What are Hob Knobs?

Hob Knobs are hose guides for your garden made with antique doorknobs. If you are not familiar with what a hose guide is, it is simply a stake that is strategically placed around the edges of garden beds to prevent a hose from wiping out your precious perennials.

Until now your main option was a cheap plastic stake that is very unattractive against a natural landscape. Around seven years ago I came up with the idea to fasten an antique doorknob to a long metal rod. That original creation is still in my zone 6 garden to this day. Only recently I decided to make hose guides out of all sorts of antique doorknobs and share them with fellow gardeners.

Several styles include pressed fluted glass circa 1910, various mineral clay materials circa 1860, Iron Arts and crafts style circa 1900, and brass Art nouveau circa1890.

Each Hob Knob is custom made as most of the knobs differ. A very sturdy 15” length of ½” rolled steel rod is turned on a lathe to accommodate the smaller diameter openings in the knobs. The rods are then threaded to allow a screw to firmly secure the knobs.

Hob Knobs have recently been spotted at The Pacific Northwest Flower show, The Philadelphia Flower Show, exclusive garden shops in Arizona, Seattle, and the Philadelphia area, as well as some lovely private gardens.

Antiques are not just for “in-doors” anymore!

News

• 3/3/06 - See you at the Hardy Plant Society Symposium March into Spring on March 18 at the American College, with lectures, lunch, auction, and shopping.
• 3/1/2006 - Look for us at the Philadelphia Flower Show. Garden Accents will be carrying a nice selection of Hob Knobs.
• 2/1/2006 - Hi everyone! I am sorry the website inventory is not up to date. I have been busy in the shop getting ready for the Spring. Please get in touch if you would like photos of the current product line.
• 9/27/2004 - I was recently featured in the reader of the week section of The Suburban and Wayne Times. Click here to read a scanned version of the article.