Plant Gardens 101

In a knot garden, low-growth plants intertwine in intricate patterns that resemble embroidered stitch work or knots. They were developed during the English Renaissance at the time of Queen Elizabeth I and William Shakespeare. It was popular to adorn garments of that time with intricately woven embroidery. Knot gardens of this time period reflected both formality and elegance. They were almost always shaped like perfect squares, and they were planted with a rich diversity of herbs and flowers. The use of specific plants and patterns to symbolize deeper meanings has always been common in the knot garden, and in its French derivative, the parterre garden.

Because knot gardens were originally meant to be enjoyed from a ground-level perspective, gardeners did not use traditional hedges to define their borders. Square portions of land were parceled off and marked for planting with gravel or sand. Gardeners would then begin by planting whichever herbs or flowers would grow most slowly. These species were intentionally placed very close together so they would intertwine as they grew larger; creating the knotted appearance the garden is named for. Faster growing herb and flower species appropriate to the tastes of the landowner and the aesthetic of the estate would then be added. Both slow-growth and fast growth vegetation required constant water and trimming in order to maintain color, form, and desired height. (more…)

A kind of interesting symmetry of words. Why would anyone have the desire to build a garden made of knots? Of course if you have ever read, seen or heard about Knot Gardens then this little introduction was lost on the informed ones.

Old things are sometimes good things. Sometimes they go away but quite often they come back stronger than the original time. This is certainly true in the case of what is called a knot garden. The idea of a knot garden came about in the Tudor reign of England and progressed through the Elizabethan age with knot gardens constructed to copy the beautiful embroidery work associated with the English period.

A true knot garden involves a very formal almost symmetrically perfect garden.A true knot garden has its woven effect which is the distinguishable feature of these type of gardens. (more…)