We have many greenhouse ideas to inspire you to spend a day in your backyard. Having a greenhouse could be excellent therapy for relieving stress after a long work day. You can spend your day doing plants and flowers inside a greenhouse or reading books on the weekend!
Greenhouses are not only for the Duke or Duchess; everyone can create their own greenhouse if they have space to build it! But remember! Before you see our design recommendations, you have to know several things about the greenhouse, such as:
Aspects to Consider for Your Greenhouse
Consider your Greenhouse Function
Sometimes, people build a greenhouse for a garden dining room, and some people have a greenhouse to keep their baby plants before they grow in the garden. If the primary function of building a greenhouse is to breed plants specifically, you don’t need to read this article further because we won’t give you tips about plants. We will recommend a home greenhouse design.
If you have a small area to build a greenhouse, we won’t suggest you make it for decorative purposes. Please use it for gardening and be a good place for your plants.
Make sure you have a large area to build it
You can have a small greenhouse, but it will look engaging in a large area. At least you can build 10-25% of your backyard, which means your garden must be more significant than your greenhouse.
Ground
You have to know the type of land contour around your house. Some fields were used as landfills and then deliberately compacted to build greenhouses. This soil is not suitable for housing/ building a greenhouse because its strength is low, and there is still a possibility that the ground will sink due to part of the waste that decomposes.
So, if you have no choice but to build in another area, you better do dredging first. Dredging is done by removing trash and holes in the ground filled with sand or soil and then compacted. You might need help using that area’s soil as a planting medium. You must build a large pot or use small pots to grow herbs. The ideal grounds for constructing a greenhouse alluvial flat land is one soil suitable for agriculture.
Type of greenhouses by design and shape
Greenhouse Style Ideas and Materials
Every material has pros and cons; you can’t deny how impactful materials are for a greenhouse. Climate and soil conditions are crucial elements to make your long-lasting greenhouse.
You have to understand how extreme the climate around your house is. If you live in a coastal area, where the sun always rises and the wind never stops – you’d better build a greenhouse from steel and high-UV protection glass. Don’t forget to add a cooling pad to adjust the temperature, at least 18-24 degrees/ 75-85 F during the day. Horticultural float glass is an excellent choice for the highland area because it highlights admittance to ensure the light inside a greenhouse.
An excellent recommendation to build a wooden greenhouse is water-resistant material, such as cedar wood. The lifespan of wooden greenhouses tends to be longer than bamboo greenhouses. Moreover, wood construction is often combined with mild steel.
Gable Greenhouse
Gable greenhouse is the most common shape in the Victorian era in England. Wealthy nobles and rich traders conjured up their backyards with beautiful gable greenhouses. In the 1800s, European colonialists made greenhouses for government houses in Asia and South America, and gable greenhouses were one of the wealthy icons in the imperialism era.
Some people think that a gable greenhouse is a traditional glasshouse. They have the same framework as usual houses, allowing everyone to walk indoors. This kind of greenhouse provides sunlight inside the area and makes it easier to grow your plants.
Classic gable greenhouse has strong characteristics with a symmetrical ‘A’ framework. The frame of a traditional gable greenhouse is solid and durable, made of wood or iron.
Classic Gable Greenhouses are a suitable design with Victorian, ranch houses, American craftsman, and Gregorian houses. You can change the color easily with paint. Wooden greenhouse shows you a natural appearance, but if you paint that wood frame white, it will seem clean and classic.
The advantage of having a gable greenhouse is that the design and structure are accessible because it is almost the same as the shape of a house in general. Gable greenhouses also really maximize space from the inside, as well as maximum air circulation.
The straightforward design undoubtedly benefits those who want to build a new greenhouse. At first glance, this house is like a mini version of your home, especially if the design is adapted to the shape of the residence. There are things you need to pay attention to when building a gable greenhouse, namely the base. It is crucial to make solid groundwork because the walls and roof are covered with glass and a frame. The glass covering the entire surface helps the plant warm up, making the growth process more optimal.
If you struggle to build a solid foundation on sloping and unstable ground, you can outsmart it by making a terrace and front stair steps. Apart from being beautiful, the front stair steps keep the greenhouse structure from coming into direct contact with sloping ground, making it a sturdy building, even if it is a semi-permanent greenhouse.
Making a higher foundation on a greenhouse can make drainage and lower water pipes easier. It is also helpful to hide cable channels so that the greenhouse looks neater and more aesthetic.
In this modern era, you can build a lovely gable greenhouse. Combining an iron canopy or recycled iron cargo and an iron frame makes the greenhouse very solid. The conservatory looks homely and modern because of the transparent glass and neutral color choices.
Gable greenhouses are now adaptable to home designs, even Scandinavian or industrial types. Don’t hesitate to experiment with materials and colors and innovate land suitable for growing crops.
Gothic-Tudor Hobbit Style
Building a gothic greenhouse is the dream of most people, but not everyone can make it happen. It needs a large area and a large yard so that the gothic greenhouse can maximize its function.
The gothic greenhouse arch design withstands strong winds and helps lower snow to ground level. The drip-like curves of the roof prevent rain damage and reduce the risk of broken glass due to snow accumulation. This type of greenhouse is very suitable in extreme climates because it can accommodate many plants and stabilize the air to remain optimal.
At first glance, this building doesn’t involve many construction materials but requires special skills to make a gothic greenhouse. You must choose the proper blacksmith to perfect the glass construction and installation.
Gothic greenhouse arches are higher than other types, making them suitable for containing tall plants or maximizing hanging plants on the ceiling.
Lean-to Minimalist Flat Roof
No greenhouse is 100% waterproof, including wood frame greenhouses. However, slim models have the advantage of having a solid fourth wall, making them less susceptible to rainwater leaks and storm damage.
A minimalist flat roof is the best way to utilize small land; besides, you don’t have to pay more to build a whole glass wall. The lean-to greenhouse type attached to the wall of the house is much more economical because it requires less material. Therefore, a lean-to-model greenhouse is an economical type for growing plants in indoor areas, especially for small yards.
A strong wall structure will make the installation process more manageable. Your lean-to greenhouse should ideally be supported by walls that are straight and structurally sound. The greenhouse installation must adjust to sunlight, ensuring the greenhouse receives enough light for plants to grow.
- You should know that lean-to greenhouses benefit home gardens.
- The house’s walls provide more consistent heat and protect plants from sudden temperature drops during the winter.
- Blocks wind effectively.
- It is easy to install water, gas, and electricity compared to a greenhouse that stands alone in the middle of the yard.
- Walls can be used to make shelves, care for tall plants, etc., without fear of wind damage.
- You can easily create a unique door to access the greenhouse from inside the house.
Disadvantages of Lean-To Greenhouse
- There must be sufficient height or width for the installation wall without obstructing windows and doors.
- Heating can be expensive if you live in a colder climate/zone.
- Several plant species cannot grow in a lean-to greenhouse because of insufficient sunlight, primarily if walls cover them.
Slant Roof Greenhouse
The sloping roof greenhouse design suits plants that like warm temperatures and sunlight. The sloping roof is made to adjust sunlight where direct rays shine towards the top and continue to the inside of the greenhouse. Greenhouses with pitched roofs offer more heat, light, and extended levels of warmth.
Using wooden panels is the right choice in coastal and arid areas because it does not conduct excess heat. The durability of wood may not be as good as iron, but in stabilizing the temperature in barren places, you can rely on it to maintain your favorite plants.
If you are renting your current home, using wood as a greenhouse will also be beneficial due to easier installation and disassembly.
Building a greenhouse with a sloping roof reduces air retention in the room so that rainwater falls directly out of the greenhouse area. A complete roof without liaison minimizes the risk of air, dirt, and wind entering from outside; this is the advantage of the Slant Roof Greenhouse.
Light steel greenhouse construction is the best for service life and quality, mainly if the mild steel used is processed using the “hot dipped galvanized” method. It was a type of iron construction that was light but strong.
A good construction structure will reduce maintenance frequency. With a robust system, various types of additional equipment can be attached to the greenhouse so that the use of the greenhouse can be optimal.
Gothic
The characteristic of a Gothic greenhouse is that it is pointed at the curved part of the roof, so it can accommodate a larger volume of air, providing a microclimate and better interior lighting.
This type of design is suitable for all kinds of plants, as gothic greenhouses are made to protect plants from extreme weather. The structure is designed for high loads; it also requires maintenance and environmental growing conditions. On the ridge, the Gothic greenhouse allows you to build a larger area, suitable for increasing the cultivation area for large-scale production.
Having a higher peak benefits the greenhouse’s ability to capture sunlight. This type of greenhouse is suitable for planting during the rainy season, snow season, or bad weather that prevents the sun from shining on the ground. Gothic greenhouses are ideal for construction in places with short sunlight, such as the northern hemisphere.
For those who live in the northern hemisphere, the North-South sunlight orientation is more appropriate for the growing season. However, if you live in the southern hemisphere, such as South America, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Gabon, Kenya, etc. You can take advantage of West-East light for the growing season. Do not plant plants from September to March because the sun intensity is low.
The structure’s durability had to be better, as the gothic-shaped design was made with iron, curved in a semi-circle or quonset style. If you apply an oval roof, the Gothic greenhouse is solid even in heavy snowfall and strong winds. For those who live in snow areas, a gothic greenhouse can help remove snow accumulation because the roof does not have sharp angles.
More space volume so that it can accommodate light heat, efficient ventilation, and a firm structure is the suitable building for cultivating your favorite plants.
Conclusion
Building a big-scale greenhouse is a challenging responsibility; every person should consider many things, such as climate, sunlight, plants, and backyard ground type. But every greenhouse has many varieties that you can choose; you can pick a suitable glasshouse and change your backyard to be pretty!
Written By
Josephine Krisna Dewi Prawesti
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