Garden labyrinth - a variant of the composition. Garden labyrinth

One of the most memorable scenes in Three Men in a Boat, Excluding a Dog is the scene in which the protagonists find themselves in a maze. In our review, we will focus on the most unusual and beautiful hedge mazes around the world.

Longleat (Longleat, Wiltshire, England)

Consisting of over 16,000 English yews, the Longleet hedge maze is one of the longest in the world. The length of its corridors is about 2.7 kilometers, and the total area of the labyrinth is 0.6 hectares. Since the 16th century, this territory has belonged to the Marquis of Bath, who in 1975 allocated part of the territory of their estate for a huge hedge labyrinth. Later, the first outside Africa safari park and three smaller labyrinth gardens were built on the estate.

Mason (Parma, Italy)

The largest labyrinth in the world is Mason, which was built in an Italian city famous for its Parmesan cheese. Curiously, the maze was created as a result of a dispute between the Italian publisher Franco Maria Ricci and the writer Jorge Luis Borges. When Ricci announced that he wanted to build the world's largest labyrinth, Borges replied that it was impossible.

The star-shaped labyrinth, which opened in May 2015, was built using 200,000 bamboo plants and covers a whopping 8 hectares. Seventy-year-old Ricci used fast-growing bamboo instead of traditional trees and shrubs to see the maze before his death.

Andrássy Castle (Tisadob, Hungary)

Situated along the Tisza River near the Hungarian-Slovak border, the hedge maze of boxwood and yew in Andrássy Castle was supposed to resemble a huge squid from above. The castle itself was built in the 19th century for the Count of Andrássy.

Pineapple Maze (Wahayawa, Hawaii)

It is often said that, despite its small size, the labyrinth in Villa Pisani is the most difficult in the world. Guides like to say that in 1807, walking along the winding paths of the labyrinth, Napoleon got lost in it. It's not known whether it's a bike or not, but the labyrinth, built in 1720 by a rich doge near his villa, is one of the most beautiful in the world.

On a corn field of 13 hectares, a so-called corn maze is created every year. Moreover, its design changes every year - for example, in 2013 from above the maze looked like a portrait of the Beatles, in 2014 - like a US flag, and in 2015 the maze design is dedicated to the victory of the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL.

The 1 hectare Labyrinth of Peace was planted in 2000 to celebrate the signing of the Good Friday Agreement (an agreement to resolve the political conflict in Northern Ireland). It consists of two parts, and in order to complete the maze completely, you need to cross both. There is a tradition: the one who has reached the center of the labyrinth rings the Peace Bell located there.

Over a thousand Monterey cypress trees have been used to build one of the oldest plant labyrinths in the Southern Hemisphere. Since the 1970s, cypresses have been neatly trimmed twice a year, with each trimming session lasting an entire month. Visitors need to walk through two halves of the maze, each with its own unique design. And next to the cypress labyrinth is another labyrinth, which was created from more than 4,000 lavender bushes.

By order of King William III in 1700, the oldest hedge maze in Great Britain was built near Hampton Court Palace. It was originally made from hornbeam, but then the trees were replaced by holly and yew. The Hampton Court Labyrinth is known as one of the most challenging in the world.

Hello everyone!
Today I want to tell you about another exhibition in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden in Crimea. it Green maze open to visit, at any time of the year!

The ticket price is:

But since the labyrinth is located on the territory of the Nikitsky Botanical Garden, you will also have to pay for its entrance.

How to get there

If you want to visit the Green Labyrinth, you will have to give up the imported excursions and get there on your own. Since the programs do not provide for a stop at this exhibition.

You can get to:

Bus.

There are buses 29 and 34 from Yalta, stopping right in front of the entrance to the Nikitsky Botanical Garden.

By car.

We drive the address into the navigator: settlement Nikita, Nikitsky descent 52, and calmly we reach. You can park at the entrance to the Nikitsky Botanical Garden.

The labyrinth is a hedge of tall laurel bushes. As in the film Tournament of Three Wizards with Harry Potter, Only on a smaller scale.

Because the area of the Crimean labyrinth is 1500 sq.m.

They give tasks at the entrance. You need to find a treasure chest, a pool with goldfish, fountains, and of course the exit from the maze. At first, we were skeptical about the labyrinth, thinking that it was purely child's play. Five minutes and we will find all the rooms and leave the maze.

But no! We wandered there for about thirty minutes, constantly reaching a dead end! Everything is very cool done! You need to go to all the tracks and check, even if at first it seems that there is a dead end. Because when you come closer, it turns out that there is no dead end there.

On the way there are benches, statues, flowers and trees.

There were several pitfalls. Two of them doused with water (a little), and two more frightened with sounds. Not scary, but a couple of times it was really very unexpected!

There were also hints.

The inside of the labyrinth is very beautiful!

We found all the rooms.

Pool with goldfish.

If you look closely, you can see a fish.

Perhaps, all the owners of summer cottages are trying to do something unusual and original in the yard, something that would make him stand out from the rest. It could be small, hidden between spreading trees, other options. These are all classics, but there are other, more mysterious garden elements - remember, for example, the labyrinths in the Middle Ages, which were framed by luxurious palaces! And something similar (on a more modest scale, of course) can be done by any owner of a suburban area, if he has the opportunity and desire. And about how to make a garden labyrinth with your own hands, we will tell you in today's article.

Interesting! Did you know that there are several ways to remove tree stumps? If you want to know more about this, then for you!

But what is so good about the labyrinth in the garden? You will be surprised, but this venture has numerous advantages:

the garden will be equipped in an unconventional and original way;
it will be useful for children in terms of development;
pets and guests can have great fun.

Defining what a garden labyrinth is

Let's make a reservation right away that any labyrinth is an extremely complex system, which consists of intricate passages and paths leading to a single goal, namely, to the center of the entire composition. It is not at all necessary that the labyrinth in the garden be large - some of them are relatively small, distinguished by their emphasized ease of execution. In addition, a wide variety of materials can be used to create a composition - from traditional hedges to original stone paths.

And if you have children, then remember that such a labyrinth will very quickly become their favorite place to play, because it is so interesting to play hide and seek there! For adults, this is a great opportunity to take a leisurely walk, carried away by their dreams and thoughts.

Note! If we talk about a regular garden, then almost any type of labyrinth is suitable for it, while for a landscape it is better to use a fantasy or stone one.

Now - directly to the process of creating a maze!

Stage one. Location, composition

Before you start doing anything, decide where the composition will be located. Obviously, almost all the labyrinths can be seen completely only from above, for this reason it is very good if you have some kind of hill or a house with two floors on your site (from the second floor you can admire the delights of the composition). As for the location, it is better to equip a labyrinth next to a playground or recreation area.

The most primitive version of the maze is a twisted spiral, the paths of which are connected in the center. But with compositions in which there are several exits or a dead end, everything is much more complicated. And an excellent example of this can be any park labyrinth in Europe, and if you simplify it, you can get your own original scheme.

When creating a labyrinth, attention should be paid to both the interweaving of the tracks and the "heart" of the composition, that is, the central part. It is recommended to equip a recreation area there, for which you can, for example, put a table with armchairs, build a pergola, and so on. Even a beautiful sculpture, a flower bed, a pond, or even a sundial can become a "heart".

Stage two. Choosing plants

If the labyrinth is small, that is, for children, then when creating it, you can use annual plants (such as curly parsley), flower pots, small cobblestones. But if the structure is large enough, then shrubs will need to be planted for it. It is important that they are such that neither haircut nor care causes any particular difficulties (and all this is extremely necessary to give the composition the required shape and adjust the dimensions of the walls).

When creating a middle labyrinth, plants with a height of no more than 0.5 meters are used (this can be undersized spirea, alpine currant, boxwood). All of these crops grow in the middle lane. And if you are planning something really large-scale - a composition in which adults will for some time fornicate, then the best option would be trees up to 3 meters high. According to experienced specialists, yew, dog rose, Tatar maple, hornbeam, and others are most suitable for this.

Note! The combination of types of crops should be selected so that they have different flowering periods, that is, they bloom more than at the same time. Only then will the garden maze look great for most of the year!

As already noted, traditionally garden labyrinths are made in the form of a circle, although if you wish, you can use any other shape - a triangle, a square, it can even be made in the form of initials. In a word, there are a lot of options, so you can safely involve children in the process - she will take part in it with great pleasure. The most primitive version of the composition consists of:

entrance;
several turns;
exit.

As for the forms, the simplest of them are spiral compositions, where all the tracks are connected in the center. There is also a cross-cutting scheme, which lacks a pronounced "heart". Now let's figure out what types of labyrinths are the most popular in landscape design.

Stage three. Getting Started - Several Possible Options

There are four main types of composition, and your further actions will depend on which one you have chosen. So, let's briefly familiarize ourselves with all.

Option number 1. Hedge arrangement

The most attractive, and therefore tempting, option is a garden labyrinth made of hedges. It is quite obvious that this option is also the most time consuming and difficult to implement. Crops (these can be both trees and bushes), forming passages in this kind of composition, need constant care and frequent mowing. Moreover, the area of such a charm will be considerable - no 6 acres in this case will save you.

Although if the area of the site is large enough, and you yourself are filled with the desire to keep the hedge "in shape", then such a structure will turn into your favorite place for walking! Most likely, not only children, but also grandchildren will be able to play in intricate moves, since with proper care the composition will still be attractive for decades.

If you plan to use a hedge as a "building material", then we advise you to resort to:

brilliant cotoneaster;
laurel;
privet;
evergreen boxwood.

And if you don't have the desire to wait for perennial bushes to grow, you can do everything quickly using fast-growing annual crops (this can be, for example, a broom kochia, which grows no higher than 1 meter). It forms a dense green mass in record time, besides, it is quite easy to cut it. Although there is a significant disadvantage - such a maze of annual crops will have to be restored every year, for this reason it is rather a temporary option.

Option number 2. Stone labyrinth

You can also use a stone to create a labyrinth - in this case, the finished composition will outwardly resemble the ruins of an ancient fabulous building. Of course, it will be intended solely for viewing and, perhaps, for walking, since it is hardly possible to use it for "wandering". To lay out a decorative spiral, take small pebbles of the same size, or a masonry-side. And if you use large stones, then this will help to make a kind of walking version of the composition.

If you wish, or, for example, if it seems to you that the stone labyrinth looks too gloomy, you can "revive" it with the help of plants planted between the boulders. In this case, if small pebbles were used, then “alpine” cultures (rejuvenated, sedum) are perfect. But for the transformation of a stone wall, experts advise taking ivy, cobea, honeysuckle or dichondra.

Option number 3. Flower arrangement

The spiral-shaped flower maze is very popular. It is important to select compact flowers with erect stems. Cultures should clearly repeat all the outlines of a given composition, which is why spreading flowers are unlikely to fit (they, as you know, "love" to grow). Overseeding crops are also undesirable to use to create a garden labyrinth (this can be escholzia or poppy), since, as the name implies, they are prone to self-seeding.

Note! If these self-seeding crops are still used, the composition will lose clarity and become a blurry blur. Therefore, it is better to take compact plants for this - a curb rose, for example, or a bush petunia.

As for the color, the labyrinth in this regard should be as clear and uniform as possible, otherwise the outlines will be smeared and will not be perceived as a whole. And if the composition will consist of two spirals connected in the center, then you can use two colors that contrast to each other. By the way, a flower arrangement can only act as an ordinary flower bed, that is, it can only be examined or used for walking. If walks were chosen, then lay gravel paths between plantings, clearly repeating all the passes.

Option number 4. Fantasy composition

This option is the most unpredictable, since it is away from clear lines and geometric laws. No layout of the circuit is required here, as well as the presence of a "heart"; the main emphasis here is placed on the maximum entanglement of moves, the maximum number of turns, dead ends in unexpected places. And, walking through such a labyrinth, a person will be able to take part in an exciting journey, during which he will not know what awaits him at the next intersection.

Fantasy-type labyrinths are interesting in that they can be not only a strictly delineated area of a suburban area, like the options described above, but can be located throughout the garden, including a play area, a recreation area, etc. It is only necessary that the crossings were insignificant and "mixed" with various intersections and turns. Only in this case, the person inside the composition will not know what awaits him just a few meters ahead. And for this, pergolas, trellises or arches decorated with climbing plants can be used.

All plant cultures, including hedges, will grow here freely, grow as they "want" in order to hide from a person everything that is a few steps away. And after each turn, the visitor will be awaited by something unusual and at the same time pleasant: a beautiful flower bed, a comfortable bench for rest, plaster sculpture, etc.

Summing up

If you make a garden labyrinth with your own hands, then you will definitely not regret your idea, since this element of garden design will always attract attention, and you, in turn, will be proud of your creation! And do not be afraid that the path to your dream may turn out to be too confusing. There is always a way out in labyrinths, you just need to make an effort and find it!

One of the most memorable scenes in the movie Three Men in a Boat, Excluding a Dog is the scene in which the main characters are trapped in a maze.

Labyrinths of lush hedges have long been a symbol of baroque luxury. They have always fascinated people and at the same time slightly frightened. And although their popularity has declined significantly in the modern world, there are still a huge number of these magical living labyrinths that continue to grow. Here are examples of twisty examples of garden architecture that you can still get lost in corners.

Longleat Manor Labyrinth (Wiltshire, Warminster, England)

Consisting of over 16,000 English yews, the Longleet hedge maze is one of the longest in the world. The length of its corridors, consisting of about 16 thousand yew trees,about 2.7 kilometers, and the total area of the labyrinth is 0.6 hectares. Since the 16th century, this area has belonged to the Marquis of Bath, who in 1975 allocated part of the territory of their estate for a huge hedge labyrinth. Later, smaller labyrinth gardens were built on the estate. Sun Maze and Love Labyrinth.

Mason (Parma, Italy)

Andrássy Castle (Tisadob, Hungary)

Pineapple Maze (Wahaiawa, Hawaii)

This permanent hedge maze, which was the largest in the world before Mason was built, is located on the Dole Pineapple Plantation in Hawaii. It consists of 14,000 pineapple bushes that are fragrant all the way through the labyrinth of four kilometers. The huge pineapple labyrinth Dole Plantation is located on the Hawaiian island of Oahu. This labyrinth not only has intricate paths, but also magnificent scenic spots. Tourists have the opportunity to look for a way out, accompanied by a special audio recording, which tells the detailed history of the creation of pineapple plantations in Oahu. At the end of the walk, everyone who gets out gets interesting prizes.

Villa Pisani Labyrinth (Stra, Italy)

Richardson Farm Corn Maze (Spring Grove, Illinois)

On a corn field of 13 hectares, a so-called corn maze is created every year. Moreover, its design changes every year - for example, in 2013 the maze looked like a portrait of the Beatles from above, in 2014 it looked like a US flag, and in 2015 the maze design was dedicated to the victory of the Chicago Blackhawks in the NHL.

Peace Labyrinth (Castlewellan, Ireland)

Ashcombe Maze (Victoria, Australia)

Hampton Court Palace (Surrey, UK)

The oldest surviving hedge maze in the United Kingdom was planted in the late 1600s for King William III near Hampton Court Palace. It was originally made from hornbeam, but then the trees were replaced by holly and yew. The Hampton Court Labyrinth is known as one of the most challenging in the world. Although it is not the largest or most difficult maze, the Hampton Court maze is one of the oldest in the world. It has been making its visitors wander for hours for over 300 years. This labyrinth is "multicourse", which means there are several possible paths to the exit. It is this variety of choice that has been entertaining people for several centuries.

Horta Labyrinth Park. Barcelona, Spain

Barcelona's oldest garden is a beautiful angular hedge maze dating back to the late 1700s. Its meandering cypress corridors, about 750 meters long, lead to Italian-style terraces and balconies. And those who find themselves in the center of the labyrinth will meet there a statue of Eros - the Greek god of love. And this is hardly an accident, because getting into the “heart” of the fantastic historical garden is not so easy.

Glendurgan Garden Labyrinth, Cornwell

Created over 170 years ago, this curvy, rounded puzzle continues to confuse visitors to this day. The hedges of the Glendurgan laurel labyrinth resemble snakes curled up in the grass. Closest to the center of the labyrinth is a gazebo, towering over the foliage, but the structure of the labyrinth is such that even here you feel only halfway to the goal. The creator of the labyrinth deliberately complicated it by making it asymmetrical, unlike most other world-famous labyrinths.

French labyrinth Reignac-sur-Indre

For more than sixteen years, the Reignac-sur-Indre labyrinth has been called the largest man-made labyrinth in the world. The "green" labyrinth is located in the small provincial town of Touraine. The peculiarity of this place is that the paths are different every year, because the planting site is changed every year. An unusual piece of art appeared thanks to farmers who wanted to draw public attention to the problems of the city. At that time, men did not even suspect that they were creating something more than just a maze. Thousands of extreme entertainment lovers come to take a walk in this garden every year.

Massachusetts Maze Davis Mega Maze

The huge maze Davis Mega Maze is famous for its scale and unpredictability. This maze is located in the United States, Massachusetts. Every year, farmers devote more than 10,000 hours to the labyrinth. Every year this place is transformed into something new, no one can predict what the garden will look like. Tourists can wander for hours and look for a way out in the labyrinth.

Top Pearsy's Maize Maze in the UK