The Linnean House, Missouri Botanical Garden

I looked at the Linnean House way back in May of 2008 (third photo), so I thought I would revisit it on the eve of renovations that will see the historic greenhouse integrated into a new entrance and visitors’ center.

The design is typical of what is actually called an orangerie, which is where tropical and subtropical fruit trees were grown on the palace grounds in Northern Europe starting in the early modern period.

Not surprisingly, there are no windows on the northern exposure, where the sun does not shine and harsh winds would blow.

Long allees of sight where buildings and their ornamental doorways created visual interest in the large gardens that spread out from pavilions and other major buildings of these royal and princely palaces grounds.

There were other greenhouses which sat nearby that have now been torn down, such as the one that I showed yesterday on the site of the Climatron. I have to wonder if one of the greenhouses below is a slightly altered earlier version of that one, but I cannot be sure.

William Swekosky, Shaw’s Garden Greenhouse, c. 1900, Missouri History Museum, N05283
William Swekosky, Shaw’s Garden Greenhouse, c. 1900, Missouri History Museum, N05286
Richard Henry Fuhrmann, Shaw’s Garden, Greenhouse and Hedge Garden, 1888, Missouri History Museum, P0764-00827-4a
John Withnell Dunn, Greenhouse in Shaw’s Garden, 1890-1910, Missouri History Museum, P0245-S03-00077-6g

2 Comments Add yours

  1. Enjoyed this great post!

    1. cnaffziger says:

      Thanks!

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