CONSERVATORIES. 



373 



structure may be effected. The door of 

 communication should be placed opposite 

 to the centre of the conservatory; and, 

 like the subject of our illustration, the 

 building should be heated by hot water. 



The conservatory at Dunnemarle (fig. 

 509, already given) will be objected to by 

 the advocates for mere glass coverings, on 

 account of the massive elevation. This, 

 however, was necessary, as it constituted 

 part of the mansion; and, as it is intended 

 to form a pleasant promenade to the 

 owner, who is unable to take exercise at 

 all times in the open air, more than a 

 structure for the cultivation of plants. 

 It also forms a connection between the 

 house and the garden, the walls of which 

 are built in the same style, [vide section 

 Garden Walls,) and join the conserva- 

 tory at the end farthest from the house. 

 A mere glass case in such a situation 

 would have been in as bad taste as the 

 lean-to conservatory existing upon the 

 same spot prior to the architectural im- 

 provements being commenced. We have 

 elsewhere stated that light, to be benefi- 

 cial to plants, must fall upon them per- 

 pendicularly, and that horizontal light is 

 of very little moment. Here, adapting 

 the plants to the circumstances of the 

 case produces, as it always will do, a 

 happy result. The proprietor is fond of 

 camellias and orange trees, and certainly 

 possesses not only the best collection of 

 the latter to be found in Scotland, but 

 the best grown specimens also. This 

 house is span-roofed, that roof being, 

 however, hidden from the terrace in front 

 by the parapet, which is carried suffi- 

 ciently high only to effect that end, and to 

 shut out as little sunshine as possible — 

 it is found sufficiently light, not only for 

 the two genera above named, but also for 

 many other conservatory plants, as well 

 as creepers up the walls and over the 

 roof. The roof is carried up to a consi- 

 derable pitch, because, on account of the 

 ground falling immediately beyond the 

 terrace to the depth of 80 or 90 feet, it 

 cannot be seen, nor is there any part of 

 the grounds from which it can. The 

 level of the floor is the same as that of 

 the ground-floor apartments and entrance 

 hall ; and, at the height of 12 feet, a bal- 

 cony occupies the whole end of the house, 

 from which the proprietor can view the 

 whole of the plants by stepping out of 



her private sitting-room upon the bal- 

 cony; and, as this room is only separated 

 from the conservatory by large folding 

 doors, almost the same enjoyment may 

 be had by sitting in any part of it. This 

 conservatory is heated by hot water, the 

 boiler- being placed in one of the offices 

 behind ; and arrangements are made for 

 a bath joining the conservatory being 

 also heated from the same fire. The 

 water from the roof is conveyed to a tank 

 under the floor, so that a supply is always 

 at hand without the necessity of carrying 

 it from a distance. 



Indeed the conservatory may be con- 

 sidered as a covered or exotic garden, in 

 which the owner may take recreation and 

 exercise when the weather prevents him 

 from enjoying himself in the open air, 

 and at times, also, when business or sick- 

 ness confines him to the locality of the 

 mansion. Architecturally speaking, there 

 are some mansions to which it would be 

 bad taste to attach a conservatory, and 

 there are others where situation also steps 

 in ; but, generally speaking, these cases 

 are few compared with the many where 

 such structures may not only be added 

 with effect, but also with comfort. The 

 Italian style, for example, can scarcely be 

 said to be complete without such an 

 appendage — as is sufficiently illustrated 

 both at the Deepdene in Surrey, and at 

 Biel in East Lothian. For the effect of 

 the former, vide fig. 508. We do not at 

 this moment recollect the details of the 

 former, so as to say how the opaque 

 wall behind could be removed ; but the 

 latter we have visited lately, and we 

 would decidedly recommend the removal 

 of the back wall, and the substitution of 

 glass for it. This would greatly lighten the 

 north or entrance front of this fine man- 

 sion, and be most advantageous to the 

 plants. No one of taste, or at all ac- 

 quainted with the Italian style of archi- 

 tecture, would wish this house removed. 

 It forms the termination of the south or 

 garden front, and is on a level with the 

 principal suite of apartments, communi- 

 cating with them. From it we look down 

 upon terraces, and exceedingly well- 

 planted banks of evergreens and orna- 

 mental trees, to the gardens, some 60 or 

 80 feet below — the eye ranging up and 

 down a very interesting valley, with a 

 pellucid stream of water, which, by the 



