Aerial view of the cherry laurel maze in Glendurgan Garden, Cornwall, England

Glendurgan Garden hedge maze is 186 years old

Created by Alfred Fox in 1833 to entertain his 12 children, the cherry laurel hedge maze at Glendurgan Garden was designed to resemble a serpent curled in grass. In addition to the maze, Glendurgan also includes an amazing collection of exotic plants that Fox obtained on his travels and imported from abroad. Luckily, the temperate climate of Cornwall, in South West England, allowed rare imports, like bamboo, Brazilian giant rhubarb, and tree ferns, to thrive in this valley garden. In 1962, the Fox family gifted the garden to the National Trust, a UK charity that works to preserve places of historic interest or natural beauty.

Beginning life as the private gardens of Alfred Fox, Glendurgan was handed over to the Natural Trust in 1962. Its maze was thoughtfully planned in the 1820s to self-sustain for years to come, and was planted using cherry laurel, known for its dense foliage. A challenge for any willing participant, it stretches three quarters of a mile from beginning to end, spiraling around in tight circles.