When Eyre Hall’s garden was laid out in the early 19th century, an orangery was built in the garden for overwintering orange and lemon trees. The roof and south wall of the structure collapsed in the late 19th century, well before the birth of the current owner. His investigation into saving what was left presented several alternatives, none of which could fully reclaim this rare and elegant form of early American architecture. In the end, he chose to use the ruin as a garden folly and a monument to the past. Here are a few tips from his experience.
· Consult on-site with several architects and contractors specializing in preservation. Experts are available through state or private preservation groups.
· Decide what your goal is when considering alternatives. The possibility of secondary reuse -- making the orangery a place for an office, for example -- was enticing to the owner, but he didn’t want to sacrifice the original materials and patina necessary to make the change.
· Consider aesthetics. In opting for preserving the ruins, he had a choice: Bolt clear acrylic partitions on the walls to help protect and support them, or seal the tops of the walls with waterproof solution to prevent further deterioration. He opted for waterproofing rather than see acrylic sheets on the old walls.
· Extend a sense of the ruins’ history into its landscape. The surrounding original English boxwoods complement the structure’s age. Fig trees flourish near the parlor where citrus trees once grew.
For more photos of Eyre Hall's garden, see the July/August 2008 issue of Southern Accents.
