It’s said that size is everything but is that true with a greenhouse? Well, yes it is, although that doesn’t necessarily mean that bigger is better. It means that getting the right size for you, your garden and your gardening interests is very important, whether you end up with something [...]
A greenhouse is a great way to grow flowers and other plants all year round. If you are considering buying a greenhouse, you will probably know there are many different options when it comes to deciding what type of greenhouse to buy. Once you have decided on the shape and [...]
Building a lean-to greenhouse may be an excellent solution if you are trying to fit a greenhouse into an awkwardly shaped garden or back yard. The idea is to use a wall, either a garden wall or a free standing wall surrounding the garden, as the back wall of the [...]
There is a huge variety of greenhouses on the market and the right choice depends a great deal on budget and size. But when it comes to the materials, with a few exceptions the choice tends to come down to wood or aluminium for the frame and glass or plastic [...]
The side return is the name for the wide path that runs down the side of the kitchen in many terraced properties built in the first half of the previous century and the latter half of the nineteenth century. They were particularly predominant in semi-detached or terraced homes built during [...]
Erecting a lean-to shed can be a great use of space, particularly if you have a narrow passageway or side return in your garden. You can either make it from scratch or adapt a self-assembly shed, effectively splitting it in half. There are also some garden shed suppliers who produce [...]
First time greenhouse owners might be a little confused by the need to heat a greenhouse. After all, isn’t the main point that they make use of the sun's rays to heat up the inside, to grow plants earlier in the season? Importance of Heating and Cooling That's true, but [...]
If you don't have the room for a full-size wood or aluminium framed greenhouse you can still get the benefits on a smaller scale by putting up any one of a number of small glass or plastic glazed constructions. It doesn't just have to be because of space. You might [...]
So you've decided whether to have a wood framed or aluminium greenhouse, you've chosen between glass or plastic for the glazing, you've picked the site, laid the foundation and erected the greenhouse. Job done, right? Well, not exactly. Depending on exactly which plants you are going to grow you will [...]
As we pointed out in our article on the selection and erection of wooden greenhouses, many of the issues are the same regardless of the choice of material. The factors surrounding the location, size, price and shape of any greenhouse are largely the same whether it is made from wood [...]
There's no doubting that a wooden greenhouse looks better and more traditional than an aluminium framed one. It's also intrinsically warmer so it's more pleasant to be in. But what sort of wooden greenhouse do you want in your garden and what's involved in erecting one? There are a variety [...]
It might be because of the uncertain summer weather in the United Kingdom that we are more likely to try things that will allow us to enjoy the garden, even if the heavens open. But it's not just rain we have to cope with, there's wind and sometimes even hail [...]
A pergola can be a stunning addition to any garden and it a very versatile one too. This article will cover pergolas and other similar garden landscaping structures that are used to make walkways or divide sections of gardens from each other. Landscaping History Pergolas developed from natural occurring green [...]
If you want to build a garden building that will be warm, dry and stand the test of time, blocks and bricks are your best bet. You may not need planning permission either, or building regulations approval, so that makes the project a lot easier than ‘proper’ building, like an [...]
Choosing garage doors used to be simple. It was a case of either traditional wooden double doors that swing open or, more common these days, a one piece up-and-over door. And the material choice was simple too, traditional swinging double doors would be wood and the newer up-and-over doors were [...]
A polytunnel is, quite simply, a bigger version of a cloche. Whereas a cloche is normally used to protect a small number of plants or an individual plant, a polytunnel covers a much larger area of your garden. In construction terms is a row of hoops with a plastic cover [...]
Electric gates are becoming increasingly popular, mostly for security reasons, but also for convenience. If you already have gates at the end of your drive then you can fit an electric gate opener. If you have the DIY skills it is possible to buy an electric gate opener kit and [...]
Electric door openers are becoming cheaper and more easily available although the up-and-over door is far more popular and easier to convert. This doesn't mean that traditional garage double doors can't be electrified, it just means that there are fewer options on the market, making them more expensive, and they [...]
When you're planning a garden building you're likely to be looking to put windows in it, but what type of windows? Basically your choice is between plastic or glass. For the purposes of this article we're going to ignore greenhouses, this is more about wooden garden buildings. Glass vs Plastic [...]
Electric garage doors are getting more popular as they come down in price and more models reach the market. Once the preserve of the rich and famous, they are now within reach of the majority of households with garages. People can now take advantage of the convenience and security that [...]
Getting mains electricity to any garden building can be a real pain. Using solar power means that you can cut down on all the hassle of running cables through the garden and tapping into the domestic power supply. But are the available solar powered products good enough? Running Electrical Cables [...]
As more and more people in the United Kingdom warm to the idea of using their garden as an extension of their house, hot tubs and whirlpool baths are getting more popular. In this article we'll focus on what you need to do in order to prepare your garden for [...]
Installing a Jacuzzi or other whirlpool spa pool in a garden isn't particularly difficult and in many cases the supplier of the pool will install it for you. But there may still be some groundworks necessary to provide a flat platform and access to the necessary utilities. Whirlpool Baths and [...]
Gardens are getting smaller these days and many homes don’t have the space for a large shed, garage or garden studio. Modern houses tend to be built with the premise in mind that people don’t have the time for lots of gardening. No Space For Garden Buildings Many older properties [...]
With the current growth in sales of wood burning stoves and boilers a wood store could be a very handy asset for a garden. The interest comes from two areas, cost and environmental. Ecological and Financial Drivers With gas and electricity prices soaring in recent years, a wood burning stove [...]
Putting a studio in a garden is an excellent idea if you have a hobby or even a craft-based business that needs to be in a separate room. For crafts that can be messy or smelly, like painting, pottery or dyeing clothes, a studio in the garden can not only [...]
It's getting more and more popular these days to have chickens in a garden or back yard and you can't really keep them without some sort of poultry house to keep them safe and warm over night. But they aren't the only poultry that are suitable in this context, ducks [...]
Sheds and other garden buildings for storage can be simple structures but if you're going to start keeping animals then you need to build shelters that can keep them warm and safe. We're not really talking about hutches for rodents but more the sort of animals that you might keep [...]
Your family car will definitely benefit from being parked within a sheltered area, particularly during the harsher winter months. Wind, rain and strong sunshine can all contribute to the decaying and wearing of your car’s engine, seals and bodywork. Therefore having a sheltered area for parking up is one sure-fired [...]
The idea of a home office can be very attractive. Working from home can slash the cost of petrol and transform your arduous commute into a short shuffle down the hall. Between the development of technology and continuing globalisation, there's actually very little reason to travel to a centralised office [...]
Until recently, the use of steel for framing was limited to commercial or industrial construction. However, steel framed buildings are becoming more popular and more widespread throughout the UK, including the residential sector. Garden buildings are no exception to this trend. Several garden buildings can now be purchased with steel [...]
Have you considered a pre-fabricated structure for your next garden building? There is growing interest in pre-fabricated structures in the UK. Although this construction method can be used for practically any type of building, it is seeing greatest use in smaller structures like garden buildings. Large portions of a building [...]
For the gardening aficionado, a potting shed is more of a necessity than a luxury. Potting sheds are used as an additional workspace, their function being more definitive than your average shed. Whilst the more compact potting sheds are used as a place to store all things gardening related such [...]
Building a home annexe is one way to create more space within the boundaries of your property. It’s also a great way to maintain a degree of separation or privacy for the annexe building’s occupants, whilst retaining a strong link to the main heart of the family home. For this [...]
The humble shed is perhaps one of the most versatile of all garden buildings. You’d be hard pushed to find a British garden that isn’t also playing host to a shed. When you consider the popularity of sheds, it’s not then surprising to learn that for the average shed-buying consumer, [...]
The log cabin is a fantastic addition to any garden and home. Log cabins can be converted into a fully functioning and versatile living space to suit you and your family’s needs. Desperate for more room for the kids? A log cabin can provide you with the extra breathing space. [...]
The Finnish people definitely got it right when they invented outdoor sauna rooms! A sauna is perfect for cleansing, relaxing and calming both body and mind. And what better retreat from the average fast-paced, stressful and hectic modern lifestyle, than a home sauna in your garden? How Does An Outdoor [...]
It is an unfortunate fact that British weather is just not ideal for year long enjoyment of an outdoor swimming pool. Even if the pool is heated, you won’t be able to get out at certain times of the year without enduring icy, sub-zero temperatures! Continuously erecting a gazebo during [...]
