Enclosed by tall hedges in the formal gardens of yesteryear, certain green spaces were called Kissing Gardens or secret gardens because they provided privacy for lovers and confidants.

Unaware of this tradition in formal gardens, modern readers may find it difficult to imagine the settings where Shakespearean characters met and confided in each other, so oblivious to eavesdroppers and the likelihood of being suddenly discovered.

Though elaborate versions of such gardens were planted in serpentines and labyrinthian designs -- the secret frequently being how to find one's way out of the maze -- the garden plan of Middleton Place shown in "O"/"B" shows two simply enclosed gardens.