And to prove it he designed a mind-boggling maze in the grass at the Botanical Gardens.

Visitors hungry for a challenge have been regularly driven round the bend by Mr. Gardner's crazy creation. And for some it has proved a for-lawn hope seeing their way out of the problem.

As big as a tennis court, the maze tempts passers-by with three ways in.

"It is Bermuda's only maze and will disappear shortly,'' said Mr. Gardner, senior partner at Hamilton architects Cooper and Gardner.

His message to late-comers to his little land of confusion: "Get lost, and have fun doing it! You only have a few weeks left.'' Since creating the maze just before Christmas, Mr. Gardner has been thrilled by the reaction to his `twisted' sense of fun. "Children love to run around it. I really did it because I thought it would be fun.

"I wanted to create an environmentally sensitive maze, using long grass and short grass. People can even have competitions, racing each other in the maze.'' He added: "Not many people know it, but mazes were also once used in fertility rites.'' Mr. Gardner is keen to thank Dr. Roberta Dow, outgoing curator at the Botanical Gardens, who backed his idea for a maze. "It takes a lot of maintenance. The grass has to be mowed each week.'' GETTING THE RUN-AROUND -- Architect John Gardner (second from right) appears baffled by the maze he created. Flanking him are Botanical Gardens curator Ms Sara Vallis, her predecessor Dr. Roberta Dow, and lawn manicurist Mr. Albert Caisey.