It can be easy to think of conservatories and orangeries as simple home extensions that provide a little more living space and allow you to enjoy your outdoor space throughout the year. However, it can be quite fascinating to explore how such additions to our properties have developed.
An article for ArchDaily recently explored some of the most pivotal points in the development of conservatories and orangeries throughout history.
For example, did you know that the first recorded conservatory was constructed for Roman emperor Tiberius? This early form of conservatory was conceived after the emperor’s doctors advised him to eat fruit from the Cucurbits family every day.
In order to grow these melon and cucumber fruits on his native Capri, Tiberius had glass houses constructed, where the plants could be kept over the winter.
While you could argue that these are examples of greenhouses rather than conservatories, this is where the trend for such extensions began. Orangeries, meanwhile, started appearing in the late 15th century.
This coincided with the arrival of orange trees in Europe (hence the name), when these wood and stone structures were used to protect the citrus trees from the harshest winter weather.
Although they began as functional buildings, by the 17th century they had become a sign of wealth and opulence, with some of the most spectacular orangeries to be found in Versailles, where Louis XIV had an orangery that was 492 feet long and 42 feet high.
It was in the 19th century that conservatories made using iron frames started to appear, with one of the first examples to be found in Syon Park in England,
Of course, these large and opulent conservatories and orangeries are a far cry from what we will have on our homes, but it is interesting to remember that such additions developed to provide a means of growing plants that don’t thrive in colder climates.
In fact, as House Beautiful recently noted, conservatories can be the perfect place to keep your house plants during the winter.
The publication explained that it can be very good for our house plants if we move them around our homes depending on the time of year. In winter, “an unheated, frost-free conservatory” is a good choice, because the constant cool temperature will help your house plants’ soil remain moist and mean that minimal watering is required.
The news provider also noted that many house plants are dormant in the winter in the UK, and that this can make it more difficult for them to cope with changes in temperature.
Other advice includes to avoid overwatering your plants, because this can mean they sit in waterlogged containers, which damages their roots, as well as to avoid positioning any of your house plants near your radiators.
This is because otherwise your plants are likely to experience extreme swings in temperature between day and night, which makes it more challenging for them to survive.
Whether you’re planning to fill your new Victorian style orangery with plants or want to use the space for another purpose, get in touch with us to find out more about creating this kind of extension at your home.