Q: I've always grown herbs in my garden but never in any formal way. On a home tour last year, I saw something called an herb knot. What is it really, and is it something I can try to do myself?'A: A long time ago, before people had so many pretty annuals to plant for color, they spruced up their gardens with herb knots. The word knot just refers to the geometric pattern in which the herbs were planted. There are some pretty intricate designs out there, but knots can be pretty simple and still have a knockout effect. The sky's the limit on shapes, but most traditional herb knots follow a geometric pattern.
The basic needs are simple: six hours of full sun a day; frequent fertilizing; a small or large plot of land, depending on size desired; and well-draining soil.
Supplies
Plan on paper
Lime and spray pain
Compost
Fertilizer
Mulch
Hedge, or border, shrubs or woody herbs
Filler herbs
1. Start by planning your knot on paper, and when you've arrived at an arrangement you like, transfer it to the garden spot (a full-sun location is essential) with lime or a water-based spray paint that's designed for marking the ground.
2. I used rosemary as my border plant (other good hedge herbs include lavender, hyssop, rosemary, sage, thyme and winter savory). For fillers, you can use whatever you want, depending on what your favorites are and their availability when you're planting your garden.
3. Plant the rosemary in a hole that's the depth of its container. Be sure to insert the rosemary into the hole so the top of rootball is even with or slightly above soil level. Space border plants one per 1' for small herbs, one per 2' for large herbs..
4. Plant the filler herbs.
5. Once the plants start to grow, trim them several times a year; also, it's a good idea to keep spare border plants on hand in other areas of the garden in case some in the knot die.
Whether you do something more elaborate or just a simple X shape, an herb knot is an unexpected way to spruce up your garden. And you know, this project isn't off limits to those of you who live in apartments: you can do a smaller version with dwarf herbs in pots. Wherever you plant your knot, though, remember that herbs love a good pruning: the more you clip, the more lush and attractive your herbs will grow to be. So go ahead, think outside the box and start an unusual herb garden today. You'll be glad you did!
