Conservatories, Conservatories!

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Greensleeves

I recently enjoyed a welcome retreat to historic Haslemere House, an idyllic B&B tucked in the east end of what was originally known as Trafalgar – now the Town of Oakville – and steps from the lake. Alas, the original treed acreage may have been developed a while back, as is very much the norm these days if you’ve not beenalong ‘Millionaire’s Row’ of late, however the resplendent air of a bygone era lives on in and about this wonderful home!

“What is that room called, the one overlooking the pool…a greenhouse?” I had innocently enquired of my hosts at one point, only to be gently corrected: of course, it is a Conservatory, and, although aging, it is still very much intact and full of charm – lake air on these cooler nights, winter sun in the off-season – and features a still-operational retracting section of the glass ceiling which is operated by a wrought iron crank, just visible on the right in the photo above.

From one Conservatory to the next, I mused, finding myself on the brink of another teaching year at the Royal Conservatory of Music!