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

© Richard Cooke/Alam

Cornish garden stands the test of time. 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 up in the 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 allowed these rare imports, like bamboo, Brazilian giant-rhubarb and tree ferns to thrive in this valley garden. In 1962, the Fox family gifted the gardens to the National Trust.