National Botanic Gardens (Curvilinear Range) — Botanic Road

Freestanding cast and wrought-iron glasshouse over basement, erected 1843-8, extended 1869, comprising rectangular double-height central house flanked by lower L-shaped linear wings having bowed ends and double-height turrets at angles; abutted by lean-to masonry potting house and contemporary additions to rear (north). Curvilinear wrought-iron framework on dressed granite plinth and sill; full-width domed lantern to central volume, cast-iron anthemion ridge crestings to wings and finials to turrets. Brown brick walling to rear of central house, laid in English garden wall bond; wings have random rubble masonry north walls with brick chimneystack having exposed flue to west side. Central house has double-tier glazed framework divided by open-panel cast-iron pilasters having rosette, acanthus and palm-frond capitals, supporting profiled cast-iron gutters with anthemion crests. Multiple-pane pivot windows to first tier at each wing, west wing pilasters having ribbon and floriate detail; east wing pilasters having interlacing, foliate scroll and lions' head'. Glazing lapped and scalloped throughout. Generally square-headed doorways, with double-leaf half-glazed timber panelled doors to central house and bowed ends, having panelled pilasters and scrolled brackets supporting arabesque entablature to central house; wings having architraves with interlacing and open-bed pediments; east doorway accessed by four replacement bowed granite steps. East wing has central door with margin-glazed upper panel, hand painted with guilloche detail to margins and interlaced architrave. Round-headed central door to west wing having margined glazing, panelled pilasters, foliate scrolls and half-round transom. Basement area accessed by steps at northeast. Internal structure supported by slender fluted cast-iron columns with acanthus capitals, wrought-iron tie-bars and curved bracing. Square-headed internal half-glazed timber doors with slender panelled timber architrave having corner rosettes; planting troughs and shelving to margins, replacement granite slab floor; solid walls having unpainted plaster. Heating pipes generally concealed; with winch system for ventilation. Set at north side of Botanic Gardens, surrounded by manicured presentation gardens and tarmac paths.