Gardener Marge Hols, who lives in Wisconsin, where winter temperatures can drop to -30 degrees, has a cozy 17’ x 17’ conservatory room devoted to plants. This temperature-controlled environment allows her to grow a large variety of plants all year long. Hols chose a conservatory over a greenhouse because a greenhouse is strictly for growing plants, while a conservatory room accommodates both plants and people. She has selected the plants in her conservatory for their scent (such as scented geranium) or for their winter blooms. She checks moisture levels daily, prunes regularly, and keeps a close watch out for bugs and pests, which thrive and spread quickly in the warm, moist environment of the conservatory.
When designing her conservatory, a three-year process, Hols included these features:
- Double-paned windows that can be opened and closed by remote control
- A high-pressure sodium light to extend daylight hours in the winter
- A gas forced-air heating system (the thermostat is set for 55 degrees at night)
- Drapes for the glass in summer to protect the plants from too much sunlight.
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