"Sacha" wrote

Jeff Layman said:

Bob Hobden wrote:
I understand the National Trust is to try to bring back a significant
number
of it's walled gardens into production. My problem is that I've heard
they
intend to remake the old greenhouses as they were, all manual and in
wood,
instead of using modern materials and automation and things like double
glazing for the orchid houses. Personally I think that is crazy as the
old
Head Gardeners would never have countenanced such a retrograde step.
What do others think?

Well, if there weren't any Grade 1 or 2 listing, you could make an
argument for double glazing and LED lighting in any NT property. But
they wouldn't look right, and I guess the NT are using a similar argument
for greenhouses.

And would I want to visit such modern greenhouses to see how they were
being used to grow things? I very much doubt it.

Imo, the greenhouses could be made to the old design but use methods that
cut down on labour. We have to remember that these houses would have had a
dozen gardeners. Now, labour costs mean they'd be lucky to have 3 and some
volunteers

Unlike the great houses these greenhouses in many cases do not exist any
more and are only known from the whitewash on the walls and maybe a rubble
wall or two. There is nothing to preserve so a new but oldfashioned
greenhouse is a pastiche of what once was so I see no problem in making
modern greenhouses for the site. OK make them look in keeping if you must
but what period do you choose as these gardens constantly changed with
changing gardening practice, their purpose was to grow food and flowers for
the big house.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK