WALK THE LABYRINTH
Reflect and be at Peace
A labyrinth is different from a maze: it doesn’t have multiple branches or confusing dead ends. Instead, it follows a single, continuous path, serving as a unicursal tool for personal, psychological, and spiritual transformation. Labyrinths have been used since ancient times as a means of amends and reparation, believed to facilitate a shift from sin to virtue. In medieval times, monks would walk labyrinths on their knees as an act of penance, symbolising the journey towards spiritual cleansing and renewal.
Kellee Quinn Photography
Framing the labyrinth are striking allium plantings, whose legend suggests: if onions are planted, expect to learn far more than the lessons you originally sought.
The design of the allium plantings surrounding the labyrinth was inspired by the work of Thomas William Backhouse (1842–1920), who, from his observatory at West Hendon House in Sunderland, created the ‘Catalogue of 9842 Stars, Or, All Stars Very Conspicuous to the Naked Eye, for the Epoch of 1900’. This monumental work included 14 large star maps designed for meteoric observations, with a preface that explained their application using the gnomonic projection.
In the garden, the alliums represent the stars, echoing the celestial theme of Backhouse’s astronomical work. However, as the onion legend predicted, we’ve learned much more than anticipated—during the planting process, we discovered areas of soil compaction. In response, we are currently enriching the soil by adding sand, grit, and leaf mold to improve drainage in these areas.
