The Orangery

 This is a quiet place to take a good book or your headset then just sit back and relax and take in spectacular views over the verdant rolling countryside. Over 2000 square feet of lantern topped glass atrium set into a hardwood frame goes to make up our Orangery. As well as a great spot in which to unwind, it is a superb environment for nurturing varieties of citrus trees including lemon, oranges, clementine and kumquat; a rapidly growing and climbing pink flowering bignonia cascades over the upper terrace. A purple flowering bougainvillae is climbing up one of the supports on its way to the top and creating a magnificent display of blossoms. In the corner is a lone pomegranate tree.  We are experimenting to see how it fares

We have a pretty amazing cactus collection and an ancient twisted olive tree that is purported to be well over a hundred years old.  Ascend the stairs look down over the balcony to the towering Washingtonian palm, splendid yukkas and other assorted palms and sub-tropical plants.  According to the seasons the heady perfume of orange blossom, the dark green glossy foliage and the gradual arrival of branches laden with oranges delights the senses.

Oranges

Imported from Spain in 2006 these 10 year old trees are now bearing heavy crops of delicious juice oranges. Although we call this The Orangery it is in fact a showpiece for  the Estate's business of importing  citrus trees  and other exotic plants, supplying retailers of plants for conservatories and orangeries throughout the United Kingdom.

The large Washingtonian palm tree dominates the western end of The Orangery.  Curently approaching over 6 metres high, it originally had 3 stems but only one healthy trunk now remains.  Several other specimens of palm and tropical plants are being assessed to see if they are suited to be grown under glass in conservatories in the United Kingdom.

The History of the Orange

The Persian orange, grown widely in southern Europe after its introduction to Italy in the 11th century, was bitter. Sweet oranges brought to Europe in the 15th century from India by Portuguese traders, quickly displaced them and are now the most common variety of orange cultivated. The Valencia or Murcia orange is one of the sweet oranges used for juice extraction. It is late-season, and therefore a popular variety when  navel oranges are out of season.

A single mutation in 1820 in an orchard of sweet oranges planted at a monastery in Brazil yielded the Navel orange, also known as the Washington, Riverside, or Bahie navel. It makes for delicious eating. The Valencia or Murcia orange is one of the sweet oranges used for juice extraction. It is a late-season fruit and therefore a popular variety when the navel oranges are out of season.

 The History of the Lemon

The exact origin of the lemon has remained a mystery, though it is widely presumed that lemons grrew wild in both India and China. Known for its antiseptic properties, it was used as antidote for various poisons. The lemon was later introduced to Iraq and Egypt around 700 A.D.  Lemons entered Europe in southern Italy no later than the first century AD, during the time of Ancient Rome. However, they were not widely cultivated. The first real lemon cultivation in Europe began in Genoa in the middle of the fifteenth century.

One of the oldest known fruits, the pomegranate (punica granatum) is a native of Persia. Throughout the ages it has been revered as a symbol of health, fertility and eternal life in ancient Greek mythology, Persephone ate the pomegranate and was reborn every Spring. Guests at Chinese weddings were served pomegranates to celebrate a fruitful union, and the bright red juice of the pomegranate was regarded as a "soul concentrate," capable of conferring on a person longevity, or even immortality.

According to ancient traditions, pomegranates symbolized fertility and seduction and were celebrated by Solomon in the Song of Songs. The numbers of seeds were considered mystically equivalent to the number of virtues in even a simple person, and pomegranates adorned the vestments of the high priest. In myth pomegranates were plentiful in the Garden of Eden, and some scholars believed that the pomegranate, and not the apple, was the fruit that supposedly tempted Eve. The pomegranate has always been valued as a medicinal plant. In ancient Persia it was used to treat many internal disorders. In ancient Greece tthe philosopher-doctor Hippocrates recognised the fruit early on for its unique medicinal qualities, prescribing six pomegranate seeds a day to maintain optimal health.