Goodbye Mrs. White, hello Dr. Orchid

Quote: Wizard

I never meant to imply that I don't know what a conservatory is. Seriously, when do you ever hear the word except when preceded by Bellagio?

It is a traditional flowering and de-flowering place but I think the taxi commission occasionally has to deal with the fact that a county conservatory does (or did) exist and it ain't nowhere near the Bellagio. But then again, as usual, I haven't a clue.

Quote: Wizard

I would have referred to that room as a greenhouse.

Hmmff I guess greenhouse has different meaning too. UK greenhouse is a (typically small) glass building (usually detached from the house, that is principally used as a propagation and growing room for seedlings and delicate plants and vegetables, while the outdoor temperature is too cold. We would not, for example, have any furniture in a greenhouse. UK conservatories are almost always an added single storey glass room always attached to the side or rear of the house as an afterthought. Apart from the odd indoor flowering plant, we would not have anything growing in a conservatory: We would have some comfy furniture there. To a lesser extent, some large hotels would also extend outwards with a conservatory, mostly defined by its abundance of glass and natural light.

interesting, if interested in how the usage came about

https://www.conservatoriesetc.com/blog/the-etymology-of-the-word-conservatory