How to plan the perfect greenhouse

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Greenhouses are an essential addition to any keen grower’s garden, extending the growing season and providing the perfect peaceful haven to relax while tending to your plants. Whether you’re buying your first greenhouse or upgrading your current construction for something bigger and better, there are several key elements you need to consider when planning, from positioning and size, to style and materials. Here, Daniel Carruthers, from Cultivar Greenhouses, shares some top tips on how to plan the perfect greenhouse for you.

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Selecting the perfect location

It may seem obvious, but before purchasing your greenhouse, think about where you are going to position it in your garden! A level, solid base to build your construction upon is important, and ideally, it would include centre paving with free draining beds either side for absorbing water, with a sturdy walkway to the entrance.  Of course, this must be prepared before you take delivery of your new structure.

You should also consider how close your greenhouse needs to be to any utilities you may need to access, such as electricity or water supply, and whether any wiring or piping needs to be linked to it. This kind of planning and preparation may seem like a daunting task, but the team at Cultivar Greenhouses will guide you every step of the way by sending a base plan and dimensions following the order of your new greenhouse.

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Positioning your greenhouse

Generally, you should position a greenhouse with the ridge running from East to West, as this ensures maximum sunlight exposure throughout the day, and, if possible, ensure it is placed away from tall trees as they can block sunlight. Although trees can provide useful protection from strong winds, if you purchase a high-quality greenhouse this isn’t something that should be of concern! Cultivar greenhouses are constructed with a sturdy structure of aluminium and Accoya to ensure a durable product that will stand the test of time and wind, as well as looking effortlessly stylish.

Some shade is useful during particularly hot weather, so ensure you incorporate shading solutions into your design to shield sections of your greenhouse when required. Cultivar’s roof shading is a light coloured, rot proof solution made from synthetic polyester scrim, which is hard wearing and moisture resistant. The shading can be applied to one or both sides of the greenhouse and offers 55% shading to protect your delicate or young plants.

Choosing the right size and style

It goes without saying that your new greenhouse must fit in your garden and be spacious enough to meet your needs, whether you’re just starting out or a green-fingered pro greenhouses are designed to fit a wide range of gardens. Cultivar structures offer a modular design means so that each customer can choose the size and width of their greenhouse, creating a bespoke design just for them.

The same style of greenhouse isn’t going to suit everyone, so take your time to research a design that you love, whether it is modern or traditional. Cultivar’s Modern Portrait Range is a bestseller with its generous pitched roof and contemporary styling. By contrast, for a traditional looking structure, there’s the Victorian Porch with narrow pane centres, hand turned finials and Accoya framing providing the ’period’ look.

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Incorporating additional features

Once you’ve chosen your greenhouse, there are a host of additional features such as staging and shelving, rainwater diverters and cold frames to consider. Integrated shelving is a great addition to a greenhouse as it provides surfaces to store plants and vegetables and doubles up as a workspace for potting seedlings and watering.

Harvesting rainwater can be beneficial to your plants as it has a lower pH than water from your taps and is a more sustainable way of watering, so a diverter can be added to the downpipes to redirect rain to a water butt, providing a supply of rainwater you can use to water the plants in your greenhouse. Cold frames are a useful extension of your greenhouse and are essential for transitioning plants from your greenhouse into the garden, as the lid can be held partially or fully open, hardening off your seedlings before planting.

So, when it comes to planning and purchasing a new greenhouse, there are many elements to consider, from the position and base of the greenhouse, to the style, size and specification – and it can be tricky to know where to start! With over 25 years’ experience in the greenhouse industry, the team at Cultivar Greenhouses can work with you to create a bespoke structure that is perfect for you and your garden, guiding you every step of the way.

To find out more about Cultivar Greenhouses and begin the planning process of your new greenhouse, visit www.cultivargreenhouses.co.uk

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