A ha-ha (English: hâ-hâ or wolf jump), also known as a sunken fence, blind fence, ditch and fence, deer wall or pit, is a built-in landscaping feature that creates a vertical barrier (especially on one side) while maintaining an unobstructed view of the landscape on the other side. As an onomatopoean word, it would be possible to connect individual sounds to get hahaha, but this is more suitable for less formal environments. It is believed that the name “ha-ha” comes from the reaction of Louis XIV de France`s son, whose governess prevented him from approaching gout for fear of injury. As he approached, he said, “Ha Ha, is this what I`m supposed to be afraid of?” and since then, more and more people have started referring to “wolf jump” as “Ha Ha”; Alternatively, it could simply be due to the element of surprise you have when approaching construction. [1] [2] [3] It may have been called “ha-hah”, an abbreviation for “half and half” with half a wall and half a ditch, although this explanation is rarely preferred. In a letter to Daniel Dering in 1724, John Perceval, 1st Earl of Egmont (grandfather of Prime Minister Spencer Perceval), remarked of Stowe: “What adds to the beauty of this garden is that it is not lined with walls, but with a ha-hah that leaves you the view of the beautiful wooded land and makes you ignore how far the high planted roads extend.” [4] In the 18th century, they were often referred to as sunken or sunken fences, at least in formal writings, as by Horace Walpole, George Mason, and Humphry Repton. Walpole also called them Kent fences, named after William Kent.[5] [6] Stowe Gardens were among the first, if not the first, in England to have a ha-ha. The ha-has that Charles Bridgeman and John Lee had installed there in the 1720s under the patronage of the first Viscount Cobham were certainly those that aroused the greatest interest among visitors to the classes of land owning their own land where they could copy the design. A 21st century ha-ha can be found at the Washington Monument to minimize the visual impact of security measures. After 9/11 and another independent terrorist threat at the memorial, authorities erected jersey barriers to prevent large motor vehicles from approaching the memorial.

The temporary barriers were later replaced with a new ha-ha, a 30-inch (0.76 m) low granite stone wall that contained lighting while serving as a bench. He received the Park/Landscape Award of Merit in 2005. [24] [25] [26] Lonard thinks ha-ha-ha and tells Bantam that the rights have returned to him, which they have. Stowe is home to one of the first Ha-has in England, which attracted public attention and admiration in the 1720s and 30s and proved to be a model for many Ha-has that still exist in the British Isles today. Beningbrough Hall in Yorkshire is separated from its vast grounds by a ha-ha to prevent sheep and cattle from entering the gardens of the hall or the hall itself. [17] The name ha-ha is of French origin, although the term is attested in place names in New France from 1686 (as today in Saint-Louis-du-Ha! Ha!), and is a feature of the gardens of the Château de Meudon, circa 1700. The technical innovation was presented in Dezallier d`Argenville`s The Theory and Practice of Gardening (1709), which architect John James (1712) translated into English: just outside the main door, a clear “ha-ha-ha” echoed in the corridor. In Australia, ha-has have also been used in Victorian lunatic asylums such as Yarra Bend Asylum, Beechworth Asylum, Kew Insane Asylum in Victoria, and Parkside Insane Asylum in South Australia.

From the inside, the walls showed patients a high face that prevented them from escaping, while from the outside, they seemed low so as not to suggest imprisonment. [20] For the patients themselves, who stood in front of the excavations, it also allowed them to see the wider landscape. [21] Kew Asylum was converted into apartments; However, some of the Ha-has have been preserved, although partially filled. From the inside, the ha-ha was an obstacle to passage Until 1814, readers of Jane Austen`s Mansfield Park would have had no trouble understanding Miss Crawford`s remark about ha-has, which touches on her effectiveness in maintaining the appearance of uninterrupted greenery: “I looked over the ha-ha until I was tired. I have to go and look through the iron gate at the same sight without being able to see it so well. During his excavations at Iona between 1964 and 1984, Richard Reece discovered an 18th century ha-ha designed to protect the abbey from cattle. [15] Coolers have sometimes been built into ha-ha walls because they provide a subtle entrance that makes the cooler a less intrusive structure, and the floor provides additional insulation. [16] Croome Park in Worcestershire was designed by “Capability” Brown and covers over two miles of ha-ha. In Britain, ha-ha is a feature of the landscaped gardens laid out by Charles Bridgeman and William Kent and was an integral part of Capability Brown`s “swept” views.