Mowing a simple classic labyrinth into your lawn or school playing field.
Mowing a simple lawn labyrinth is surprisingly easy.
Space Required
Make sure you have enough space before you start!
The total diameter of your labyrinth will depend on a number of factors, including the cutting width of your mower,
the number of circuits, the width of the labyrinth walls, the diameter of the central area and your accuracy with a
mower! Use this chart below to calculate how much space you will need.
Lawn mower cutting width
+
Desired width of walls
+
Desired diameter of central area
+
Wriggle room
=
Estimated total diameter
(suggest 10-15
cm)
x 14 (7circuit) or
x 6 (3 circuit)
x 16 (7 circuit) or
x 8 (3 circuit)
Up to you, suggest
10% of total so far
Items Required



Variable cutting height lawn mower (suggest petrol to avoid risk of running over cables due to circular nature
of labyrinth.)
Long pipes or wooden slats to mark out seed pattern shown below (with space for mower in between)
Four pegs, cones or small paper plates to mark the four dots in the corners of the seed pattern.
Instructions.
1. Allow your grass to grow longer than the highest cutting height of your mower.
2. Work out where the centre of the central area will be. Mow this area on the highest
height, or fractionally shorter if not clear where mowing has occurred.
3. Lay out the seed pattern (as shown in black) underneath the freshly mown central
area (green).
The space between the central large cross and the top right right-angle should be in
line with the centre of the central area (as indicated by the dotted red line). The top
of the seed pattern should be approximately one lawn mower width below the
central area.
4. Mow the straight line indicated by the dotted red line to connect the seed pattern
to the central area.
5. Turn the mower off and move it across to the point marked with the left mower
(between the central cross and top left right angle.) Mow up out of the seed
pattern and around the outside of the central area, remembering to leave a wall of
longer grass between this circuit and the central space. Re-enter the pattern at the
opposite side at the top between the top right dot and the top right right-angle,
stopping at the point indicated by the right hand mower.
6. Turn the mower off and move it across to the point marked with the left mower
(between the top left right angle and top left dot.) Mow up out of the seed pattern
and around the previous circuit, remembering to leave a wall of longer grass
between the circuits. Enter the pattern at the opposite side from the right between
the top right dot and the top right right-angle, connecting to the end of the
previous circuit and stopping at the point indicated by the right hand mower. Allow
natural curves to develop inside the seed pattern.
7. Keep repeating this pattern using the diagram below as a guide.
8. On finishing the final circuit, lower the cutting height to
medium and mow the path from the outside to the centre.
Let the path curve through the seed pattern.
9. Leave the mower in the central area and remove the seed
pattern. Lower the cutting height as low as possible and work
your way back out again.
Again, curve through the seed pattern organically.
10. Raise the cutting height to the highest setting and trim the walls.
You can now mow the area around the labyrinth.)
11. Maintain throughout the growing season.