Maize Maze UK - walking into a labyrinth

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Maize Maze Labyrinth - a corn field with a 'catch'.

Maize maze is a bizarre way to exploit a corn field, when you do not gather your harvest but cut a labyrinth into the field trying to entice some unwitting tourist into it. Without doubt, maize maze is a tourist attraction with ever growing popularity. The idea of a maize maze is ages old but the man who brought the myths of ancient labyrinths into the modern life was Adrian Fisher. He is claimed to be the creator of word's first maize maze. Without delving deep into speculations, we will add that he would be the first person to actually commercialize the maize maze, as there are some vague historic records suggesting that several labyrinths were created by fanatics or those obsessed with Greek mythology back in the 18th and 19th centuries. So the first maize maze for tourists was created in Pennsylvania in the year of 1993.

We should mention that cutting the labyrinths in corn fields is only one way to keep the tourists busy. The traditional mazes, grown using hedges, were really popular in the past and still are to this day. However, the biggest disadvantage of hedge mazes is that these need several years to grow. Maize is just the opposite - a corn field needs only several weeks to rise over peoples' heads. It's no wonder - some of the semi-wild varieties of maize leap over 7 meters in height.

The defeat of Minotaur

The term maze is frequently used in the same manner as labyrinth. The symbol of a labyrinth is very old and well known amongst different cultures. Probably the most popular historic representations of a labyrinth are mandala (a metaphysical pattern of cosmos in Hinduism) and the Minotaur's labyrinth in Greek mythology. The latter being a complicated construction made for King Minos of Crete and designed by the legendary Daedalus (the father of Ikarus) to hold the monster Minotaur. Daedalus' labyrinth was made in a cunning way so that the master himself could hardly get out of it after he's been finished with building.

Mysterious Adrian Fisher

Adrian Fisher is internationally recognised as a leading maze designer. His mazes can be found in all corners of the globe. Adrian Fisher and his company, which is currently situated in Dorset, England, has received six entries in the Guinness Book of Records, creating more than 500 mazes in 23 countries all together. Adrian's labyrinths can be found all over the world. Mazes are very popular in the UK - it has the largest number of large sized maize mazes, presently recorded as 33 maize mazes. One of the most popular maize mazes is situated in Exbury Gardens, Hampshire.

Adrian Fisher cut his first maze many years ago in his family garden. Today he is acclaimed landscape artist and called the father of mazes. Also he is known as Deadalus of the modern times. A leader in his field, or should we say corn field, he is a master of sophisticated and almost unsolvable maize mazes.

Mr Fisher will never reveal to you the secrets of laying out a maize maze. If he won't then we will! There's nothing romantic about cutting a labyrinth into a corn field. The times when a wannabe Deadalus sneaked into a moonlit corn field armed with a cutter are far gone. The design is drawn on a paper and then laid out on a field using a GPS when the stalks are small and easy to pick out, forming the paths. Then, it's just the labyrinth waiting game - the remaining crop grow big and form the maze. Well, it just sounds easy - in the practice it takes a lot of creativity and cunning to lay out a maize maze.

A word on botany

Maize or corn, if you wish, is a cereal grain that is very popular in the world. In the United States the main use for maize is as a feed for cattle. Inhabitants of South America, Asia and Europe are much more creative when it comes to using maize. Firstly, it can be consumed by humans making a very healthy food. It contains starch and many important microelements. Maize can be used to create polymers with a wide range of use. It is also a source of biomass fuel.

The honour for first cultivating maize must be given to inhabitants of the place we know now as Mexico. Whatever it was called 8,000 years ago, its inhabitants managed to hybridize the wild grass teosinte into a truly valuable plant. Historians suggest that it spread into Europe in the 16th century following the infamous trip of Columbus to 'India'. But it was the early 20th century when Europeans realised the true potential of maize.

Should you fancy exploring a maize maze labyrinth, click here to find out more about Exbury Gardens Maize Maze.

Fearured attractions for your great days out in Hampshire:

New Great Days Out UK attractions in 2008: Heavy Horse Park | Go Ape! Park | Swanage Railway | Corfe Castle Model Village

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