Monday, February 13, 2012
INSPIRATION | 36 DAYS AND COUNTING……..
till the first day of spring. Today with the sun shinning, I’m busy contemplating what is going to be first on my garden projects “to do list.” I’ve decided to tackle designing a knot garden in my front yard. The focal point is going to be a beautiful twig arch that I have been drooling over on my drive to work for 2 years, I’ve stopped many times and gazed longingly and finally will purchase for this project. We have 3 overgrown 12ft boxwood shrubs that will be the backdrop to the garden. I will have to channel Edward Scissorhands for this undertaking, humm? I want this to be pretty but also useful so I will incorporate herbs along with perennials, shrubs and sedum all in shades of green. My approach will be more towards a whimsy, modern, and slightly overgrown look. The Secret Garden meets Anthropologie.
This style of gardening design has been around for hundreds of years developed during the English Renaissance at the time of Queen Elizabeth I and William Shakespeare. It’s original design took on a very formal look consisting of a variety aromatic plants and culinary herbs. The basic concepts are low level growth, strong fragrant smells and diverse coloration. They were havens for relaxation and once provided intellectual puzzles and amusement for onlookers. The choice of plant material is perhaps the most important part of the garden. You have to consider textures, size, color of leaves and flowers and as well as the plants growth habit. The plants need good drainage, air circulation and sun to develop the thick growth needed for the look. The design creates an illusion of colored cords weaving under and over one another resembling a tapestry. The knots represented the tying together of disparate elements, unity and strength. There are many patterns to chose from, circles, diamonds, square, diagonal patterns, oblong, right angles and wheel beds. Only your imagination limits what style you follow. This formal garden composition faded with the landscape movement of the 18th century but with gardening making a resurgence of lately knot gardens are making a comeback.
Half the interest of a garden is the constant exercise of the imagination.
~Mrs. C.W. Earle, Pot-Pourri from a Surrey Garden, 1897
Happy Monday!
XXOO
This is my before shot………more to come with my progress.
