Hedgerow Maze (Bonus Inside)

Psychologists suggest that the hedgerow maze triggers a primal fear—the fear of being lost in deep vegetation, a predator’s advantage. Yet, because the walls are only waist-high (or slightly taller), there is a sense of safety. This tension between security and vulnerability is addictive.

Disease is the true minotaur. Dutch elm disease, box blight, and honey fungus can tear holes in the geometry overnight. Maintaining a hedgerow maze requires the dedication of a monk and the back of a laborer. The metaphor is inescapable. Life is a hedgerow maze. The walls are problems that grow if you ignore them. The paths are choices that look identical. You will hit dead ends. You will backtrack. Sometimes, you will walk in circles for an hour. hedgerow maze

You eventually find the center—usually a statue, a fountain, or a bench. You sit, catch your breath, and realize the journey through the green was better than the destination. Then, you have to find your way back out. Psychologists suggest that the hedgerow maze triggers a