Esther M. Zimmer Lederberg
Use of "ha-ha" in Renaissance gardens

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Ha-ha-ha
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Often a Renaissance palace had deer or other picturesque animals in front of the palace. But a problem arises: how to keep these picturesque animals in front of the palace, and how to keep peasant cows and pigs, etc. from wandering to the front of the palace. A simple solution to this problem is to use a fence. However, fences are themselves not that beautiful. Instead, a "ha-ha" may be used. A "ha-ha" may be thought of as an inverted fence: instead of projecting above the ground, the "ha-ha" projects below the ground (and out of sight). Note: "ha-ha"s were commonly used by Capability Brown, and the garden designs of Capability Brown were copied at the English park at Drottningholm Palace theatre (see Baroque theatres).

Ha-ha at Queen's village, Versailles
Double-sided ha-ha, Melford Hall, Suffolk

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