Friday, January 28, 2011

What to Consider When Building Your Victorian Greenhouse

By Judy Stevens


Of all of the varied styles of greenhouses, the Victorian Greenhouse seems to be one of the most sought after designs in greenhouse construction.

The term Victorian Greenhouse comes from the Victorian Style of architecture. This developed during the reign of Queen Victoria and lasted from 1807 through 1901. This was a long period of prosperity for the British people and the industrial growth was high. It also allowed the middle class to develop and was a period of positive influence.

Gothic Revival Architecture was leading the style during this era until classical architecture reviled its roots. In 1851 when the first World's Fair was introduced no one had ever seen anything like what was coined, "The Crystal Palace".

This was a 990,000 square foot glass and iron structure where all of the exhibitors, all 14,000 of them were housed in order to reveal some of the greatest innovations of its era. This is where the first Victorian Greenhouse first was prototyped.

Greenhouse construction include many shapes, styles and designs. These would be Quonset, Tri-Penta, dome, Gothic arch, slant-side, A-frame, gable roof, straight side, curved side and slant sided lean-to greenhouses. Among the positive styles of these would also include the Victorian Greenhouse. It has straight sides but also curved eaves and vents allowing for better air flow. It is also one of the most beautiful styles and is an asset to any backyard or span of land.

Functionality are important in greenhouse construction as is beauty and aesthetics. Some styles allow for a flexible surface such as polycarbonate. This is the Dome, Gothic, Victorian and Quonset, lean-tos and teh Tri-Penta. The A-Frame, gable roof, slant or straight sided lean-to greenhouses work better with construction.

The air flow and heating and cooling are a big factor in designing a greenhouse. The Victorian and Quonset are easier to heat and cool as opposed to the dome or A-Frame. The indoor space, floor space, wall space and roof space are also to be considered. The A-Frame is awkward due to the shape. The Victorian in its size and shape are efficient and allow lots of room to grow and also walk around.

The Victorian Greenhouse is a perfect shape for greenhouse construction. It is workable, efficient, stylish and is popular in the Northern and the Southern climates. The structure (when custom built) will last for many years down the road. There is no better greenhouse than a Victorian Greenhouse.




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