This summer was the joint hottest and driest on record, but, with autumn here, it’s time to bid that weather adieu. Whilst you will now be noticing the chill in the air, we still are enjoying reasonably long evenings, and, with the country swathed in a golden autumnal palette, it’s a beautiful time to enjoy the outdoors. Unfortunately, the aforementioned shift in temperature doesn’t lend itself well to sitting in the garden, so why not bring the outside in with a bespoke orangery? And what better way to seamlessly merge the two than with orangery plants?
Are Orangeries A Good Place For Plants?
Simply put, yes! They offer protection from the elements and lots of light. This means that orangery plants can be more exotic than those found in a typical British garden. If we look back at the history of orangeries, they were originally created to be a place to cultivate plants. You can read more about this on our previous blog.
Orangeries Vs Conservatories
We have found that, quite often, when our clients come to us with designs/ideas for their conservatory, what they actually have in mind is an orangery! The key difference here is the amount of glass used to create the structure. Conservatories have more, orangeries have less. The extra brickwork in an orangery makes it feel like a space halfway between a typical room in your home and a conservatory, making them impressive to look at and perfect for using year-round!
If you’re unsure which is right for you, follow the links below to see examples of both orangeries and conservatories. You’ll also find our contact details at the end of this blog – we’d be happy to have a chat and help you come to a decision.
Orangery Plants – Which To Choose
As lovers of the outdoors (this should be obvious if you’ve looked through our creations!), we feel that choosing your orangery plants is really exciting! However, if you haven’t quite yet developed green fingers, this article gives lots of helpful advice.
We also have a few personal recommendations for you:
Strelitzia – The flowers are striking (it’s also referred to as the bird of paradise flower, with good reason), but it’s still a beautiful plant with its large, dramatic leaves even when it’s not in bloom.
Hymenocallis – This is another plant with incredible flowers. It can flourish in an orangery and has a very exotic appearance.
Beaucarnea Recurvata – Otherwise known as The Ponytail Palm, this is a great choice for those looking for orangery plants that look great but are low maintenance. It stores water in its thick stem to keep it healthy in times of drought, so you don’t have much to do other than sit back and watch it grow. Although, as a plant used to arid periods, be careful not to overwater it!
Create Your Orangery
Have you already got your orangery plants picked out? Are you picturing getting to enjoy the outdoors whilst staying warm and toasty? Then let’s get started on the design process!
First, you need to get some inspiration. We’d suggest you go and check out our Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, have a look at some of our previous projects in our online gallery, or order one of our FREE brochures.
Whether you find yourself with a clear idea of what you would like, or you’d prefer some more input from our designers, you just need to give us a call on 01926 810291 or email sales@farrowjones.com to get the ball rolling!