Why plant your veggie garden in long, boring, straight rows again this year? Get a little “knotty” and have fun with it!

Knot garden design may be as old as the hills, but its geometric patterns and romantic allure make this style a great inspiration for today’s home gardener. (And if our distant ancestors had access to all the vibrant plants we do today, I’m pretty sure their plantings would’ve been a lot jazzier!) Let’s re-explore this great design concept using today’s plant palette – with all its color and beauty. The patterns and possibilities are truly endless!

The concept behind knot garden design is simple: Create interesting shapes and patters using plants. One of the wonderful things about knot gardens is you can use just about any kind of plant in them: annuals, vegetables, herbs, perennials, grasses, shrubs and even small trees! If you’re thinking of planting a vegetable garden this year, why not give it a whole new twist and add some annuals and perennials for more color and impact? Think silvery cabbages, feathery dill, colored chard, black opal basil and purple coneflowers as bedding partners laid out in a swirling or geometric pattern. Or grow your tomatoes in nontraditional cages like French garden tuteurs fashioned from rustic twigs and twine – maybe throw in a morning glory or two as centerpieces. Chances are you’ll wind up planting the most memorable kitchen garden that’s ever graced your yard (or neighborhood)!

The key to any good knot garden design is to figure it out on paper before you ever dig a hole in the ground. Measure your plot, break it down into a grid pattern, and only select plants that work within the space you allot. The most graceful designs are built around a centerpiece of some kind that the rest of the garden radiates around. To make things easier for you, I’ve created a few great patterns that can work in just about any yard – as long as you’ve got the space and the will to try something new!

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An interesting mix of vegetables, herbs, perennials and shrubs can be laid out to create this eye-catching windmill pattern. 1, ‘Helmond Pillar’ barberry (Photo courtesy of www.ParkSeed.com) 2. Germander (Photo courtesy of www.MountainValleyGrowers.com) 3. Silvery cabbage (Photo by Gerald Klingaman) 4. Egyptian onion (Photo courtesy of www.MountainVelleyGrowers.com) 5. Heuchera ‘Chocolate Ruffles’ (Photo courtesy of Terra Nova Nurseries, Inc.)