Visit The Country’s Must-See Conservatories

The conservatory, or as it’s sometimes referred to, the greenhouse or sunroom, has existed since the 16th Century when it was traditionally utilised by wealthy landowners as a place for growing numerous plants and fruits.

It wasn’t until the 19th Century that a considerable number of these glorious glass buildings started to appear throughout the country, several of which still exist today and enjoy an almost iconic status.

If you’ve never visited one of these vast structures in person then we highly recommend it and there are several new and old conservatories to choose from:

Eden Project

Built at the start of the new millennium in Cornwall, the Eden Project is one of the UK’s most popular tourist attractions (3rd most popular) and the biggest conservatory in the world. It consists of several artificial biomes, or domes, each of which replicates different forms of nature and their respective environments e.g. tropical and Mediterranean, whilst showcasing 135,000 plants of around 4,500 species.

Kew Gardens

Officially known as the Prince of Wales conservatory, the building was commissioned back in 1982 before opening in 1987, and includes ten computer-controlled climatic zones. The two primary zones are called the ‘dry tropics’ and ‘wet tropics’. There are further glasshouses at the site; Palm House and Temperate House.

National Botanic Gardens of Wales

Home to the world’s largest single span conservatory measuring a whopping 110 m (360 ft.) long by 60 m (200 ft.) wide, the National Botanic Gardens sits near Llanarthney in the Towy Valley and is a mightily impressive sight. It was designed by architects Norman Foster and Partners who were also responsible for the creation of the new Wembley Stadium and the Gherkin, amongst many other famous buildings.

Don’t be surprised if you get the urge to have a conservatory of your own after visiting any of these stunning glass structures. Permaframe can provide you with several exceptional designs.