Winter garden: history of appearance
It is difficult to say the exact period of appearance and construction of winter gardens and greenhouses. It is known, that already in Ancient Rome houses’ atriums were decorated with flowering plant in hanging pots, and for cultivation of vegetables and exotic plants Romans built hothouses. In northern countries of the European continent cultivation of heat-loving plants was impossible in open ground conditions. And already in the beginning of the XVII century in English country houses appeared the first prototypes of greenhouses and winter gardens - glass rooms meant for cultivation of citron plants and keeping of animals, brought from warm climatic zones.
Cultivation of exotic plants demanded special heating systems which had been widespread in Europe already at the end of the XVII century. One of such systems was the spiral flues built-in in brick walls. More simple way of greenhouses’ heating supposed presence of big holes in a floor filled with hot coal.
The system of water heating for the first time has been developed and realized at the beginning of the XIX century in Holland.
Later many of these systems were improved and adapted for cultivation of heat-loving plants in indoor conditions.
Glass roofs for catching of solar beams appeared in England in 1717 and in due course have turned to such constructions, as the “crystal” Paxton palace built in 1801.
In the XIX century in European cities appear passages with glass roofs - large trading-business centers with shops, representative offices and recreation zones, including winter gardens and flower beds.