If you wander the English countryside long enough, you'll eventually come across what looks like a brick wall designed by a snake. The long, snaking fences that curve back and forth are called crackle walls. However, these whimsical walls are more than just decorative.
The highlight: These curved walls actually use fewer bricks than a normal straight wall. A straight wall must be at least two bricks thick, otherwise it risks toppling over as soon as a strong gust of wind hits it. If you build the wall in curves, the shape itself becomes a structural support system.
Each bend in the crinkle-crinkle wall acts like a small arc, distributing pressure along the curve. The whole thing becomes rigid and self-sustaining. Gardeners in the 18th century loved them because the curves created a warm microclimate for fruit trees and the brick stayed warm enough to help ripen apples, pears and peaches in cool English weather. The only problem with these walls is trying to fit a lawn mower into the grooves (no thanks).
See also: A tricycle that doubles as a lawnmower