The glasshouse, one of two in the gardens, dates back more than 230 years, and needed to be very carefully restored.
Contractors Viage and Rihoy & Son focused on repairing rather than replacing as much of the structure as possible.
‘These are historic structures which add great interest to the area, so it really is fantastic that funds were made available to complete this work,’ said Environment & Infrastructure president Adrian Gabriel.
‘The structure was taken down carefully to retain as many of the original materials as possible. Any new materials, such as wood and glass, had to conform with the original designs, and the final decoration was designed to be consistent with what was in place historically.’
Focus now turns to the upper glasshouse’s decrepit counterpart, still in need of restoration. There are no solid plans currently in place for its repair, although the States still plans to move forward with it when circumstances allow.
‘Given the pressures on public finances, the previous committee was only allocated funding to restore the upper glasshouse. We’re working to identify options that are realistic in the current financial climate for how we can address the lower glasshouse,’ said Deputy Gabriel.
‘These glasshouses are delicate, historical pieces of the fabric of Guernsey and need to be managed in a sympathetic manner which reflects their status as historical properties.’
The lower and upper glasshouses were closed in 2018 and 2019, respectively, due to their deteriorating condition.
Early delays to the works beginning were attributed in part to a lack of interest from contractors.