RENOVATE & REPAIR
People in glass houses… grow amazing plants! Here’s what to consider before investing in a greenhouse for your plot
First rising to popularity during the Victorian era, a greenhouse is a must for any keen gardener. Offering a wealth of horticultural potential, it provides a setting in which the increased control over sunlight levels, temperature and soil type allows you to significantly extend the growing season, inspite of the British weather.
Even with an unheated greenhouse, you can delay the effects of frost by several weeks, maximising the yield of crops and protecting plants from frost and dampness. A heated greenhouse will help you continue your horticultural efforts throughout the bleakest months, let you cultivate tropical or sub-tropical plants and advance the growing and harvest periods by several weeks. However, a greenhouse is one of the more costly additions to a garden, so it is vital to choose the correct design and right position to ensure success.
STYLES AND STRUCTURES
While there are endless designs, sizes and shapes, there are only three main styles of greenhouses. These are the lean-to greenhouse, an abutting greenhouse and a freestanding design. Each has its own benefits and drawbacks.
A freestanding type is the classic design and stands on its own base – whether that’s soil or slabs – and can be any shape and size.
Lean-to greenhouses require a pre-existing structure – such as a garden wall, house wall or shed – to support it. Highly compact, it can also benefit from the residual heat from the wall, which will bolster the growth of plants inside. Abutting greenhouses are a mix of lean-to and freestanding designs. Like a freestanding design, it stands on its own, but its fourth side is made up of an existing wall. The style of greenhouse you choose will depend on the space and structures available in your garden.
PERFECT PLACEMENT
For an efficient greenhouse, the position is everything. ‘Your structure needs to receive as much sunlight as possible during all seasons of the year. Avoid locating your greenhouse in the shadow of tall trees, boundary fences or walls as these will obstruct light,’ explains Tom Barry, CEO of Hartley Botanic.
‘For lean-to greenhouses that are placed against a wall, a south-facing position is ideal. For stand-alone structures, the ridge along the top of the greenhouse should ideally run from east to west, as this will allow the sun to run along its longest side during the day,’ explains Tom. But light isn’t the only consideration.
‘The location should catch prevailing winds for ventilation purposes but equally not b
