 | So you're frustrated with the same old arrangements of the same flowers, year in and year out. Perhaps it's time to try something new and creative. "I'm not creative," you say? With a little imagination and a love of plants, you can turn your ordinary garden space into something romantic and beautiful!
Celtic knot gardens originated during the days of Elizabethan England and were originally designed to be viewed from on horseback or from raised walks. Inspired by the beautiful embroidery and tapestries of the time, the gardens not only served as decoration; intertwining contrasting plants to form beautiful patterns, but also served to separate sections of a garden, in which to grow herbs and medicinal plants. The surprising thing is that these beautiful gardens are not only inexpensive to make, but they can be as simple or complex as you choose to make them.
The first step in making a celtic knot garden is to determine where you wish to place it. While this garden may be as large as you wish, be careful about making one that is too small; small gardens will be nearly impossible for one to make out the pattern, once the plants begin to grow and fill in. For best results, ensure that you have at least a 12 foot by 12 foot area to work with. Remember that transforming a portion of the back yard will not only cut down on the amount of lawn that you have to mow, but will also transform an average-looking field of green into something mystical.
Once you've determined where to plot out your garden, next choose what sort of plants will do best in your environment and with the amount of time that you have to devote to them. Due to their hardiness, herbs such as sage and thyme, rosemary and basil, along with sweet-smelling lavender, pansies and decorative grasses are ideal for many celtic knot gardens. Be sure to take into consideration whether your garden will receive a great deal of sunlight or shade during the day, the amount of rain or dry conditions that it will have to endure, as well as checking to ensure that none are toxic, in case you have small children or pets that frequently play around your garden area. Ideally, you will want to stick with plants that are slow-growing, unless you want to be constantly spending time in your garden, trimming back so you can see your pattern.
Now for the fun part: If you like to embroider in your spare time, you may have some patterns already but, if you don't, that's okay. Go to your local library and check out some books of patterns or celtic knot work and then go through them until you find a pattern that you really like. On your first attempt, you may want to start with a fairly easy pattern such as a series of squares or interwoven diamonds; simple symmetrical patterns are easiest to map out on your garden. As you get more experienced (or get more adventuresome), you can venture into some of the more complex knots.
Once you've found the pattern that you wish to use, copy it out on a piece of grid paper. This will provide you with a 'map' for your garden, that will ensure you keep your lines in proper proportion and keep the symmetry of the design. This next part can be a little tricky but with a bit of thought, it can be broken down easily enough. Looking at your pattern, ensure that your garden will fit the basic shape; in other words, if you have a rectangular pattern, don't try and fit it into a square garden or vice-versa.
You will have to figure out the dimensions of your garden, according to your drawing. Measure out your garden plot and then consider your grid. I recommend recopying your drawing in accordance to your plot. For instance, if you have a 12 foot garden and a small pattern on your grid paper, don't be afraid to recopy your drawing so it's easier to read and plan out. Depending on the size of your grid, you can make it so that 4 squares are equal to one foot of your garden plot or do it so that one square is one foot of garden. When in doubt, try adding a little border around your design but be sure to keep things symmetrical; if you have something on the right side of your garden, make sure it matches over on the left.
Mapping out your garden can be done in several ways. Some people use chalk lines, others use tape or you can use the simple post and twine method, where you drive a stick into the ground at various points in your garden and then run string from one post to another, creating your own grid. However you do it, be sure to keep your markers straight and low to the ground, in order to ensure even marking. Map out the pattern from your grid onto your garden and, when you are done, be sure to take a few moments to stand back, look it over, and make sure that everything is as straight as possible but, remember, the plants will fill in more than thin string so you don't have to go for complete perfection.
Now for the dirty (but still fun) stage! Now that you have your pattern mapped out according to the grid, you can start to put your plants in. You'll want to start with your main pattern plants first; the ones that will be making up your actual design and you want to be sure to take your time with this. Don't rush and dig a long trench, quickly sticking the plants in it, because taking time here will make a definite difference. You will want to plant each plant individually and remember your symmetry; maintain balance. If you place 14 plants on the left side, you will want 14 on the right and so on. Also bear in mind that, while some plants will branch out and become more full as they grow, you don't want to space too generously between plants or you will end up with gaps in your pattern. For this reason, it's recommended that you place your plants no more than 6-8 inches apart.
Once your pattern is planted, you are free to fill in your design and add the final touches to your garden. Violas (commonly known as pansies) make a bright and beautiful filler, or you can plant different herbs in the centers of the pattern. For a traditional-styled knot garden, try using lots of herbs and plants with soft, subtle tones; gentle silvers, soft blues, pinks and purples look stunning in a knot garden. If you've done some research on your plants, you might choose to add certain flowers that will attract butterflies or hummingbirds. Many people also like to add a focal point in the center of their knot garden, which was also common amongst the traditional gardens. A weeping willow, sun dial, fountain or a decorative statue can be placed in amongst your design to set it off or, if you really want to try something celtic, add an outdoor celtic cross to the center of your garden.
If you don't wish to deal with much weeding and trimming, another option is to use bricks or stepping stones to create your pattern. Then simply plant your flowers in amongst the stones, as you would with a natural garden. Want to make those smaller spaces match your celtic garden? Try using soft moss, in different shades, to create lovely accents. In the end, it's all about how much time and effort you want to put into your project. Either way, you are sure to be pleased and the neighbors will be amazed when they see the beautiful formal garden that you, yourself, have created.
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