Some like it hot – try a palm house. A recent (UK) magazine recommends their readers to visit a palm house if they think it’s getting cold out there. Specifically it advised visiting the one in Kew Gardens. I’ve been there a few times, and no doubt “the air is heavy” as the organisation puts it themselves. So much in fact that the paint is peeling and there’s rust prevalent on the cast iron structure. That is not an indication of immediate collapse (I hope) but just something you notice strolling around, humidity at work. It adds to the sexy vibe in there.
Aren’t us northern Europeans lucky to have these palm houses? Not only the one in Kew Gardens but all of those existing in various countries. Without them no lush tropical plants to admire and no amazingly stunning architecture to digest. It was the Victorians that came up with the fab idea of palm houses. In that great age of technological developments all the ingredients for building them were in place. And the right people to acquire the right plants. They did following generations a big favour.
Where does all the heat come from? Apparently,
“the Palm House is heated by a gas boiler situated in Kew’s Shaft Yard, which circulates hot water through pipes around the house and underneath the paths. The temperature is maintained to a minimum of 18C. There is no maximum but we open the vents when it gets above 28C for the benefit of visitor and staff wellbeing.”
I can imagine that other palm houses work according to the same principle. Heating costs might be a headache as we speak …
