Murray Star Maze at Historic Scottish Estate Honors Ancestral Legacy with Unique Design

A maze named the Murray Star Maze is situated at Scone Palace in Scotland and stands out with a unique shape that honours the legacy of an old Scottish family known as “the great families.” Designed by renowned international designer Adrian Fisher, this half-mile long labyrinth comprises 2000 beech trees planted to represent a star in acknowledgment of Murray’s centuries-long history. The maze’s shortest pathway from the starting point leads directly to its centre where an Arethusa statue is placed. Interestingly, this unique shape resembles Earl Mansfield’s family tartan and features five points that were part of their historical emblem. According to Brian Cunningham, Scone Palace’s head gardener for 13 years, it takes approximately two weeks for the team of gardeners led by him to trim hedges in this narrow pathway due to its intricate design. The maze is a secret as there’s only one way into and out from here. Cunningham added that although he could navigate his left side with ease while blindfolded, he still gets lost on the right-hand corner because it has narrow lanes covered in tall trees requiring a higher amount of care compared to other sections of Scone Palace gardens maintained throughout the year by him and his team. The palace was built 220 years ago but abandoned during World War I; however, for over two decades now, its grounds have been transformed into an attractive setting that combines woodland with flowers and trees that visitors can explore seven days a week from May to September as Scone Palace’s coffee house reopened recently after a six-week break. The palace’s website describes the area around it as “a gloriously peaceful setting for strolling or picnicking” filled with nature in abundance, featuring 100 acres of woodland gardens where visitors can admire flowering shrubs and trees that provide an idyllic location to enjoy a tranquil day out. Visitors who wish to learn more about Scone Palace’s rich history spanning over one thousand years should visit scone-palace.co.uk for further details regarding visiting the estate during summertime in Perthshire, Scotland.