Knot Gardens for the 21st Century

The Knot Garden: An arrangement of low hedges and herbs sheared to resemble interwoven ribbons.

Lavandula angustifolia 'Mitcham Gray'
Item # 63116 		Lavandula angustifolia 'Mitcham Gray'
Mitcham Gray Lavender

Each $5.99
3 or more $5.79
Lavandula x 'England'
Item # 63197 		Lavandula 'England'
England hybrid Lavender

each $5.99
3 or more $5.79
Santolina rosmarinifolius 'Morning Mist'
Item # 85621 		Santolina rosmarinifolius 'Morning Mist'
Morning Mist Lavender Cotton

Each $5.29
3 to 6 $4.99
7 or more $4.79
  • Topic: Garden Design
  • Author: G. Baylis
  • Keywords: knot garden, hedges, herbs, Garden Design
  • Date: July 2000

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The Knot Garden: An arrangement of low hedges and herbs sheared to resemble interwoven ribbons.

Knot gardens were born in the Middle Ages as a utility in the drying of laundry. Austere and un-imaginative in form, they were generally planted with sweet smelling herbs and shrubs. The plants were clipped to about 18 inches high. Wet laundry was draped over the plants to dry and absorb the scent of the plants; the medieval equivalent of scented dryer sheets.

What started out as utilitarian soon evolved into an art. Straight lines became curved and the form became ornate and fanciful, turning into what is known as a Knot Garden.

Plants

Many types of plants were used and can be used in the execution of a knot garden. The most common, of course, are Dwarf Boxwood, Germanders, Santolina (gray and green), and Lavenders. Rosemary works well as does Sages (both Artemisias and Salvias). Dwarf Barberry, Golden Barberry, Korean Boxwood and Dwarf Yew all work well. For lower ground cover plants, to use in-between plant ribbons, use Orange Balsam Thyme, Pink Chintz Thyme, Dianthus stenbergii and Veronica liwenansis. These are just a few samples and suggestions. Use your imagination and creativity to install a unique garden.

Location

Remember that knot gardens, in order to have room for the eventual mature plant, need space, ideally 20 ft. to 24 ft. by 18 ft. to 20 ft. It is not necessary, however, to have a square or rectangle shape as a starting point. In the 21st Century, you can be inspired to use less traditional shapes or asymmetrical designs, such as a paisley. Or, try a tiered knot garden—one that cascades from a higher tier to a lower tier.

Before Planting

Before planting your knot garden it is important to lay the groundwork first. Define your bed area, and prepare the soil. A good compost like Soil Mender and some Planters II Trace Minerals will go a long way to ensuring your knot garden reaches maturity. When laying out your design in the dirt after having conceived it on paper, it is helpful to use a guide, either a group of garden hoses that can be laid down to approximate the design, or colored chalk dust or colored twine. It is imperative to know where the plants intersect and cross to give the illusion of being knotted. Once you know the proper spacing for the plants you’ve chosen, you will plant them closer than recommended. In a knot garden they should be crowded a bit to give uniformity when clipping occurs. For instance, Gray Santolina will spread about 36 inches, so normally you would plant on 3 ft. centers. For the knot garden, plant them on 2 ft. centers. After you have a full- scale representation of your knot garden and you determine the spacing of your plants, you can buy the plants and put them in the ground.

After Planting

You’ve done all the planning, preparation, and planting. Now it’s time to sit back and enjoy your efforts, right? Well, not really. It takes two to three years for your plants to mature. During that time, clipping and training your plants will be an ongoing process. You can use the fragrant clippings in sachets, smudge sticks, wreaths and other craft projects. Clippings can be pressed and used on handmade cards or gifts. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination. If nothing else, on calm summer days you can dry your laundry on your knot garden and naturally scent your clothes, saving some electrical energy and thus benefiting the planet.