My Greenhouse at the Peak of its Use in Spring
If you were watching any of the Chelsea Flower Show coverage recently you can't help but have noticed the gorgeous styled greenhouse by Selina Lake. The seemingly endless space filled with perfectly healthy plants, comfortable reading nooks, space to eat brunch or afternoon tea - perfect. The reality for many of us is a little different. My budget was never going to stretch far enough for a space big enough to act as an Orangery or Garden Room but that's what we are demanding of our modest greenhouses these days. This blog is how I'm going to get there.
Inside That Chelsea Flower Show Greenhouse Styled by Selina Lake
1.Space. Possibly the biggest hurdle to achieving my dream greenhouse. I bought my greenhouse some 15 years ago. I'd not had one before I couldn't possibly imagine running out of space in it. I remember reading in garden magazines to go 'as large as you can afford'. I duly did. My greenhouse is 8'x6' (or 2.4mx1.8m) was purchased. At the time it was roomy, plenty of space for my (then modest) pelargonium collection to over winter and for me to grow tomato plants in the summer like my Dad had done every summer as long as I can remember. However, as the years went on, I began to grow plants from seed, space in early spring became a premium - my answer was to add more staging. Staging is the functional shelving made from aluminium usually or at least made from the materials of the greenhouse or what is to hand in the house or garden. This solution worked for a few years until my plant collection became too large and the close proximity of the plants led to white fly infestations and sooty mould. My greenhouse has always doubled as my potting shed too. I would spend time sowing and tending to my young plants in there. I noticed that actually it was rather nice to escape to the greenhouse in the winter and spring. The light levels are far higher than the house and it was always warmer than being outside in the wind. I wanted to spend more time, to be able to sit, surrounded by plants in this halfway house between the inside and out. To create more space, out went much of the metal shelving. I now use it as my outdoor potting area round the side of the house. Obviously, I've had to rationalise what was overwintered in the space too. Just my favourites. the unusual or the very useful keeping their space.
My Greenhouse Now with the Living Space Created
2.Power. One of the most useful decisions taken when my greenhouse was built was to install electrical cables to outdoor sockets. I'm not sure I fully appreciated the effort at the time but I soon came to realise the benefits. I quickly purchased a small electric fan heater for the greenhouse which I use on low through the winter to keep the space frost free. It's not the best looking thing, it was cheap and a more aesthetically pleasing heater that looks like mini log burners has since been purchased so I can turn it up and enjoy the glow when I'm sitting. The addition of power also gives you lighting options. Now, don't get me wrong, I might be a keen gardener but I have no desire to spend an evening pricking out seeds in the dark, even with a string of attractive fairy lights. But I'm not adverse to a gently lit, glass of plum wine at dusk in autumn or spring. It adds to the romance of the pace to have lighting options and a string or fairy lights costs next to nothing. Incidentally, I have tried solar lights and indeed currently have some strung up but the light is not really strong enough in autumn and winter to generate the power needed for a full evening glow, at least not in my experience.
Rustic Clutter in the Greenhouse this Summer
3. Furniture. I mentioned shelving or staging and there is some still in use in my greenhouse. After all, it is still also my potting shed and I do still have my pelargonium collection (now more refined I like to think) o overwinter. I've confined the staging to the rear of the greenhouse leaving a large square-ish space in front of it. I'm in two minds as to whether the traditional aluminium staging needs painting with metal paint. It would tune it down a bit but it is no small task. Perhaps a dark January day task. The remaining space is compact. I'd like to have a vintage table in there with some old Lloyd Loom chairs but at the moment I am managing with an old, painted and foldable Ikea chair and table. Actually, it's not creating a bad impression having served time outside it is suitably weathered, the paint is suitably chippy and having recently been redone in a dark grey/black looks great with any plants. Other handy furniture ideas would be wooden crates for storage. I use a couple of wooden boxes which look like old apple storage crates with open sides. A wooden step ladder shelf would look rather lovely and I kick myself each day wondering what ever happened to Dad's liberally paint splattered old step ladder. Instead I'm using a rather rustic metal vegetable rack with open wire baskets. This provides great shelving for smaller plants and being open it's easy enough to water them.
Rustic Details: Rattan Heart Wreath Base and Copper Watering Can
4. Soft Furnishings. That lovely Chelsea greenhouse was styled with divine soft furnishings. So my greenhouse has a few. Lets be honest here, greenhouses are not the most practical for soft furnishings. They're not water tight to the floor, so very occasionally water can get under the frame. That said, there's always plenty of water and mud (compost) splashing about too, so large rugs are not practical. But small ones, those floating island kind that we avoid in interiors are practical in a greenhouse. The chair and table can go on one. Waterproof outdoor rugs are a practical choice, but for me I', keeping it small so I can separate my rugged area from my potting up area as best I can. Cushions, every chair needs a cushion and certainly my old wooden Ikea chair needs at least one. Cushions and any soft furnishings in a greenhouse are going to need to be changed up regularly. It's great really - styling for the season is actually a necessary as cushions left in the bright sunlight too long will fade and left in winter might be prone to mould with the condensation. Occasion ware - by this I mean table cloths and napkins are just that - for the occasion and so are not left in my greenhouse. Remember, there's plenty of space in the greenhouse in the roof void. Most of us don't need the full height to stand comfortably. this means there is scope for hanging. I've seen greenhouses with drapes, either voiles or sacking like material creating a curtained effect. It does look good but it's not practical for my plants at least not in any season except perhaps summer because of the light restrictions. It would be an event only addition for me. Hopefully, I'm not having to sit in my greenhouse in summer of course. The roof void does create other opportunities for hanging things though, lights of course but also plants. It's very fashionable to hang plants at the moment and I have a macrame plant hanger in there. A series might look rather good I think. I've also hung a metal basket of succulents that rather like to overwinter in the greenhouse as they don't like our rain. Succulents are a fashionable addition to any space.
Coffee in the Greenhouse
5. Accessories. I'm including plants in this. I've been mentioning them all the way through this but if we want to create that warm feeling space like that in the Chelsea Flower Show greenhouse we'll need some flowering plants or cut flowers. It's colour of the season that we are looking for. My greenhouse is also full of what I call 'good looking practicalities'. By this I mean things that actually look good but also functional. Well used terracotta pots stacked in varying sized group. My Dad's well worn and used trowel, now over 50 years old but functioning as my trowel. Old garden tools can still be bought relatively cheaply at car boot sales or collectables fairs and because they are actually useful can justify their space. Metal watering cans rather than plastic. Slate plant labels. Baskets and wooden trugs. The details and props make the greenhouse have the rustic feel which is so attractive in this space. If they are useable and used then that feel starts to extend into the garden itself and that's another blog.