(Image of weeded Knot Garden)

Hiram College Knot Garden and Trumpet Vine Disposal for Community Service:

For the knot garden, we removed various weeds and invasive species to make room for the herbs that were to be traditionally planted in the style of a knot garden. The development of the knot garden promotes sustainability in the environment behind Bonney Castle. The weeds we dug up in the knot garden itself were not condusive to the type of herbal environment we were striving to create in the area. The invasive species we dug up behind the knot garden was a plant called the trumpet vine. In areas where it is controlled it becomes a useful plant for various insects and birds; however, it had become uncontrollable and therefore needed to be removed. We also levelled out the area that contained the trumpet vine and dug up human waste including pieces of pottery, plastic, bricks, cement blocks and glass.

(Image of trumpet vine).

(Image of a traditional herb knot garden).

This weeding out of the invasive species (trumpet vine) helps to keep the watershed behind Bonney Castle sustainable, because, after getting rid of it, no pesticides will be used to take care of it and keep it under control; therefore, there will be fewer harmful chemicals polluting the environment due to keeping the trumpet vine in place.

By: Maggie Fox and Alisa Manna