Lost and found: the Benmore and other Clydeside fernery buildings constructed by James Boyd & Sons of Paisley

Digital library searches undertaken by the author have recently uncovered a small but significant archive of information about the Benmore fernery, linking it to glasshouses and other contemporaneous fernery buildings in Scotland. It is now possible to verify the date of the original building to th...

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Main Author: David Gray
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh 2025-05-01
Series:Sibbaldia
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.rbge.org.uk/rbgesib/article/view/2083
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author David Gray
author_facet David Gray
author_sort David Gray
collection DOAJ
description Digital library searches undertaken by the author have recently uncovered a small but significant archive of information about the Benmore fernery, linking it to glasshouses and other contemporaneous fernery buildings in Scotland. It is now possible to verify the date of the original building to the early 1870s. Wider context and background details are provided by briefly exploring horticultural trends and architectural innovations from this period. Thereafter, the known Clydeside fernery buildings constructed by James Boyd & Sons are reconsidered, providing insight into unknown and previously missing details of the Benmore version. In 2009, from a ruinous condition, the Benmore fernery was the subject of a significant restoration led by a Glasgow-based team of conservation-accredited architects. Aspects of this practical work are summarised. The article concludes by exploring the wider topics of garden history and conservation and highlights the role of botanic gardens in promoting the sometimes overlooked value of garden heritage.
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spelling doaj-art-27eff4f3ce02477686b6f49f3b9eca8e2025-08-20T01:52:40ZengRoyal Botanic Garden EdinburghSibbaldia2513-92312025-05-01242410.24823/Sibbaldia.2025.2083Lost and found: the Benmore and other Clydeside fernery buildings constructed by James Boyd & Sons of PaisleyDavid Gray0RBGE Digital library searches undertaken by the author have recently uncovered a small but significant archive of information about the Benmore fernery, linking it to glasshouses and other contemporaneous fernery buildings in Scotland. It is now possible to verify the date of the original building to the early 1870s. Wider context and background details are provided by briefly exploring horticultural trends and architectural innovations from this period. Thereafter, the known Clydeside fernery buildings constructed by James Boyd & Sons are reconsidered, providing insight into unknown and previously missing details of the Benmore version. In 2009, from a ruinous condition, the Benmore fernery was the subject of a significant restoration led by a Glasgow-based team of conservation-accredited architects. Aspects of this practical work are summarised. The article concludes by exploring the wider topics of garden history and conservation and highlights the role of botanic gardens in promoting the sometimes overlooked value of garden heritage. https://journals.rbge.org.uk/rbgesib/article/view/2083FernsFerneryBenmore Botanic GardenPteridomania
spellingShingle David Gray
Lost and found: the Benmore and other Clydeside fernery buildings constructed by James Boyd & Sons of Paisley
Sibbaldia
Ferns
Fernery
Benmore Botanic Garden
Pteridomania
title Lost and found: the Benmore and other Clydeside fernery buildings constructed by James Boyd & Sons of Paisley
title_full Lost and found: the Benmore and other Clydeside fernery buildings constructed by James Boyd & Sons of Paisley
title_fullStr Lost and found: the Benmore and other Clydeside fernery buildings constructed by James Boyd & Sons of Paisley
title_full_unstemmed Lost and found: the Benmore and other Clydeside fernery buildings constructed by James Boyd & Sons of Paisley
title_short Lost and found: the Benmore and other Clydeside fernery buildings constructed by James Boyd & Sons of Paisley
title_sort lost and found the benmore and other clydeside fernery buildings constructed by james boyd sons of paisley
topic Ferns
Fernery
Benmore Botanic Garden
Pteridomania
url https://journals.rbge.org.uk/rbgesib/article/view/2083
work_keys_str_mv AT davidgray lostandfoundthebenmoreandotherclydesidefernerybuildingsconstructedbyjamesboydsonsofpaisley