FROST, GLASS AND GREENERY

Learn about thriving gardens in the beautiful glass sanctuaries of conservatories.

Learn about thriving gardens in the beautiful glass sanctuaries of conservatories.

The striking beauty and surprising capabilities of conservatories make it easy to see why they’ve been preserved and improved upon throughout history. In their new book The Conservatory: Gardens Under Glass, authors Alan Stein and Nancy Virts walk us through the fascinating evolution of conservatories. The earliest attempts were simple structures made of wood with south-facing windows to collect the warmth of the sun and protect plants from the harsh European winters. Here, we explore the history of four fascinating conservatories that have made it possible to cultivate, study and protect plants from around the world.

CASTLE ASHBY

Owned by the Compton family since 1512, Castle Ashby has undergone several generations of updates. The original medieval building on the grounds was razed to make room for the house that stands today. In 1867, architect E. W. Godwin was engaged to begin an Italianate orangery with soaring glazed ceilings that embraced the light. “The reflection of sunlight in the pond at the center of the room blurs the lines between indoors and out,” write Stein and Virts.

BILTMORE ESTATE GREENHOUSES

When George Vanderbilt II visited Asheville, North Carolina, he fell in love with the area and decided to build a home. “He had traveled throughout Europe and wanted to re-create an English-style country estate far from the bustle of New York City life,” explain Stein and Virts. Vanderbilt’s construction would grow to become the largest privately held house in the United States, and he was determined to make it a self-sustaining home. Now hydroponic lettuce is grown in the greenhouse for the Biltmore restaurants.

JOHN F. WOLFE PALM HOUSE

Named after a longtime benefactor, the John F. Wolfe Palm House was originally called the Franklin Park Conservatory.

The conservatory opened its doors in 1895, but records of the architect and the early years were lost in a fire at the Columbus City Hall in 1921. The Victorian-style glass greenhouse was inspired by the City Beautiful movement, where the community could enjoy its carriage paths, lake and boathouse.

PRINCESS OF WALES CONSERVATORY

The Princess of Wales Conservatory received the Europa Nostra award for conservation after making energy conservation integral to its design. It was the first glasshouse to be built in more than 120 years, and Kew honored the history by having Diana, princess of Wales, open the conservatory in 1987. “The building mimics plant life, harvesting the sun, wind, rain and warmth of the earth—with an assist from climate-control software” state Stein and Virts. Visitors can meander through 10 different climatic zones.

(top) The Franklin Park Conservatory is home to the iconic John F. Wolfe Palm House, opened in 1895. It became the first conservatory in the nation to showcase a seasonal butterfly exhibition. The Victorian structure still houses one of the original trees planted when the building first opened: a fiddle-leaf fig tree that is still thriving. (opposite) The Biltmore Conservatory was completed in 1895 and contains a palm house, an orchid room, an exhibit room, a hot house, a cool house and several alleys filled with plants. It also houses the nation’s first managed forest.

THE CONSERVATORY: GARDENS UNDER GLASS BY ALAN STEIN AND NANCY VIRTS, PUBLISHED BY PRINCETON ARCHITECTURAL PRESS, © 2020; PAPRESS.COM. (top) The Princess of Wales Conservatory is the most complex and technologically advanced conservatory at Kew, with 10 computer-controlled climatic zones under one roof. During construction in 1985, a time capsule was buried in the foundation of the building, containing seeds of many important food crops and endangered species. It will be opened in 2085, when many of the plants it contains may be rare or extinct. (opposite) Castle Ashby is set in the heart of a 10,000-acre estate with 35 acres of extensive gardens. The gardens are vast, but feel intimate as they are divided into sections.