Aluminium And Wooden Greenhouses

An important addition to any British back garden, greenhouses are firmly established in the British way of life. It's probably the inclement weather that drives the british gardener 'inside'. If you are visiting this site then you are probably thinking about obtaining a new greenhouse. It is possible you don't know the type of greenhouse you need or even how to decide on the type of greenhouse. Greenhouse design was revolutionised with the arrival of aluminium frames and the scarcity of pine. This article takes a brief look at the differences between metal and wooden greenhouses.

-- Wooden Greenhouses --

Wooden Greenhouses are the choice for the traditionalist and the expert gardener. They are commonly made from Canadian Western Red Cedar, which is renowned for it's exceptional long life outdoors as a result of it's effective rot resistance. Wooden greenhouses are the traditional style of greenhouse before the aluminium greenhouses and plastic greenhouses became more popular towards the end of the last century.

A timber greenhouse will obviously blend in naturally with your garden and will become an integral feature rather than something of an eyesore which you wish to hide away. Timber is also the choice of the expert gardener and it is generally agreed that it is the best material for a greenhouse. One of the main reasons is that the red cedar greenhouses are much better at maintaining a constant temperature than aluminium ones, which obviously leads to a healthier and more natural environment. An experienced gardener will know the benefit of having things to hand and a wooden frame will allow the gardener to easily fix hooks and shelves exactly where he wants them, so those all important greenhouse accessories are to hand. The wooden frame also makes it easier to fix an extra layer of insulation of plastic bubble sheeting, such severe weather conditions prevail.

The best time to add a protective coat to a timber frame is before winter sets in. Choose a good day in the late autumn and give the frame any attention it needs. Look for any wear and tear and treat it immediately. Most good timber frames come with a ten year gaurantee, but don't wait for 10 years before checking.

Wooden greenhouses are slightly more expensive than aluminium and plastic ones, but do offer more to the experienced gardener. Aluminium and plastic greenhouses are a better choice for the beginner before upgrading to a timber greenhouse.

-- Aluminium Greenhouses --

A major advantage of aluminium greenhouses is that they are relatively cheap and maintenance free. They are the best choice of greenhouse if your priority is low maintenance. However, you should be aware of the advantages of other types of greenhouse. For example, with wooden greenhouses it is easy to fix extra shelves and hookes, inside and out. Aluminium is certainly easier to maintain than a wooden greenhouse, but care should be taken to keep all structural components as clean as possible to deter pests and disease.Aluminium greenhouses are certainly the most popular at the moment and part of the attractiveness is the flat pack packaging and (relatively easy) self assembly. This helps keep the cost down and aluminium is the value for money choice of greenhouse.

Before erecting an aluminium greenhouse, there are certain considerations. Firstly you should decide upon the location of the greenhouse. Somewhere easily accessible during bad weather would be good. Observe areas of your garden during sunny days to see which parts get the most sunlight. Some protection from wind would be good, but not at the expense of blocking out light. Also, be aware of any stray footballs from next door !

If you're after a value for money and low maintenance greenhouse then aluminium is a good choice. You may lose some of the aesthetic qualities of a wooden greenhouse, but you do benefit from modern technology and design.

Garry John is a regular contributor to uk home improvement sites such as uk greenhouses and uk conservatories.

More Resources

Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting

More Landscaping/Gardening Information:

Related Articles


5 Secrets to Growing Beautiful Roses
A rose is a rose is a rose - and there are few things in the garden more beautiful. There are 5 secrets I want to share that will help you to grow healthy roses.
Layer Your Plantings
Part three in a seriesIn our last article, we helped you layout your new landscape. In this article we'll explore which plants to put where and what makes an effective landscape.
Furniture Benches Are Perfect For Every Outdoor Space
The task of selecting outdoor furniture for your natural spaces can seem daunting at times. There are just so many options to choose from that many people get confused browsing through the large collections that can be found in catalogues, stores and even online.
Gardening for Birds Part 2
We've had some well needed rain this past week, though it makes it a bit difficult to get chores done outside.We're past the last frost date for my area so now I can get some planting done.
With Outdoor Lighting You Can Enjoy Your Garden Into The Evening Hours
It is a beautiful evening and you are relaxing on your patio, enjoying the cool summer air. The flowers are blooming, the lawn is green and lush, everything is perfect, if only you could see! We spend so much time and money on our backyards, decks and patios, and then the sun goes down and we must abandon these beautiful oases.
Bottle Gardening or Terrarium - Design and Maintenance
Women take pride in home decoration and gardening and want some unique and prized possessions that are not part of the neighboring dwellings. Gardening offers opening as there is no end to creativity, especially in the fields of flower arrangement, bonsai, mini-rock garden etc.
Water Conservation in the Garden - Use a Rain Barrel to Harvest Rainwater
If you are a gardener you probably already do a bit composting to recycle yard and kitchen waste. This homemade "Black Gold" does wonders for your plants and soil.
Rose - The Flower of Love and Romance
What is the flower that everyone visualizes and associates with love or romance? ‘Rose’ is the instant answer by anyone. The rose is placed on a high pedestal by almost all the ancient civilizations which is indicated by the fact that the flower has been associated with numerous myths and legends.
Maintaining Oxygen Levels in Fish and KOI Ponds
Severe environmental stressors are the most frequent causes of sudden fish death in garden ponds or other fish habitats, and the lack of oxygen in the water is the number 1 stressor of all.Two major factors contributing to fish-pond oxygen loss concern blooming algae.
Flower Meanings & History of Flowers
The charming and delicate beauty of flowers has fascinated people of all nations and backgrounds for centuries. Flowers have been bred and cultivated for their decorative beauty as well as their ability to heal diseases.
Patio Design - Expanding Your Home Outdoors
A patio can be just like another room in your house. Effective patio design can mean that your increase the floor space of your home, by adding an outside room that allows you to entertain like never before.
Selling Your House? Mow Your Lawn!
A property that has a well manicured lawn has one of the best chances at showing pride in ownership than any other outdoor technique.For one thing, there is a large upswing in the priority that homeowners place in their outdoor living spaces.
Hummingbirds
Many individuals are fascinated by hummingbirds. So much so, that they will do anything in their power to attract these petite creatures to their yards.
Want to Build a Pond?
A pond, logically, the first question you should ask is WHERE? Do you have a huge yard with a lot of trees and shrubs and flowerbeds? In other words what is the present landscape like? Would you prefer your pond in a sunny spot or in the shade? That may not seem too important, but if you should decide to surround your pond with flowers, it becomes very important. It seems (to me at least) that there are many more varieties of flowers that are sun lovers rather than ones that prefer shade.
Environmentally Safe Ways to Remove Weeds
There is a lot of concern about herbicides and what they are doing to our environment. Large amounts of chemicals leech into our groundwater polluting our water supply.
How to Grow Apples
The first thing you need to grow apples is a long-term commitment. Growing apples takes considerable time and quite a bit of work.
How To Brighten Up Your Home With These Flower Arrangement Ideas
A beautiful flower arrangement piece can become the focal point of the room you choose to decorate. It's truly fascinating how we can combine different flowers to create a mesmerizing bouquet.
Green Thumb Gifts: Beyond Gardening Gloves
Ahh, spring! It has sprung! Gardeners (and budding gardeners - no pun intended) have begun the quest for a weedless lawn, or a bountiful garden. But if you're looking for gifts for someone with a green thumb (or someone with green thumb envy), consider the situation first.
Halfway Through Summer - Are We Having Fun Yet
Today is Thursday the 23rd of June and we're almost halfway through the summer can you believe it. It seem to me that you wait and wait to get past the winter (at least here in the Northeast) then some years a wet soggy spring and finally your rewarded with sunny warm weather.
Feeding the Hummingbirds
Early in May here in west central Wisconsin, I can count on seeing a Ruby Throated Hummingbird hovering in front of my kitchen window, flitting back and forth, as if to say, "there was a hummingbird feeder RIGHT HERE last year. Where is it?"And then I know it is time to put out hummingbird nectar.