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Conservatories The word conservatory has its origins in the Italian"conservato"(stored or preserved) and Latin"ory" a place for. It was the term used for non-glazed structures that were initially used to store and preserve farm produce These were in the 19 th century turned into glazed structures that protected plants from cold weather, of late the term has been used to describe structures attached to houses and are commonly called as glasshouses or greenhouses The earliest known conservatories date back to the 17th century. Which were at that time stone structures with more glazing in them than the buildings they were connected to. In the 18 th century they were mostly owned by the scientific community, the nobility and the landed gentry, who used them to protect tender and rare plants that were procured on their explorations and tours to warmer places. The use of conservatories became popular in the 19 th century when thicker planes of glass and steel (used on the roof) became readily .available. Large conservatories were established by the municipality, especially in cities with considerable European populations to exhibit tropical plants and hold flower displays. By the end of the century they were also being put into social use for tea parties Small animals too came to be introduced into the conservatory The Palm House at Kew, Britain, constructed between 1884-1848 is the worlds most important surviving Victorian conservatory Sir Joseph Paxton, the Duke of Devonshire created the Plan for the Crystal Palace a huge conservatory in 1850. He sold it to Prince Albert who commissioned Fox, Henderson and Co to construct the Crystal Palace. The great glass palace was constructed in 22 weeks and occupied an area of 19 acres. With over 6 million visitors it ensured conservatories remained popular from the Victorian Era right through the Edwardian Era. . They were difficult and expensive to maintain with coal fires required to be lit for maintaining the temperature. The beginning of the Great War saw the end of the popularity of conservatories, for many of them had turned into cold and draughty places due to the poor quality of material available then and the inadequate insulation they were also very expensive to heat. Conservatories entered the world of literature as well. Some well known references have been in Jane Austen's Emma and later Arthur Canon Doyles Duet and Oscar Wildes The Picture of Dorian Grey. The last 40 years have seen a renaissance in their popularity with economic problems being overcome and the emergence of a new wave of technology such as self-cleaning glass, double glazing and solar glass which have made conservatories easy to maintain and heat. The use of under floor heating with electricity has eliminated the use of huge quantities of coal and miles of pipes, and besides they only cost pennies to maintain. The modern conservatories are smaller in size and of varied shapes are used for plants and as well as partly for recreational purposes or as a sun room or solarium. Lean to conservatories with their clean lines can generate a sense of airiness or to create light in situations where space is in short supply Architects and designers treat them as extra rooms other than for horticulture. and design them with PVC's special glass and argon glass to increase their thermal efficiency and reduce cost of maintenance. According to experts however the use of timber increases the levels of insulation ,better than PVC or aluminium Some of the well known conservatories of the world are Muttart Conservatory, Edmonton, Cannada, Beijing botanical Garden, Beiging, China, Kew Gardens England, Royal Botnic garden, Edinburg, Scotland, Biosphere, Arizona,USA, to name a few.
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Gareth Taylor is the author of this article on conservatories. Find more information about conservatories here.
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