10 amazing conservatories from around the world

If you have a conservatory or are thinking of getting one installed, you probably have one of two functions in mind.

You could be a green-fingered gardener looking for a space to grow luscious, sun-hungry plants.

Or you could have your heart set on a sunroom – an extra space in your home that bridges house and garden, drenched in natural light.

Whatever your plan is, you might know that conservatories come in a wide variety of styles, materials and finishes. There's the classic Victorian design with its geometrical bay front and ribbed, steeply pitched roof – the kind of extension that makes your home look like part of a botanical garden.

For lower buildings like bungalows, there are lean-tos. Their flatter, single-slant roofs give a more modern but no less appealing look.

But as with everything in life, there are conservatories and then there are conservatories.

A conservatory is an architect's dream. That's because the architect's materials aren't limited to glass, uPVC, aluminium and tiles. They're also working with nature – sunlight, flowers and plants.

There are some show-stopping conservatories dotted around the world that amply demonstrate just how much potential for beauty these conservatories have.

And while you might not have the budget to install a scale replica of Kew Gardens, they might just give you some inspiration.

1. Kiseki No Hoshi Greenhouse, Hyōgo, Japan

Also known as the Miracle Planet Museum of Plants, the Kiseki No Hoshi Greenhouse in Hyōgo is one of the largest in Japan. It's treated visitors to a beautiful array of rare tropical plants since it opened in 2000.

As well as its main display of vibrant flora, the greenhouse also has a fern room, small gardens, succulents and flower shows.

2. Conservatory of Flowers, San Francisco, USA

San Francisco's Conservatory of Flowers is a national landmark – and it's popular with shutterbugs for a reason. Its elaborate wooden arches, glass walls and imposing dome are hard to ignore.

It's as hardy as a cactus, having survived two fires, an earthquake and a wind storm.

Film buffs might recognise it from a cameo in Hitchcock's Vertigo (1958).

3. Muttart Conservatory, Edmonton, Canada

Architect Peter Hemingway knew how to make Edmonton's public gardens and greenhouses stand out. Instead of drawing on the Victorians for inspiration, he turned his attention to the pyramids.

The four hothouse pyramids at Muttart Conservatory are the stars of the show. They host lilies, palms, banana trees, the bird of paradise and more.

The "tropical" pyramid features a waterfall splashing into a pool where fish swim and lilies float. It used to be home to a kiwi bird and a sloth.

4. Enid A. Haupt Conservatory, New York, USA

New York's botanical gardens are a direct descendant of their English counterparts – the Big Apple's very own Crystal Palace.

Its pavilion and dome, made from steel and glass, feature aquatic plants and vines, cacti, tropical plants, towering palms and more.

It was built between 1899 and 1902 by the city's Department of Parks and Recreation – but it takes its name from benefactor Enid Annenberg Haupt, who saved it from demolition in the 1970s with a gift of $10 million.

5. Curitiba Botanical Gardens, Brazil

Jardim Botânico de Curitiba is a park in Curitiba – the capital of Paraná and southern Brazil's biggest city.

Like New York's botanical gardens, it looks to Europe for inspiration. The gardens are laid out in a French style, while the principal greenhouse looks like London's Crystal Palace has been transplanted to Brazil.

This greenhouse covers 458 square metres and features a carpet of flowers as well as the tropical plants you'd expect. Outside, there's a pond where you can see carp, turtles and herons.

6. Eden Project, Cornwall, England

The Eden Project isn't strictly a conservatory, but it serves the same purpose as the others in this list – to protect and show off a swathe of rare plants.

Built in an old clay pit, its two giant thermoplastic domes house the world's largest indoor rainforest and a Mediterranean biome.

While the design of the other greenhouses in this list could inspire your own extension, this one is strictly for the plant-lovers.

7. Schönbrunn Palm House, Vienna, Austria

When it was built in 1882, the Schönbrunn Palm House in Vienna's Palace Park was the largest in the world – a glasshouse that's around 111 metres long, 28 metres wide and 25 metres high.

It was commissioned by Emperor Franz Joseph and built to impress. Today, it's no less extravagant – a showcase for tropical plants, fruit trees and flower displays.

Its paths contain a number of semi-hidden surprises including a selection of carnivorous plants.

8. Lalbagh, Bangalore, India

Lalbagh's iron-pillared glasshouse is a product of British colonialism in India. Another descendant of the Crystal Palace, it was built to mark Queen Victoria's grandson's visit to Bangalore in 1891.

Now known as "the Jewel of the Garden City", it's used for flower shows – both permanent features and temporary shows on Republic Day (January 26) and Independence Day (August 15).

9. Gardens by the Bay, Singapore

In Singapore's Central Region, there are three waterfront gardens that together make up the Gardens by the Bay.

They're home to the Flower Dome, listed by the Guinness Book of World Records as the largest greenhouse in the world. It covers 1.2 hectares or three acres. That's equivalent to three NFL football fields.

Walking into the Flower Dome, you're entering a Mediterranean climate, stuffed with exotic flowers and planets from five of the world's seven continents.

10. Bicentennial Conservatory, Adelaide, Australia

Nicknamed "the giant pasty", Adelaide's sparkling, curvilinear conservatory is one of the sights that greets you as you fly into the city. 

It's a home away from home to plants from northern Australia, Papua New Guinea, Indonesia and the Pacific Islands, many of which are endangered.

Calder Windows is a specialist window, door and conservatory supplier based in Wakefield, West Yorkshire. We're a family-run business with 30 years of experience and hundreds of happy customers. Want to treat your home to a beautiful conservatory or orangery? Get in touch for a free quote.