Petalroam
How to Choose

Choosing a Greenhouse: Size, Material, and Position

Go a size bigger than you think. Here is how to compare frames, glazing, and features.

Words by Clara Ashdown · Sep 13, 2026 · 6 minutes

A greenhouse extends the growing season, lets you raise tender crops, and gives you somewhere to garden in bad weather.

Most gardeners say they wish they had bought a bigger one.

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Frame materials

  • ✿Aluminium — light, low maintenance, widely available
  • ✿Timber — attractive and warmer, but needs treatment
  • ✿Steel — strong but heavier and needs rust protection

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Glazing

Horticultural glass is cheap but breaks easily. Toughened glass is safer, especially around children. Polycarbonate is lighter, insulates better, and is shatterproof, but can scratch and discolour over time.

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Position

Choose a sunny, sheltered spot on level ground, ideally with the ridge running east–west to maximise winter light. Keep it away from overhanging trees, and close to a water supply.

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Features worth paying for

  • ✿Automatic roof vent openers
  • ✿Wide doors for wheelbarrows
  • ✿Sturdy base and anchoring
  • ✿Space for staging and shelving

This is general landscaping and garden information, not professional advice. Costs, regulations, and plant suitability vary by location. Call before you dig to locate buried utilities, and consult a licensed landscaper or engineer for retaining walls, drainage, and structural work.

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Landscaping costs and plant suitability vary by region — get local quotes and check hardiness zones before you buy.

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