Warmer Climes

Today, when we arrived we were the only visitors to the garden at Saltram House, Plymouth. Unfortunately though the rain had already arrived, and it felt cold. 
The orangery, that was built in 1773, and later rebuilt after it was damaged by fire, was one of the few places to find shelter. My blip shows a statue in the classical style and the citrus trees that are stored inside during the Winter months. The trees were ordered from Genoa in Italy and at least provide a hint of the warmer Mediterranean climate. 
A quick online search produced the following information supplied by the National Trust:

“Since Roman times, there has been a desire to grow luscious fruits and glorious flowering plants from climates warmer than our own. It is from these efforts that the greenhouse of today emerged bringing with it our ability to grow fruits from across the world. Oranges are tender natives of China and south-east Asia and their favour and decorative appearance led to them being grown in England from Elizabeth I’s reign. Initially they were planted outside and protected over the winter by temporary covers. However, by the 1670s, permanent buildings were constructed with large, south-facing windows to provide light to the plants that were grown in movable tubs. In summer they would be placed in the garden”.