly grooming and clipping to keep its defined shape. Some ideas for creating an herbal knot garden are:
- Keep it simple : If you are creating a knot garden, keep the design small and simple. This is more realistic for today's gardener and will still look as striking.
- Use colored mulches or stones to create a more intricate look : Look at your local nursery for many color options for mulches. Unlike the herbs themselves, mulch need only be touched up a couple of times a year.
- Plant extra : Plant extra specimens for those times that something dies within the knot design. You will be more apt to have a matching replacement to put back.
The Best Herbs for Knot Gardens
Herbs that work well in knot gardens are those that can be trimmed and filled out into a hedge shape, even a short one. Dwarf varieties of thyme, chamomile and lavender would be good choices. Your local nursery would be a good place to search for herbs that have a dwarf habit and seem to lend themselves to a knot gardenery. With some advance notice, the nursery can often order the number of plants you will need.
