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History of Early American Landscape Design

Difference between revisions of "Orangery"

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==History==
 
==History==
  
The term orangery described both a grove of  
+
The term orangery described both a grove of orange trees and a structure in which citrus trees were cultivated. William Bartram used the term in 1791 to describe a grove of native trees left standing within a cleared ground and incorporated into a designed plantation, and, therefore, a natural feature in the landscape. Samuel Johnson (1755) and Noah Webster (1848) defined an orangery as an area where orange trees were planted, or as Ephraim Chambers (1741–43) wrote, “used for the parterre.” John Evelyn, in his 1693 translation of Jean de La Quintinie, used the term to refer to any place stocked with orange trees, whether indoors or out. The most common usage, however, refers to the architecture of plant-keeping houses, often synonymous with greenhouse, hothouse, or conservatory. In this sense, the orangery could be a separate building, or a structure that was either part of or attached to a greenhouse in which citrus and other exotic fruits and flowers were kept [Fig. 1] (see Conservatory, Greenhouse, and Hothouse).  
orange trees and a structure in which citrus  
 
trees were cultivated. William Bartram used  
 
the term in 1791 to describe a grove of native  
 
trees left standing within a cleared ground  
 
and incorporated into a designed plantation,  
 
and, therefore, a natural feature in the landscape.  
 
Samuel Johnson (1755) and Noah Webster  
 
(1848) defined an orangery as an area  
 
where orange trees were planted, or as  
 
Ephraim Chambers (1741–43) wrote, “used  
 
for the parterre.” John Evelyn, in his 1693  
 
translation of Jean de La Quintinie, used the  
 
term to refer to any place stocked with  
 
orange trees, whether indoors or out. The  
 
most common usage, however, refers to the  
 
architecture of plant-keeping houses, often  
 
synonymous with greenhouse, hothouse, or  
 
conservatory. In this sense, the orangery  
 
could be a separate building, or a structure  
 
that was either part of or attached to a  
 
greenhouse in which citrus and other exotic  
 
fruits and flowers were kept [Fig. 1] (see Conservatory,  
 
Greenhouse, and Hothouse).  
 
  
The term “orangery” originated in Europe  
+
The term “orangery” originated in Europe during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries when citrus fruit was highly valued. The orangery was a showcase for the nobility with the best-known examples found at Versailles, St. Petersburg, and Vienna. In eighteenth-century America, however, the term seems to have been used rarely outside garden treatises. Perhaps its aristocratic associations made Americans reluctant to use it. The more generic terms “greenhouse” and “conservatory” replaced it, as did specific names used to describe its precise contents, such as “pinery” (for pineapples), “peachery,” and “grapery” or “vinery.”  
during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries  
 
when citrus fruit was highly valued.  
 
The orangery was a showcase for the nobility  
 
with the best-known examples found at Versailles,  
 
St. Petersburg, and Vienna. In  
 
eighteenth-century America, however, the  
 
term seems to have been used rarely outside  
 
garden treatises. Perhaps its aristocratic  
 
associations made Americans reluctant to  
 
use it. The more generic terms “greenhouse”  
 
and “conservatory” replaced it, as did specific  
 
names used to describe its precise contents, such as “pinery” (for pineapples),  
 
“peachery,” and “grapery” or “vinery.”  
 
  
Although several imported treatises contain  
+
Although several imported treatises contain the term “orangery,” it is conspicuously absent in major American publications by Bernard M’Mahon, C. M. Hovey, and A. J. Downing—except when describing eighteenth-century greenhouses. For example, in 1837 Hovey used orangery to describe Bartram’s by-then venerable century-old greenhouse in Philadelphia. In his “Historical Sketches,” Downing described the eighteenth-century greenhouses at William Hamilton’s seat, the Woodlands, as orangeries. These colonial greenhouses were called orangeries in the nineteenth century because they represented an older building type that was characterized by unglazed roofs. This earlier type of plant-keeping structure, built of stone or brick with large windows and a solid, unglazed roof was found at Wye House [Fig. 2]; Fairhill [Fig. 3]; and Lt. Gov. James Hamilton’s estate, Bush Hill, near Philadelphia. This type had an architectural style consistent with the main house, with a regular entablature and cornice and large windows that were often roundheaded, separated by columns or piers. At the time they were built, they were most probably greenhouses, hothouses, or conservatories, although it is clear that they were used for keeping citrus trees (see Greenhouse and Hothouse for a discussion of heating systems).
the term “orangery,” it is conspicuously  
 
absent in major American publications by  
 
Bernard M’Mahon, C. M. Hovey, and A. J.  
 
Downing—except when describing eighteenth-
 
century greenhouses. For example, in 1837  
 
Hovey used orangery to describe Bartram’s  
 
by-then venerable century-old greenhouse  
 
in Philadelphia. In his “Historical Sketches,”  
 
Downing described the eighteenth-century  
 
greenhouses at William Hamilton’s seat, the  
 
Woodlands, as orangeries. These colonial  
 
greenhouses were called orangeries in the  
 
nineteenth century because they represented  
 
an older building type that was  
 
  
characterized by unglazed roofs. This
+
This type of greenhouse construction fell out of fashion once gardeners began to realize the benefits of increased light and perpendicular light for growing plants. As a greater proportion of glazing became technically possible with cast-iron construction, the design of plant houses shifted from the shingle-roofed brick or stone orangery to the glasshouse [Fig. 4]. With these changes in structure and material, J. C. Loudon, writing in the early nineteenth century, concluded that the orangery was the greenhouse of the previous century [Fig. 5]. Thus, nineteenth-century authors writing about historical greenhouses distinguished them from the cast-iron and glass structures by calling them orangeries. Twentieth-century garden historians and archaeologists have continued this practice. The orangery, however, did not completely disappear as an option in new construction. Jane Loudon provided a late reference in 1845 when she wrote that the orangery was a house with an opaque roof intended only for orange trees. She asserted the suitability of non-greenhouse construction to that use. Further evidence of the orangery’s continued use is in Robert B. Leuchars’s 1850 Practical Treatise on the Construction, Heating, and Ventilation of Hothouses, in which he described John Hopkins’s very large structure at Clifton Mansion [Fig. 6].  
earlier type of plant-keeping structure,
 
built of stone or brick with large windows
 
and a solid, unglazed roof was found at
 
Wye House [Fig. 2]; Fairhill [Fig. 3]; and
 
Lt. Gov. James Hamilton’s estate, Bush Hill,
 
near Philadelphia. This type had an architectural
 
style consistent with the main house,
 
with a regular entablature and cornice and
 
large windows that were often roundheaded,
 
separated by columns or piers. At
 
the time they were built, they were most
 
probably greenhouses, hothouses, or conservatories,
 
although it is clear that they were
 
used for keeping citrus trees (see Greenhouse
 
and Hothouse for a discussion of
 
heating systems).
 
This type of greenhouse construction fell  
 
out of fashion once gardeners began to realize  
 
the benefits of increased light and perpendicular  
 
light for growing plants. As a  
 
greater proportion of glazing became technically  
 
possible with cast-iron construction, the  
 
design of plant houses shifted from the  
 
shingle-roofed brick or stone orangery to the  
 
glasshouse [Fig. 4]. With these changes in  
 
structure and material, J. C. Loudon, writing  
 
in the early nineteenth century, concluded  
 
that the orangery was the greenhouse of the  
 
previous century [Fig. 5]. Thus, nineteenth-
 
century authors writing about historical  
 
greenhouses distinguished them from the  
 
cast-iron and glass structures by calling them  
 
orangeries. Twentieth-century garden historians  
 
and archaeologists have continued this  
 
practice. The orangery, however, did not  
 
completely disappear as an option in new  
 
construction. Jane Loudon provided a late  
 
reference in 1845 when she wrote that the  
 
orangery was a house with an opaque roof  
 
intended only for orange trees. She asserted  
 
the suitability of non-greenhouse construction  
 
to that use. Further evidence of the  
 
orangery’s continued use is in Robert B.  
 
Leuchars’s 1850 Practical Treatise on the Construction,  
 
Heating, and Ventilation of Hothouses,  
 
in which he described John Hopkins’s very  
 
large structure at Clifton Mansion [Fig. 6].  
 
  
Scholars have pointed out that in the  
+
Scholars have pointed out that in the early colonial period, several greenhouses for citrus cultivation were built by wealthy families who had access to international trade networks. It took skill and money to build a good greenhouse for citrus because glass was expensive, servants were required to maintain it, and skilled gardeners needed to cultivate the fruit.1 Therefore, they were associated with the privileged and cultured elite [Fig. 7]. Archaeologist Carmen Weber has argued that this association was so well established in the colonial period that in a portrait of Margaret Tilghman Carroll by Charles Willson Peale the simple inclusion of orange leaves was sufficient to symbolize and convey her control of property and considerable wealth.2  
early colonial period, several greenhouses  
 
for citrus cultivation were built by wealthy  
 
families who had access to international  
 
trade networks. It took skill and money to  
 
build a good greenhouse for citrus because  
 
glass was expensive, servants were required  
 
to maintain it, and skilled gardeners needed  
 
to cultivate the fruit.1 Therefore, they were  
 
associated with the privileged and cultured  
 
elite [Fig. 7]. Archaeologist Carmen Weber  
 
has argued that this association was so well  
 
established in the colonial period that in a  
 
portrait of Margaret Tilghman Carroll by  
 
Charles Willson Peale the simple inclusion of  
 
orange leaves was sufficient to symbolize  
 
and convey her control of property and considerable  
 
wealth.2  
 
  
TO’M
+
-- ''Therese O'Malley''
  
 
==Texts==
 
==Texts==

Revision as of 16:22, February 2, 2016

History

The term orangery described both a grove of orange trees and a structure in which citrus trees were cultivated. William Bartram used the term in 1791 to describe a grove of native trees left standing within a cleared ground and incorporated into a designed plantation, and, therefore, a natural feature in the landscape. Samuel Johnson (1755) and Noah Webster (1848) defined an orangery as an area where orange trees were planted, or as Ephraim Chambers (1741–43) wrote, “used for the parterre.” John Evelyn, in his 1693 translation of Jean de La Quintinie, used the term to refer to any place stocked with orange trees, whether indoors or out. The most common usage, however, refers to the architecture of plant-keeping houses, often synonymous with greenhouse, hothouse, or conservatory. In this sense, the orangery could be a separate building, or a structure that was either part of or attached to a greenhouse in which citrus and other exotic fruits and flowers were kept [Fig. 1] (see Conservatory, Greenhouse, and Hothouse).

The term “orangery” originated in Europe during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries when citrus fruit was highly valued. The orangery was a showcase for the nobility with the best-known examples found at Versailles, St. Petersburg, and Vienna. In eighteenth-century America, however, the term seems to have been used rarely outside garden treatises. Perhaps its aristocratic associations made Americans reluctant to use it. The more generic terms “greenhouse” and “conservatory” replaced it, as did specific names used to describe its precise contents, such as “pinery” (for pineapples), “peachery,” and “grapery” or “vinery.”

Although several imported treatises contain the term “orangery,” it is conspicuously absent in major American publications by Bernard M’Mahon, C. M. Hovey, and A. J. Downing—except when describing eighteenth-century greenhouses. For example, in 1837 Hovey used orangery to describe Bartram’s by-then venerable century-old greenhouse in Philadelphia. In his “Historical Sketches,” Downing described the eighteenth-century greenhouses at William Hamilton’s seat, the Woodlands, as orangeries. These colonial greenhouses were called orangeries in the nineteenth century because they represented an older building type that was characterized by unglazed roofs. This earlier type of plant-keeping structure, built of stone or brick with large windows and a solid, unglazed roof was found at Wye House [Fig. 2]; Fairhill [Fig. 3]; and Lt. Gov. James Hamilton’s estate, Bush Hill, near Philadelphia. This type had an architectural style consistent with the main house, with a regular entablature and cornice and large windows that were often roundheaded, separated by columns or piers. At the time they were built, they were most probably greenhouses, hothouses, or conservatories, although it is clear that they were used for keeping citrus trees (see Greenhouse and Hothouse for a discussion of heating systems).

This type of greenhouse construction fell out of fashion once gardeners began to realize the benefits of increased light and perpendicular light for growing plants. As a greater proportion of glazing became technically possible with cast-iron construction, the design of plant houses shifted from the shingle-roofed brick or stone orangery to the glasshouse [Fig. 4]. With these changes in structure and material, J. C. Loudon, writing in the early nineteenth century, concluded that the orangery was the greenhouse of the previous century [Fig. 5]. Thus, nineteenth-century authors writing about historical greenhouses distinguished them from the cast-iron and glass structures by calling them orangeries. Twentieth-century garden historians and archaeologists have continued this practice. The orangery, however, did not completely disappear as an option in new construction. Jane Loudon provided a late reference in 1845 when she wrote that the orangery was a house with an opaque roof intended only for orange trees. She asserted the suitability of non-greenhouse construction to that use. Further evidence of the orangery’s continued use is in Robert B. Leuchars’s 1850 Practical Treatise on the Construction, Heating, and Ventilation of Hothouses, in which he described John Hopkins’s very large structure at Clifton Mansion [Fig. 6].

Scholars have pointed out that in the early colonial period, several greenhouses for citrus cultivation were built by wealthy families who had access to international trade networks. It took skill and money to build a good greenhouse for citrus because glass was expensive, servants were required to maintain it, and skilled gardeners needed to cultivate the fruit.1 Therefore, they were associated with the privileged and cultured elite [Fig. 7]. Archaeologist Carmen Weber has argued that this association was so well established in the colonial period that in a portrait of Margaret Tilghman Carroll by Charles Willson Peale the simple inclusion of orange leaves was sufficient to symbolize and convey her control of property and considerable wealth.2

-- Therese O'Malley

Texts

Usage

Citations

Images

Notes

Retrieved from "https://heald.nga.gov/mediawiki/index.php?title=Orangery&oldid=18096"

History of Early American Landscape Design contributors, "Orangery," History of Early American Landscape Design, , https://heald.nga.gov/mediawiki/index.php?title=Orangery&oldid=18096 (accessed March 28, 2024).

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