Labyrinthos Photo Library

Historic Hedge Mazes

Mazes formed from tangled living hedges have been a feature of gardens and parks for at least six hundred years. The first hedge mazes were probably planted during the late mediaeval period, but ironically, the first positive evidence for a hedge maze is the record of the destruction of an example in Paris during 1431. The designs of these early garden mazes were often simple adaptations of the widespread single-path labyrinth designs laid during the 12th to 14th centuries in the floors of churches and cathedrals, primarily in France and Italy.

Influenced also by the writings of classical authors, at first they were designed primarily for contemplative exercise of both mind and body, but they increasingly developed as places of gentle entertainment, somewhere to dally and engage in conversation, and with the inclusion of shaded bowers and other features, a place for romance. A number of paintings from the early 16th century onwards depict both labyrinths and simple mazes with low hedges, tunnels and arbors; couples are often depicted strolling around the paths.

During the 16th and early 17th centuries various gardening writers and advisors recommended them as an essential element of any well executed garden design and with full height hedges and more complex designs, they soon became a puzzle and a challenge (and therefore mazes in the true sense), and an increasingly popular feature in gardens across Europe. Although all of these early hedge mazes have been swept away by changes in gardening taste, contemporary documents, engravings and plans of estates and gardens often preserve details of their construction and design.

Hedge mazes continued to flourish and develop during the late 17th and 18th centuries. Popular earlier designs continued to be repeated, and increasingly more grandiose and complex designs began to appear. The famous example from Hampton Court, planted c.1690, is probably the best-known and oldest survivor, but other hedge mazes from the early 18th century survive in France, Denmark and Italy. The creation of public parks and pleasure gardens during the 19th century also produced a number of interesting and pleasing maze designs, designed primarily to provide gentle entertainment and exercise for their owners and local people, and likewise a number of these mazes still survive. It was also during the late 18th and early 19th centuries that hedge mazes began to appear worldwide, as colonial tastes and settlers took the designs of favourite mazes to be re-created in gardens in new lands.

The international boom in tourism in the late twentieth century has imposed new demands on these surviving historic hedge mazes. Since the mid-1970's many new mazes, with increasing complex designs and innovative features, have been planted worldwide, specially designed to cope with increased visitor numbers. Alongside this, a new appreciation of garden history and period restorations has seen a number of historic hedge mazes renovated and replanted. These twin developments will ensure that hedge mazes continue to flourish well into the future.

Labyrinthos has an extensive collection of old engravings, plans and graphics, as well as early photographs, of historic hedge mazes from around the world. Below is a selection from our archives.

Villa d'Este, Tivoli, Italy

Imperial Gardens, Peking, China

Sorgvliet, Netherlands


*Argenville, France*	*Egeskov, Denmark*

*Hampton Court, England*	*Hampton Court, England*

*Versailles, France*	*Choisy, France*

*Woburn Abbey, England*	*Stra, Italy*

*Krenkerup, Denmark*	*Herrenhausen, Hanover, Germany*

*Plan for garden maze by De Vries*	*Plan for garden maze by Puec*

*Bridge End Gardens, England*	*Chevening, England*

*Villa Altieri, Rome, Italy*	*RHS Garden, S. Kensington, England*

*Hatfield House, England*	*Bot. Gardens, Ballarat, Australia*

*Belair Park, Adelaide, Australia*	*Alcazar Palace, Seville, Spain*

We also have images and graphics of historic hedge mazes in America - click here to see some of our collection.

All of the images on this page (and many more besides!) are available for licenced reproduction. For details of reproduction fees and permission proceedures, send us an e-mail with details of your planned usage and format requirements. We have many more graphics and images in our archive and can produce plans and graphics to order. If you have specific requirements, please ask.