Download about Tudor knot gardens

ASTLEY CASTLE
KNOT GARDENS
All about Tudor knot gardens
Knot garden designs
Knot gardens have been fashionable since the
Tudor times. The Tudors found the inspiration
for their gardens from the gardens in Italy,
where architects began
building houses and gardens that followed a
strict geometric pattern. The shapes and the
sizes that featured in the design of the house
were repeated in the layout of the garden. The
Tudors built many grand homes and liked the
idea of geometry and proportion. Knot gardens
are still popular with designers today.
Not only were Tudor knot gardens designed to
look good, but they were often a symbol or even
a puzzle. For example, this popular design
shown on the right was called The True Lovers
Knot. It often featured in the gardens of newly
married couples.
These images below are drawings of knot garden designs that appeared in books
during the Tudor times. The designs for knot gardens were similar to those found on
fabric, in windows, jewellery and furniture.
These designs are interlacing - this means they weave in and out. They fit into a
square and they are symmetrical.
During the Tudor times there weren’t many plants that flowered in the autumn and
the winter. Materials such as crushed bricks and sand were used to create colour
and pattern all year round. Scented herbs were used such as marjoram, thyme,
southernwood, lemon balm, hyssop, lavender, rue and myrtle. Box hedging which is
often used to create knot gardens today wasn’t very popular in the Tudor times.
They thought the plant had an evil smell!
ASTLEY CASTLE
KNOT GARDENS
Knot gardens in use
This is a bird’s eye view drawing of a
typical mid 16th century Tudor
Garden with a ‘knot pattern’ as the
centre piece to the square design.
There are flower beds around the
outside, a wooden lattice fence with
decorative posts and a sheltered spot
to sit on the right hand side. The
Tudors liked their gardens to be
peaceful and private places. The
gardens were often the only place
you could go to get away from family
and nosey servants.
This image is of Nonsuch Palace. It was
Henry VIII’s most beautiful creation.
This palace and garden were the most
fashionable residence around during the
Tudor times. Sadly it was demolished
in1683.
You can see the knot gardens at the bottom
of the image. Each knot is almost like a
separate garden. Trees would have created
shade and the scent of herbs would have
filled the air in the summer. In the winter the
gardens could still be enjoyed from inside.
When you looked down from the windows
you could see the design and pattern.
During the Tudor times, Astley Castle belonged to the Grey family. They were an
important, wealthy and respected family who would have wanted their houses to be
fashionable. They planted gardens around the castle and although we do not have
any drawings that show us what they looked like, we think they would have featured
knot patterns. These original Tudor gardens have long since disappeared.
ASTLEY CASTLE
KNOT GARDENS
Modern gardens at Astley Castle
Around 1900 a new knot garden was
planted in front of the castle. This
drawing shows what it looked like.
Below is a picture of Astley Castle.
After World War II the castle became
a hotel and restaurant. This
photograph shows the castle with the
local church on the left and the knot
garden in fore-ground.
There was a terrible fire at
Astley Castle in 1978.Since
then the building has not
been lived in or looked
after. The knot garden is
now old and has lost its
shape. Some of the box
hedge has died and trees
have grown up where the
hedges should be.
ASTLEY CASTLE
KNOT GARDENS
A new garden for Astley Castle
The Landmark Trust has now chosen a winning knot garden design by Kate
Heppell. Her design was based on the three queens linked to Astley Castle.
Knot gardens might look complicated but are fun to design once you get the hang of
it. To help get you started, here are three things to think about.
Pattern
All knot garden designs are symmetrical. This means that it looks
the same reflected either side of a line. In the case of the design
there is a line running horizontally and vertically. This means that
you only need to design a quarter of the space!
You will need four squares of tracing paper - all the same size. On
one piece draw a design. Allow some of the lines you draw to run
to the edge of the paper.
Trace your design onto the other three squares.
Arrange your squares together to create your knot garden pattern. You can create
four different designs by turning the squares around.
Meanings of Knot Gardens
Tudor knot gardens had a meaning. Some symbolised love, others were designed to
incorporate an initial or a family crest. Some were like puzzles, with complicated
lines that wove in and out.
The images below relate to the history of Astley Castle and the people who lived
there. See if you can find other pictures that might help inspire your knot garden
design. There are pictures of Astley Castle on our website
www.landmarktrust.org.uk/future_landmarks/Astley.htm
The crest of the Astley family who lived at
who lived at the castle from the 12th century
to 1420.
The crest of the Grey family
Astley from 1420 to 1600.
ASTLEY CASTLE
KNOT GARDENS
When the Grey family owned the castle in
the Tudor times, the inside of the castle
would have been decorated with wooden
panelling and fabric wall hangings. Some
of the walls may have been painted with
repeat patterns - like an early form of wall
paper.
The Tudors liked a style of embroidery
called ‘black-work’. It was called this
because the patterns were sewn onto
white fabric with black thread. Many of
these patterns can also be found on Tudor
jewellery, windows, woodwork and knot
gardens.
Look at pictures of Tudor people, buildings and decoration. These may give
you ideas for your design.
Colour
Knot gardens were also about colour. The lines or the pattern was created by
planting some form of hedge, but the spaces in between were filled either with
coloured plants or with coloured gravel, sand, crushed bricks and stones. When
creating your design don’t worry about the types of plants or materials. Just think
about the colours you would like to see in the garden.
This design on the right was created in the
Victorian times. The Victorians really liked
knot gardens too. They created some very
large and very expensive designs in parks
and gardens. Look how carefully the
designer has thought about colour.
When you have decided on your pattern
decide which colours you would like to use.
The trick is not to use too many colours.
Just pick three or four and repeat them.