Ireth
Myth Weaver
What sort of greenhouses might there have been in the 800-1200 AD period? I know the practise of making greenhouses dates back to the ancient Romans; one emperor in particular, Tiberius, had greenhouses built so he could have cucumbers every day. Those greenhouses were made of mica rather than glass. "Modern" greenhouses date back to about the 16th century or so. So far, though, I haven't found any information on the centuries between.
On the other hand, should I give myself some wiggle room on the basis that the novel I'm asking for is a fantasy that takes place in Faerie, not real-world Earth? The Fae would certainly have their own ways of keeping fruits and vegetables from shriveling in the cold, but those methods wouldn't be available to the human protagonists. I do have a few elemental mages who might be able to create glass for greenhouses, or I could just have another mage enchant a certain area so that it stays at a spring/summer temperature even in the dead of winter. They'd need the greenhouses for food plants, medicinal herbs and the like, as well as probably a place to just escape the cold for awhile. XD
On the other hand, should I give myself some wiggle room on the basis that the novel I'm asking for is a fantasy that takes place in Faerie, not real-world Earth? The Fae would certainly have their own ways of keeping fruits and vegetables from shriveling in the cold, but those methods wouldn't be available to the human protagonists. I do have a few elemental mages who might be able to create glass for greenhouses, or I could just have another mage enchant a certain area so that it stays at a spring/summer temperature even in the dead of winter. They'd need the greenhouses for food plants, medicinal herbs and the like, as well as probably a place to just escape the cold for awhile. XD