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The city dweller looks upon the countryside as a slow moving and laid-back place where most things change only slowly. Ask a farmer and you’re likely to get a very different answer. Surviving in farming is very much about constant change – the changing of the seasons, the markets, the crops and the land-use.
The Romans are given the credit for everything, so of course we’re told the “first greenhouse” was invented in 30 AD to grow medicinal Armenian cucumbers for Emperor Tiberius. These “greenhouses” seem to have consisted of little more than wheelbarrows with oiled cloth stretched over them. Later, substantial stone-built centrally heated structures roofed in sheets of translucent mica (selenite) were used. These “speculariums” were status symbols and entertaining spaces as much as for growing fruits and vegetables.
For attractiveness, the glass greenhouse is the most popular style of greenhouse. The commonest garden greenhouse size is 8 by 6 feet or 2.4 by 1.8 meters. This size allows gardeners all the advantages of a garden greenhouse without taking up too much space or being too expensive. However, glass greenhouses can be expensive, for this reason, many people who decide to make a small glass greenhouse of this size decide to make their own using recycled or new materials.
There is more to planning a greenhouse than its construction. Choice of location, size and orientation involve some horticultural forethought: will it be used as a cool house for over-wintering plants or a hothouse for plants that appreciate tropical heat? In the UK, it is usually best to think about catching the winter sun; if your options give you a choice between morning and evening sun, morning will promote more growth.
If you plan everything in advance and stick to your plan, building a lean-to greenhouse can be a weekend task. To start, you’ll need to assess whether your available wall space gets enough daylight and whether the finished lean-to will obstruct your neighbour’s view. Always check the local building codes before you begin.