In 1891, plans were submitted to construct a grand People’s Palace right in the heart of Edinburgh.
If the glass house was constructed, the city centre gardens would have a very different feel - with the elaborate palace dominating much of the grounds. Though the structure was debated for several decades, it eventually was scrapped in the early 20th century - after a local conservation organisation discovered an obscure regulation.
At the time, Winter Gardens were popular across Europe - providing people with the chance to enjoy some greenery in the colder in some form of greenhouse. The first public Winter Garden opened in London’s Regent’s Park in 1846.
