Originally Darwin tried to rear tropical plants within a plant case that he had bought for the drawing room. Unfortunately the plant case was too small and some of the more exotic blooms failed, so he erected a hothouse.
In the early 1860s, he erected a hothouse alongside the green house in the kitchen garden to provide him with the specialized growing environment he needed for experimentation. The compartments adjoined one another; with interconnecting doors and wooden benches on either side running the length of them. Sloping glass roofs captured the sun’s rays and a boiler system kept the environment warm and well suited to delicate species. Darwin quickly filled his new hothouse laboratory with specimens from his friend Joseph Hooker at Kew, and was soon in the thrall of his new occupation. *
Today the greenhouses are still stocked with the same type of plant specimens that Darwin cultivated for his botanical research. The species include; Orchids, Carnivorous plants, Comet orchids, Climbing plants and Common Toadflax.
If you look closely at the first photograph you will see that one of the zombies I mentioned in my post yesterday has strayed from it’s horde. Perhaps it should keep well clear of those carnivorous plants!
*From the English Heritage guide book.
I love that sort of greenhouse. Fabulous plants too.
The greenhouse just have that certain something
Fascinating! Thanks for sharing. Your posts are always such a discovery for me.:)
I am glad you find them interesting. Thanks Claudia
Didn’t he also do paintings of them for his botanical books?
I think he did yes.
You’ve upped the ante, young lady, for next time we will expect to see errant zombies under attack from flesh-eating plants
!
Seriously though, this is delightful: there’s something homely about that greenhouse; it is easy to picture CD working there, in a world of his own, Mx
But I can’t stand the sight of violence!!!
It is a rather friendly greenhouse, I think it is the unusual duck egg blue colour that makes it feel like that.
Love the idea of a greenhouse attached to the house. Ours is in the garden…cold! Brrrrrrr!
It was a fair step away from his house.
Excellent. Stragely I have never been to Down. I must rectify that
I think you need to follow in my footsteps I would love to see how you captured the places I have been.