The Victorian style orangery is a perfect addition to a period home, and in fact they can work just as well to complement a more modern style of building. They are typically the most decorative of orangeries, with period details such as intricate glazed bar designs and feature pediments.
Although orangeries have been in use since Roman times, it was during the Victorian era that they really became accessible to homeowners. The name comes from their original use as a place to cultivate plants from warmer climates, as exotic citrus fruits and flowers began to be imported from Asia during the Elizabethan era.
It was soon discovered that as well as being a useful place to cultivate tender plants, orangeries made an excellent garden room, providing a pleasant area filled with natural light to sit and relax. This is why they are still so popular today, as a way to make a home feel more spacious, as well as providing a connection to the outdoors all year round.
The Victorian conservatory or orangery was a sign of wealth and prestige, as glass was expensive, and as a result they became a must have for any self-respecting country house. Unlike today, they were usually built as a separate structure to the main residence, in a sunny south-facing spot in the garden.
The Victorians were the first to introduce the glazed roof or pediment structure to allow more sunlight to enter the orangery, which made them more effective places to cultivate hot-house plants and fruit trees.
As overseas freight transport became more effective and efficient, there was actually less demand for home-grown exotic fruits, but this didn’t dent the popularity of the orangery. As glass became cheaper and easier to manufacture in large sheets using the cast plate method, orangeries and conservatories became more commonplace.
By the mid-Victorian era, orangeries were more frequently built as an addition to a main house, as they are today, rather than a separate garden room. However, no discussion of this topic would be complete without a mention of Joseph Paxton, the designer of the wonderous Great Conservatory at Chatsworth, and of Crystal Palace in London.
Paxton built the huge Great Conservatory for the 6th Duke of Devonshire in the grounds of Chatsworth House in Derbyshire. It took four years to build, and was completed in 1841. The structure was 84 metres long, 37 metres wide, and 19 metres high, and at the time, was the largest glass building in England.
The tropical climate was created with the use of eight underground boilers, which incredibly, were fuelled with coal transported to the glasshouse via an underground tunnel! A vast network of 6-inch underground hot water pipes provided enough heat to support an array of exotic flowers, palms, and ponds filled with aquatic plants and mosses.
Sadly, during the First World War, not enough coal could be supplied to keep the conservatory running, and it fell into disrepair. It was completely demolished in 1920, and now it is the site of the famous Chatsworth Maze.