Greenhouses

Wooden Greenhouses

Wood has incredible insulation properties. A wooden greenhouse structure provides natural insulation, absorbing the rays during the day while containing the heat at night — making it an environmentally controlled greenhouse. This is particularly useful in keeping a greenhouse warm throughout the course of the winter.

Furthermore, using wooden frames sticks to a more traditional garden design. And, as it is a natural material, it can easily blend into the rest of your garden as well as adding a rustic look to any garden setting.

Aluminium Greenhouses

An aluminium greenhouse with a silver aluminium frame provides a solid greenhouse base which is much more load-bearing than a standard or wooden greenhouse. Furthermore, it is light and easy to handle and manoeuvre — making it a convenient portable greenhouse for your garden.

An aluminium greenhouse is guaranteed to last a long period of time whilst being nearly maintenance-free thanks to the silver aluminium features.

Polycarbonate Greenhouses

For a cheaper option, a plastic greenhouse can be your best bet. Polycarbonate is the most durable of all greenhouse plastic. This option comes as an alternative to horticultural glass greenhouses or greenhouses with toughened glass; having no glass on the structure removes the chance of any shattering and potential hazardous damage from hailstones or even the kids' footballs.

Not only do you get plastic which is thicker than horticultural glass, but you will also get more efficient light diffusion as compared to standard or toughened glass. And as for all the growing plants, they will be able to receive equal light. Not to mention that polycarbonate is a natural ultraviolet filter; your growing plants will have protection against radiation exposure and retain more heat than they would in a glass greenhouse—no greenhouse heaters needed throughout the growing season.

Ask Us Anything!

If you have any questions about our greenhouses, we’re more than willing to be your greenhouse growing guide. Ask us for advice on everything from delivery to construction to greenhouse maintenance.

We have a reputation for being the top manufacturer and supplier of greenhouses online in the UK. Contact a customer representative to buy direct, or take a look at our customer testimonials to see how we’ve satisfied others in the past.

We will continue to maintain our position as a leading hobby gardener and supplier of UK greenhouses so you can get the supplies you need from our website, hassle-free and with the greatest level of satisfaction.

Our free and fast delivery will have you growing in your garden in no time!

Greenhouses FAQ

What does a greenhouse do?

A greenhouse is a structure which creates the best possible growing environment for plants, all year round. The transparent walls and roof of a greenhouse means that they stay warm inside, even during the winter.

Throughout the day, greenhouses receive direct sunlight, allowing the air inside to remain hot, which in turn keeps plants, fruits and vegetables at a suitable growing temperature.

Are greenhouses good for growing vegetables?

Vegetables are ideally suited to be grown and cultivated within a greenhouse. Though vegetables will likely be able to reach their maximum growing potential in a large, heated greenhouse, a small and unheated structure can still allow gardeners to extend the growing season beyond what it would be in the often vicious outdoors.

The types of vegetables which are to be grown in your greenhouse will ultimately dictate what time of year is best to begin the growing process.

Can I grow anything in a greenhouse?

You can grow just about anything you desire within the toasty walls of a greenhouse. The clearest benefit of a greenhouse is that it enables you to grow vegetables, flowers, herbs and so on, at a time of year and during periods of cold weather, when they couldn’t otherwise be grown outdoors.

Simply being able to regulate and maintain a warm temperature opens up numerous growing possibilities which would otherwise not be an option in large swathes of the world. For example, the notoriously spicy Carolina Reaper chili pepper will rapidly decline when exposed to temperatures below 16 Celsius.

Though, it is important to bear in mind that the cost of warm-weather crops during the winter will naturally be higher. So, be sure to consider these additional costs before deciding on what you intend to grow in your greenhouse.

How long does a greenhouse last?

This is largely dependent on what type of greenhouse you have/intend to purchase. The polycarbonate glazing on our greenhouses allows them to last for an extended period of time, thanks to being stronger and more durable than glass.

A greenhouse which is well looked after and not exposed to exceptionally horrendous weather conditions all year round can be expected to last for a number of years.

Can a greenhouse be used all year round?

Assuming your greenhouse is of a high quality - such as the ones sold here at Garden Buildings Direct - then you’ll be able to use it effectively for the vast majority of the calendar year, with the only anomaly being in periods of exceptionally cold weather. Heated greenhouses negate this, allowing for year-round use, but often aren’t cost effective.

How do you heat a greenhouse?

There are numerous additional means of heating a greenhouse during particularly frosty periods of the year.

• Bubble Wrap - Horticultural bubble wrap can withstand UV light, so can provide warmth to plants whilst minimising light loss. Simply peg this down as necessary around your plants. Horticultural fleeces will also work in the same way.
• Greenhouse Heating System - Electric heating is your safest option in this regard, with another choice being a fan heater. If your greenhouse isn’t equipped with mains power, then propane and paraffin heaters represent suitable options.

What’s the best greenhouse to buy?

Garden Buildings Direct offers greenhouses in two distinct materials - metal and wood - with each being equipped with polycarbonate glazing.

Metal designs are a cheaper option, with far less maintenance required and can be easily coated in a range of colours to best suit your garden aesthetic. Meanwhile, wooden greenhouses offer a more conventional and attractive look which is better suited to matching the majority of gardens. They’re generally more expensive but can maintain a constant temperature more effectively.

Is it worth buying a greenhouse?

Honestly, if this is a question you’re even contemplating in the first place then the answer is almost certainly yes!

Greenhouses are relatively inexpensive yet provide an environment where plants, fruit and vegetables alike can be successfully grown all year round, irrespective of temperature and weather conditions.