This page showing two different designs for Tudor Knot gardens comes from a book in the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust Collection printed in 1648. 

The Tudors were very fond of Knot designs which were carved into wood, moulded with plaster into walls and ceilings, or woven into carpets and fabrics. Even in their gardens the Tudor gardeners created intricate knot designs using low hedges of hyssop and thyme filled with fragrant herbs or colourful flowers. These were designed to be viewed from above through a window or raised platform and had to be meticulously clipped and trimmed to keep their shape.

The Knot garden at New Place is based on the original designs of Ernest Law, a leader of the Tudor knot garden revival in the early 20^th century. The current planting scheme in the garden includes many plants and designs originally conceived by Law when the garden was first created in 1919-1920. To find out more about the Tudor knot garden at New Place visit our blog. 

I love how the gardens were designed.