What is an Orangery?

We often turn up for a design consultation, or a customer will visit us in-store to discuss a new conservatory, and we often find that what they are actually looking for is an orangery. We find that while they are extremely common in the UK, not everyone knows exactly what an orangery is. Here’s some information that can help you to know if it is in fact an orangery that you are looking for.

What is an orangery?

Originally an orangery was a room that had been built, attached to the house, to grow fruit trees, hence the name orangery.
An orangery is commonly built with a brick base, usually up to 1 meter, followed by large glass windows. Unlike conservatories, the windows can be supported by small sections of walls. The roof commonly consists of a flat perimeter with a glass central section, known as a “Central Roof Lantern”

Why is it an orangery?

While many people now use an orangery as an extension of the rest of the house, a space that combines both the home comforts and the great outdoors, a space to sit and enjoy the garden without being outside. The original purpose behind the extension was as a place to help grow fruits, such as orangeries, within the UK. The use of large panes of glass was designed to increase the power of the sun, as this will help the plants to thrive and produce more and better fruits than you would have found at the time in the UK.

For more information on having an orangery built for your house or if you would like to discuss your options between an orangery or a conservatory for your home contact a member of our expert team today who will be happy to discuss your options. You can also visit our knowledge hub for more answers to more of your questions.