Knot garden

– Characteristics:
– Based on Renaissance designs used in indoor decoration.
– Designed to be viewed from above with an interlocking pattern.
– Utilizes clipped common box, Buxus sempervirens.
– Typically small with varying hedge heights.
– Hedges form junctions to indicate crossing or knotting of threads.

– Examples:
– The Knot Garden at the Red Lodge Museum, Bristol.
– First established in England during Queen Elizabeth I’s reign.
– Some early knot gardens are still visible under lawn coverings.
– Examples include Muchalls Castle in Scotland.
– Various historical references and publications document knot gardens.

– Components:
– Square frame design.
– Aromatic plants and culinary herbs like marjoram and thyme.
– Edges often made from box, Buxus sempervirens.
– Paths typically laid with fine gravel.
– Original designs did not include low box hedges.

– Historical Significance:
– Most Renaissance knot gardens had square compartments.
– Small gardens might have one compartment, large gardens up to eight.
– Knot gardens were influenced by indoor decorative arts.
– French parterres differ in size and hedge characteristics.
– Knot gardens emphasize intricate patterns and varying heights.

– Modern Adaptations:
– Many knot gardens now feature box hedges.
– Box hedges can be shaped into various forms like miniature hedges.
– Box hedges remain green during winters.
– Paths between compartments are commonly gravel-lined.
– Original knot garden designs lacked low box hedges, resembling parterres.