78 THE ART AND PRACTICE OF LANDSCAPE GARDENING. 



those which are being continuously brought there from the growing- 

 houses, such plants being renewed from time to time as required. 

 Seeing, then, that the conservatory is an adjunct of the dwelling- 

 house, and frequently built next to it, it is advisable that the same 

 feeling pervading the design of the house should influence the 

 architectural treatment of the glass structure. If, however, the con- 

 servatory is to be anything more than a mere flower-room, it must 

 not be an architectural "feature," having high sides and steep roof, 

 with brick or stone mullions, and an elaborate parapet intended to 

 hide the glass roof which it frequently does so effectually that it 

 deprives the plants of all light. A conservatory may be treated 

 after this manner only when it is small and unimportant, and when 

 it may be considered as a vestibule or loggia, in which plants are 

 placed. But if the structure is intended to be something more than 

 this, it should, while taking a distinct place in the general composition, 

 and conforming to the architectural character of the house, yet, by 

 its very nature, have a distinctive appearance, and proclaim its object 

 without pretence. Care in the arrangement of the base, the outline 

 of the sashes, the pediment, the entablature, and the mouldings will, 

 without injuring its distinctive features, give the conservatory 

 sufficient connection with the main building to remove all appearance 

 of an excrescence. It is desirable, if possible, to have an ante- 

 chamber or corridor between a living-room and a conservatory, as 

 the damp air of the latter will, unless modified and controlled by 

 an intermediate space, deleteriously affect the air of the former. 



A conservatory is usually constructed two or three steps above 

 the terrace-level, and, as the stages inside are generally lower than 

 those of a greenhouse, we have, outside, a 3 ft. or 3 1 /., ft. base of 

 stone or brick, thus leaving, inside, 2 ft. or 2 1 /, ft. from floor to 

 stage. The staging may be of stone or terra cotta, as well for the 

 horizontal plant-rest as for the vertical ornamental perforated filling 



