Labyrinths aren’t super common in St. Louis, so when Villa reached out with a dream to create one on their private school campus in Frontenac, MO we knew it was going to be an amazing outdoor design / build project to work on. See how we created an outdoor space that fosters spirituality, mindfulness, and connection to nature.
The Labyrinth at Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School
In 2022 the family of Kristi Krey wanted to donate something to the school’s campus in her honor, after she passed away in May of 2020. The idea of a labyrinth seemed fitting and would be a benefit to the 62 acre campus of the school.
The labyrinth is a Santa Rosa design style, and this one features a semi-circle retaining wall that was built to level out the ground for the walking area of the space needed for the labyrinth, that was previously sloped gently.
Once the labyrinth design was completed, the school hosted a dedication ceremony, where the entire school, family of Kristi, and past classmates and friends gathered. The blessing was led by Monseigneur Shamleffer along with readings, prayers of the faithful, and a reading from the gospel.
Quiet Village Landscaping worked with well-known local artist Robert Fishbone on the design and installation of the labyrinth projects, which included several elements. The grounds were remediated to promote healthy soil and best drainage conditions. Following the design, bricks were placed in a recessed pattern into the earth creating the walkways of the labyrinth. The retaining wall was built on the outer edge of the design. This simple retaining wall faces the wood-line of the space just behind the labyrinth, so we kept installation simple. The wall will serve to control erosion, keeping the design level and uniform.
Details and a memorial flagstone dedicated to Kristy Krey were placed at the entrance of the labyrinth, which has become a popular place for visitors to leave behind a symbolic stone like the ones pictured below. Classes regularly take walks on the campus grounds, and the labyrinth is a popular place to reflect and connect with nature in a spiritual way.
Once the bricks were placed, a custom grass seed blend was applied to help an ideal lawn to sprout. The area is relatively easy to mow, and aligns with the vision for this project. Now all are welcome to spend time at this reflective outdoor space. If you visit, park just on the opposite side of the main driveway at Villa’s campus. Then, walk over to the Oak Grove where you will also find two wooden benches. On our visit we spotted hawks, goldfinches, cardinals, and moths. In the photo below, you’ll see what the labyrinth looked like immediately after installation.
Labyrinths are a unique outdoor element, and you can see other similar projects we’ve completed for clients here. We recommend a labyrinth for properties that have spacious, unused lawn or want to add a dramatic 4-season interest element to their landscape. Labyrinths are great for places of worship that don’t feel a connection to nature or have a reflective outdoor space on campus. Designs, sizes, and stones are all custom and recommended based on size available, and style of surrounding architecture. You can get ideas from a landscape designer by filling out our new client form you’ll find right on the homepage of our website, or here. You can see more project photos in our landscaping gallery. Get inspired for your outdoor living renovation.
