15.17. CLASSICAL HYPNOSIS Mental discomfort is not always considered a disease. However, it is he who causes many functional disorders, suffering from which a person is forced to consult a doctor. After examination, it usually turns out that there is a health problem

Section 5 Compassion as the art of building relationships Like a mother who would protect her child even at the cost of her life, Nurture in your heart endless love for all living things. Let your good thoughts permeate the whole world. Fill your mind with compassion. Buddha Shakyamuni Three chapters of this

How to Build Strong Relationships The entire Buddha-Nature Raising Method is dedicated to establishing deep and warm relationships in which both parents and children can develop. The ideas and views of Buddhism form the basis of these methods, and practical

Hi all!
Today I want to talk about another exhibition in the Nikitsky Botanical Garden in Crimea. This Green labyrinth open to the public at any time of the year!

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 refuse imported excursions and get there on your own. Since the programs do not include a stop at this exhibition.

You can get there by:

• By bus.

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

• By car.

Enter the address into the navigator: Nikita village, Nikitsky descent 52, and we arrive calmly. You can park at the entrance to the Nikitsky Botanical Garden.

The labyrinth is a hedge of tall laurel bushes. Like in the movie Triwizard Tournament with Harry Potter, only on a smaller scale.

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

At the entrance they give tasks. You need to find a treasure chest, a pool with goldfish, fountains, and of course a way out of 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 exit the maze.

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

There are benches, statues, flowers and trees along the way.

There were several traps. Two of them were doused with water (a little), and two more were scared with sounds. Not scary, but a couple of times it was really 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.

Most likely, any owner of a summer cottage is trying to create something unique and at the same time grandiose, something that would distinguish his garden from his neighbors. A beautiful fountain, a small pond, and so on looks elegant on any site. But the garden labyrinth gives it a special charm. Such a site is completely transformed, becoming mysterious and attractive. Here we should recall the methods of garden decoration that were extremely popular in medieval times; they were used to frame elegant palaces or houses of some nobility. Today, any gardener who appreciates beauty can afford such a labyrinth in his garden.

Labyrinths in the garden

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You've certainly seen the perfect lawn in a movie, on an alley, or perhaps on your neighbor's lawn. Those who have ever tried to grow a green area on their site will no doubt say that it is a huge amount of work. The lawn requires careful planting, care, fertilization, and watering. However, only inexperienced gardeners think this way; professionals have long known about the innovative product - liquid lawn AquaGrazz.

Any garden labyrinth is a complex area to construct, with intricate paths and passages leading to a specific place on the site - the central part of the composition. They are usually small in size; there are also miniature versions that have a simple shape. In addition, different materials can be used to form them, which includes both hedges and stone paths. If there are children among the family members, then be one hundred percent sure that this garden border will be their favorite place to play.

Thanks to the curved lines and contrasting shades, the garden labyrinth becomes especially attractive. Such an element of landscape design can be organically integrated into a regular garden.

Compositions for the labyrinth

Important points for creating a composition for a labyrinth:

Location

Before you start creating a garden border in your garden plot, you need to decide on its location. The compositions of many ready-made options for a dacha can only be seen from a small height, so it’s great if your garden has a hill or a two-story house. In order to place it, you can choose an area near the recreation area or children's playgrounds.

Center of the labyrinth

Form

The simplest form is a twisted spiral, in which any paths are closed in its central part. Slightly more complex shapes can be achieved with dead ends.

"Heart" of the building

When forming a composition, it is necessary to pay attention to the interweaving of entrances and paving paths, but also to the center of the territory - the “heart” of the labyrinth. Here it is better to have an area for relaxation, for example, a cozy pergola or wicker chairs with a nearby table. The central part of the composition can also contain interesting flower beds, sculptures, a small pond and much more.

Let's look at the most common types of labyrinths in garden plot decor.

Hedge labyrinth garden

The most impeccable garden decor is a labyrinth of hedges that are of sufficient height. Although in this case the gardener will have to spend a lot of time and effort to create it. Shrubs or trees that create such a garden path require constant care and pruning. And the territory for such luxury for your personal plot is required to be quite large. But, if the territory of your personal plot is rather large and you are ready to constantly care for such a fence, then all you have to do is start working. Since such an element of your garden plot will certainly turn out to be a favorite place for all members of your family. Most likely, your children and grandchildren will be able to spend a lot of time there, running along the winding paths and entrances, since a hedge that is properly planted will not lose its attractiveness for many years with careful care.

Example of garden decor

In order to create a labyrinth and border from a hedge, you can use a variety of plants, from common privet to common laurel. If you don’t want to wait many years for your hedge to grow, you can plant fast-growing varieties of shrubs, for example, broom kochia. Thanks to this bush, you will soon have a dense mass of greenery in your garden, which lends itself well to cutting. There is only one drawback - such a fence will need to be restored annually. Therefore, such a fence should be chosen as a temporary option.

Flower maze in the garden

Today, the creation of garden elements from various varieties of flowers is in particular demand among gardeners. They are usually planted in the form of flower beds. For the labyrinth, it is better to choose miniature flowers that have the correct shape and the stems are rectangular. The flowers must clearly follow the even outlines of the spiral of the structure, so here it is better not to opt for spreading varieties of flowers that are prone to proliferation. You should also not plant beautiful reseeding plants, for example, poppy, as they have a tendency to self-sow. Self-seeding of these plants in the shortest possible time will cause the straight lines to become blurry and the garden border will not be visible.

It is better to choose miniature garden flowers such as annuals or perennials. For example, you can decorate your garden plot with bush petunia, snapdragon, salvia, coleus, and border roses. An important rule is that the flower beds must clearly follow the contour of our garden element. The choice of colors in such a solution should be as clear as possible, otherwise the flower beds will look blurry and not be perceived as something unified. If your composition consists of two closing spirals, then in this option you can use two contrasting colors. You can arrange it like an ordinary flowerbed, that is, its purpose is to decorate your garden plot or be a place for your family members to walk. In the latter case, paved paths should be laid between the flowers.

Center of composition

Stone border

A stone border is an element of magic in your garden. You can make a path of stones, in which case it will look like the ruins of ancient magical buildings. Like a flower bed, a border can be designed to be admired or to be used as a place for walking. The decorative spiral can be laid out using pebbles or masonry edges that are the same size. Large boulders or stone walls form a walking option. If you have a desire or it seems that the stone version looks very gloomy, then you can “revive” the gloomy stones in your garden with some kind of decor. All you need in this case is to plant some varieties of plants or flowers between them.

If your structure consists mainly of small stones, then various varieties of “Alpine” would be an excellent choice for its landscaping. You can completely change a stone wall with the help of hanging or climbing plants, for example, dichondra, ivy or others.

Fantasy option

This option is the most unpredictable, because it does not have any specific lines or clear laws of geometry. There is no need to plan the garden layout and choose a place for the center of the composition, since in this case there should be as many confusing passages, unexpected dead ends, as well as all kinds of intersections. A walk through such a garden should be an entertaining journey, when you don’t know what will open up around another corner.

Entrance to the labyrinth

Fantasy garden decor is interesting for another such moment that it can turn out not only to be an organic detail of the garden, like other options, but to occupy an area of ​​the entire dacha with a recreation area, playgrounds and paths. The important point here is that any garden transitions should be small, so that they alternate quite often with various turns. That is, if you are in the center of the entire structure, then you will not be able to see what follows a few meters away from you. Such compositions can be created through various arches or elegant pergolas. Various ornamental bushes and trees grow freely here, growing as they please, in order to hide from prying eyes what is located at a distance of several steps.

The magic of stone labyrinths!

I shot this video while in Germany, Externstein, in front of one of the real stone labyrinths.

In the northern tradition, labyrinths made of stones of power are considered the key to the transition to other worlds . And also, the key to special magic, when we can, being in another world, change what happens in our denser, rougher world.

To create such labyrinths we used special stones, special places.

But! In order to take advantage of the magic of the labyrinth, it is not at all necessary to go somewhere, for example, to Karelia or Germany. You can create a labyrinth like this at home from special power stones and use it as needed. It is believed that when a person is in such a place in a special state, singing a special sound combination or playing a magical instrument, he changes not only oneself, but also the world around.

You can apply the image of a stone labyrinth to clothing or interior items, thus creating magical protection of yourself and your home .

Gateway to another world

Stone labyrinths are very ancient creations. In such mazes it is used all the strength and power of mother nature. And their origin is still shrouded in speculation and conjecture. Labyrinths captivate and attract with their energy and beauty.

There are a lot of versions of creating labyrinths, one more beautiful than the other, but one thing is certain - this is a special place, here magical rituals were performed.

Labyrinths come in different forms, but their main element is spiral, and the shape in which the spirals are laid out is resembles the structure of the human brain. In such labyrinths there is only one entrance (the exit is in the same place as the entrance).

The labyrinth is place of transition to other worlds. They were used to carry out cult rites and healing rituals. Special rituals were held here, after which the initiates received magical power and ability communicate with this and other worlds.

The labyrinth is a magical place maximizing human capabilities, his intuition and abilities. Whether or not to enter such a labyrinth is up to you. But if you have entered, then all you have to do is obey the turns of the labyrinth, its bends, and go to the end - to the cherished goal - finding a new self.

We have the most famous labyrinths in Russia - Solovetskoe cluster, Arkaim(labyrinth of desires), labyrinths of the Kola Peninsula.

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Friends, write in the comments under this article, what other topics of Shamanism and the Northern Runic Tradition do you want to learn and study??

See you in class!

The fashion for garden labyrinths dates back to the Middle Ages. Initially, they retained a certain sacred meaning, but later turned into exquisite decoration and entertainment. Neither adults nor children will be bored in a garden that has at least a small green labyrinth. How to arrange it, what plants to choose for a garden puzzle and how to care for it?

From temple to palace

Among the many mysterious objects and symbols that have long attracted people, there is one that is reflected in the history of landscape art. This is a labyrinth, an ancient artifact that has entered the cultures of different peoples since primitive times. For many of us, the labyrinth of the Knossos Palace on the island has become most famous. Crete, where, according to legend, the fierce Minotaur lived.

A labyrinth is usually a two- or three-dimensional image of a system of complexly intertwined lines (straight, curved or spiraling). It can also be embodied in nature, in the form of chains of stones, earthen embankments, as well as walls made of inert materials or densely planted plants.

There are many different interpretations of the symbolic meaning of the labyrinth, there are theories that it is an image of the cosmos or the heliocentric system, encrypted pagan ritual dances, a sign of protection from evil forces, or an image of the thorny path to knowledge of the truth. In some medieval churches, the floors are painted in the form of a labyrinth. In former times, such labyrinths with a center in the form of a cross surrounded by spiral lines were overcome by believers on their knees, thus making a symbolic pilgrimage to holy places. Sometimes on areas near churches, the corresponding patterns were laid out with stones or simply cut out in the grass.

A surge of interest in creating labyrinths was noted during the late Middle Ages and the Renaissance. Low borders made of clipped cypress and boxwood in labyrinths near cathedrals and in monasteries served religious purposes, but gradually such plant structures began to acquire an entertaining character and become a fashionable decoration for the gardens of the nobility. Obviously, this is a consequence of the development of a regular style of gardening at that time and the return to popularity of topiary art, directly related to the formation of labyrinths and their maintenance.

Classics of the genre

The construction of green labyrinths begins in villas in Italy, in French palace gardens and in Tudor England. At first, they were more reminiscent of parterre broderies, the ornate patterns of which were so convenient to view from the balconies of mansions and castles. The height of the walls made of trimmed bushes did not exceed a meter. Relatively low boxwood borders in rectangular labyrinths, which have undergone repeated restoration, can still be seen in the Villa Barbarigo near Padua and in the Giusti Gardens in Verona.

In the center of the spiral, round or rectangular bosquets that make up the labyrinth, flowers were planted, plant pots or sculptures were installed. An example of such a labyrinth is the parterre, which has survived to this day within its former boundaries, laid out by Prince William of Orange (1533–1584) in the front part of the Dutch royal palace of Het Loo. Now it is decorated with tall topiary pyramids, plantings of sage, lavender, roses and citrus fruits in a pop-up culture.

Over time, the landscape masters of the past began to increase the height of the walls in the labyrinths, achieving the effect of complete disorientation in space for the people inside them. These structures become one of the main entertainment attractions in the garden, with their help you can entertain guests or arrange a meeting behind green walls and hide from prying eyes.

Almost all royal gardens and parks of European monarchs have labyrinths. In the 60s of the 17th century in Versailles, the brilliant Andre Le Nôtre built labyrinths, which were later decorated with fountains based on the themes of Aesop’s fables. Later in Russia, on the orders of Peter I, a similar labyrinth was built in the Summer Garden. Unfortunately, both of these green structures have not survived to this day. However, one of the oldest structures of its type, built at Hampton Court Palace by George London at the end of the 17th century, still welcomes visitors. This labyrinth became widely known to the public after the publication of Jerome K. Jerome’s novel “Three Men in a Boat and a Dog.”

Like any topiary structure, the labyrinth requires constant maintenance, so it is not surprising that many of these structures were lost during the vicissitudes of history. However, interest in them constantly remained, so a number of labyrinths were restored, often based on old surviving drawings, as, for example, in Pavlovsk Park, where Charles Cameron worked at the end of the 18th century. An intricate, square-shaped yew labyrinth, seemingly made entirely of corners, has been reconstructed in the beautiful English estate of Chenize Manor. In the delightful gardens of Hatfield House, at the end of the last century, the owners recreated a large-scale labyrinth built at the beginning of the 17th century by the famous garden master John Tradescant.

Almost all royal gardens and parks of European monarchs have labyrinths.

Along the path of modernization

With the development of the practice of building labyrinths, their structure began to change. In addition to the complication of the arrangement of green walls, their thickness and height also change, and the range of trees and shrubs used becomes more diverse. In the center, and sometimes along the edges of the labyrinth, turrets are installed, climbing onto which is convenient for inspecting it, as well as observing those who are trying to find a way out. This adds a fun element to gardening puzzles. An example of such a labyrinth is the green structure at Villa Pisani in the Italian city of Stra, decorated with sculptures and a central tower with a spiral staircase. According to legend, Napoleon Bonaparte himself, who once owned the villa, got lost in this labyrinth.

Sometimes, instead of towers, bridges were built along which one could move from one part of the labyrinth to another. Bridge crossings allow you to adjust the direction of your movement through the labyrinth; they enliven it, make it more dynamic and fun. This element is especially often used in modern labyrinths. One of the greatest masters of our time in constructing labyrinths, the Englishman Adrian Fisher, built a structure from clipped yew with two high wooden bridges on the estate of the Dukes of Marlborough, Blenheim. Another of his discoveries can be considered the creation of green labyrinths, combined with underground ones, dug in the form of a system of tunnels and grottoes. When using decorative lighting, such labyrinths turn into real garden attractions.

How it's done

Living walls of labyrinths are created in the same way as dense hedges, planting planting units at intervals of 30–40 cm according to a pre-thought-out and marked planting pattern. In the future, care comes down to fertilizing, watering and, of course, constant shaping of the plantings. Do not think that the labyrinth is the prerogative of vast estates and large parks. In your home garden, you can lay out a very small labyrinth, consisting of a couple of turns of spiral plantings with a platform in the center, paved with stone or filled with gravel. By installing a bench or a set of garden furniture there, this place can be turned into an original relaxation area.

Cypress trees, introduced cypress trees, evergreen boxwood, and especially berry yew were traditionally used to construct the trimmed walls of labyrinths in European countries with warm climates. We can say that most modern high labyrinths are formed precisely from yew. However, it is also possible to create dense, impenetrable walls from deciduous trees; for this purpose, forest and oriental beeches, common hornbeam, shiny privet, noble laurel, and common cherry laurel are most often chosen. All these plants have not very large leaves and moderate growth rates; they lend themselves well to pruning.

Living walls of labyrinths are created in the same way as dense hedges, planting planting units at intervals of 30–40 cm according to a pre-thought-out and marked planting pattern.

In our climate

In temperate climates, to form sufficiently high walls of labyrinths, of course, you should choose more winter-hardy plants. Among the conifers, these can be common spruce, E. Serbian, E. black, E. Engelman or E. prickly, thuja occidentalis, rock juniper, M. virginiana and M. common, Siberian fir and P. balsam, as well as various species larches, which are also capable of performing the function of a screen during the growing season. Densely planted and trimmed into the wall, all these plants will ensure the impermeability of the labyrinth passages even without the use of a mesh or lattice, as is sometimes done when using other crops.

As for deciduous plants, in our conditions it is possible to form the walls of labyrinths from many tree and shrub species, for example, small-leaved linden, l. Amur or L. large-leaved, rowan, r. intermediate, r. whole leaf, r. Arnold and R. alder, common hawthorn, b. pinnately incised, b. monopistillate, b. large-spined and b. a bit soft. Various types of apple and pear trees, including fruit varieties, river maple and Tatarian maple, white dogwood, chokeberry, large varieties of common barberry, b. Ottawa and b. Thunberga, caragana arborescens and viburnum leaf carp.

Some design projects are particularly original, such as a labyrinth created from willow poles dug into the ground, producing young shoots.

Fashion trends

An alternative to classic labyrinths with trimmed walls are grassy ones, which seem to take us back to the Middle Ages. Such cyclical labyrinths, cut in the grass, as well as with gravel and tiled paths, can now be found in many gardens, for example, in the English estates of Westwell Manor and Chanise Manor, but they are, of course, purely decorative in nature. They can be found as an element in design exhibition projects or in the design of park spaces. One interesting example of such labyrinths is a double spiral of plantings of various field herbs, arranged in the Appeltern Gardens in Holland.

There are also modern labyrinths made of wooden, metal or lattice fencing, entwined with vines or with flat trellis plantings on nets. Some design projects are particularly original, such as a labyrinth created from willow poles dug into the ground, producing young shoots. It is safe to say that such an ancient artifact as a labyrinth is not going to rest at all; it is in demand in modern gardens and increasingly appears before us in a new guise.