Greenhouses

A backyard greenhouse can serve many purposes. Some gardeners have a green house so they can cultivate and display rare and exotic plants. Other people have greenhouses so they will have a constant supply of fresh flowers through the winter. Many gardeners use green houses to start plants in the spring and for extending their growing season into the autumn. For others the greenhouse means fresh tomatoes, peppers and other vegetables all year round. Finally, those glass houses full of greenery are simply pleasant places to relax and enjoy the quiet. If the glass house adjoins your living room or dining room, it can add a touch of elegance to your home, and is great for social affairs.

There are many styles of greenhouses for the private home, and they can be made from a combination of a variety of materials. Each type has its advantages and disadvantages. The most common greenhouse styles are the gable and the lean-to. The lean-to greenhouse is built right against your house, and if you wish, you can build it so that access to the greenhouse is from within your house. The gable greenhouse, which is shaped something like a barn, can be free-standing or it can be built so that one end is against your house, allowing direct access from within the house. Other popular styles of greenhouse are the geodesic dome, the A-frame, the “English” gable, the gazebo and the gothic.

Your local building centre will have all that you need for greenhouse construction. There you will find greenhouse plans, books in which you can study greenhouse design, and information on how to build a greenhouse. They might even have greenhouse kits, which will include green house plans. A gardening centre will carry all of the greenhouse supplies you need.

If you don’t have room for a large greenhouse, there are many designs of small greenhouse you could use. One, the window greenhouse, attaches to the side of your house over a window. It is a great “starter” greenhouse, for gardeners who are just getting into the greenhouse hobby. If you live in a cramped urban environment, you might have to be quite imaginative to find a place for a greenhouse. Resourceful people have found greenhouse space in their buildings everywhere from the cellar to the roof.

Not all greenhouses are made of glass. Among the other materials used to cover greenhouses are polyfilm, polyethylene, vinyl, fiberglass, and plexiglass. The people at your building centre and gardening centre can help you decide which would be the best for your greenhouse.