Turlington Camellia Solar House

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Turlington Camellia Solar House in August 2015

The Turlington Camellia Solar House is a small greenhouse built into a hill just north of the main greenhouse as a feature of the Hess Camellia Garden at the Birmingham Botanical Gardens. It was dedicated on October 18, 1987 in memory of Lee Turlington, first president of the Birmingham Botanical Society.

The small propagation house uses passive techniques to capture and store solar energy to protect the vulnerable seedlings from winter cold. The low, gabled structure has glazed skylights on the south-facing roof and wood shingles on the north side. The west end burrows into the slope and the east side has a small brick sunken patio flanked by retaining walls. The building was designed by architect Louis Joyner of Columbus, Indiana.

The Turlington Solar House was renovated in 2006, and again in 2010 with funds from the Beeson Charitable Trust.