Choose your garden buildings, greenhouse, conservatory etc?

Garden Shed

Garden sheds come in a variety of shapes and sizes, the popular one being the rectangular shed with the door at the front or side. They are mostly built of treated softwood and stained to suit the garden setting.

A shed is a garden building that is usually bought to hold all the garden hand and power tools such as the lawn mower. It can also be used as a potting shed and a hiding place when the mother in law visits, (just kidding).

The base for the shed can be either paving slabs,(used for the majority), for the smaller types, or if you are going to keep heavy equipment, then a 15cm concrete base would be more suitable.

If you are going to use the shed as a workshop then make sure the eves are of a sufficient height for you to stand up inside comfortably.

Greenhouses / Glasshouses

Greenhouses were so called because originally they were made from wood and glass, the wood on the outside was always painted dark green to blend in with the garden and painted white on the inside to reflect the light.

Today the best greenhouses and most expensive are made from cedar wood which does not rot, (I have had a cedar wood greenhouse now for over 40 yrs and it still looks good). You can get greenhouses made of softwood, but these require regular painting to protect the wood.

Aluminium glasshouses are the cheapest, and are easy to erect. The glass usually comes down to ground level. Watch out for the extras, these are the base, staging and shelves.

All garden buildings require a base of some sort and green/glass/houses are no exception. If you are not going to be planting into the ground within the greenhouse then a paved area will suffice, the slabs being laid on compacted sub soil topped with 50mm sand.

If you are going to grow plants in the ground within the glasshouse or prefer a concrete path with gravel at each side, then foundations using bricks or blocks can be used to support the framework of the green/glass/house. Cold frames can be built in the same way.

Greenhouse Growing Guide Learn how to build, maintain and grow plants in your own greenhouse by following our informative articles on every aspect of greenhouse growing.

Conservatory

Is it a garden or is it a room? This garden building can be either or both, but careful planning is needed to create the best garden / room.

The aspect and layout of your house limits the choice or position of a conservatory. Erect on a west or north-west facing wall if possible.

A south facing wall offers the maximum amount of light, but in summer excessive heat and dryness are the two major problems to contend with. Unless ventilation is extremely efficient plants will wither and die in a hot conservatory.

Keeping garden buildings such as the conservatory warm in winter is a consideration so choose double glazing to conserve heat.

A minimum winter temperature of 10 degrees Centigrade allows a very wide range of plants to be grown, however a temperature of 4-7 degrees C, would support a wide range of winter colour and be less expensive.

Flooring in the conservatory using the same materials as in the garden can add harmonious affect. Hard flooring both reflects and retains the heat, under floor heating being the preferred choice.

Summerhouse

Garden buildings like summerhouses can be built on a permanent site of concrete flags with a foundation similar to that of a patio. A summerhouse is great for the children to play in during the sunny days and some where to keep their outdoor toys and bikes.

In the evenings a summerhouse can turn into a room where you and your guests can have an outdoor barbeque.

Better still a romantic evening for two with candles lighting the interior, spot lights lighting up the garden, a bottle of wine and a meal delivered to your door, (no curry please). Dream on!!

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