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When building a greenhouse you have to make a few decision on the Greenhouse Layout. Most of us just think of a greenhouse as a free-standing oblong building with glazed walls and roof but there is a bit more to it than just that. There are a few more things to think about which will help you decide which is the best  overall shape and style for your greenhouse.

When you decide to build a greenhouse in your garden you will need to choose a greenhouse layout. You will also have to consider where the best location for a greenhouse would be. A greenhouse is not like a shed or workshop. You cannot just put it in a spare corner, somewhere out of the way. A greenhouse needs sunlight so unless you are in a very bright and sunny location you will not want it to be in an area that is in shade most of the day.

Ideally your greenhouse will be able to get plenty of light in the morning and in the evening as well. This works best for most types of plants and helps to extend the growing season in winter when the extra light and warmth encourages the your plants and vegetables to grow.

If you plan on growing tropical plants you will want to be sure they get as much sunlight as they can whereas some other plants that are naturally found in shaded areas will prefer a little more shade so they don’t get too hot and dry out.  If you are unsure of what you will want to grow in your greenhouse then a fairly sunny location is probably best.

Time now to begin to plan the greenhouse layout and we have a few different options here. The most common types of greenhouse are either a lean-to, a fully detached or ridge and furrow glasshouse.

The lean-to is a design that fits to the side of your house or some other building so one side of the lean-to greenhouse is the wall of the building it is attached to. There are several advantages to a lean-to greenhouse. You should have simple and convenient access to electricity, a water supply and some additional storage space.

One of the main disadvantages of the lean-to greenhouse is that you are limited as to where you can construct it because you have to have a wal to build it up against. This may mean that the greenhouse is not in the best position to catch the light and the sunshine but it does save space and can be an economical and convenient alternative to a fully detached greenhouse.

The detached greenhouse is what most of us think of when we imagine a greenhouse. It is like a small shed but with glass walls and roof. It is a simple and classic image of what a greenhouse should be. Being fully detatched you can place it anywhere in your garden and take advantage of any particularly sunny spots to get the best light but you may not want it in the middle of your beautiful lawn so you may need to make a few small compromises when choosing the location to site your greenhouse.

Advantages with a detached greenhouse are that you get light on all sides so you can make the best use of the space inside to grow all your plants and vegetables. Disadvantages are that being self contained and away from the house and other buildings may mean it is difficult to run electricity to your greenhouse and water may have to be carried in buckets and cans.

The ridge and furrow style means the greenhouse will be attached at the eaves. It may be attached to another section of greenhouse or it could be attached to a building much like the lean-to greenhouses. This layout offers advantages by providing more space for growing than a typical lean-to but it can also be linked to an addition ridge and furrow greenhouse to make a greenhouse that is double the size.This type of greenhouse is sometimes offered with a gabled or domed roof and this may depend on what kind of material it is made out of. Typically the glass greenhouses are gabled but plastic ones are are likely to be domed.

In theory you could have a greenhouse constructed in almost any shape but practicality usually takes preference and a simple rectangular shaped, pitched roof greenhouse can provide the maximum space and it is relatively cheap to construct.

Domed greenhouses are really good to look at and do provide a lot of interior space and they are particularly good for surviving a lot of rain or snow.

A-frame style greenhouses do look pretty good but you lose a lot of space because of the shape. I have seen a few Gothic style greenhouses but just like the A-frame designs, the gothic style wastes a lot of interior space but it does of course add a stylish look to your garden so you have to decide if space is at a premium or you would rather have more style than practicality in your greenhouse.

If you are certain of what you want then go ahead and enjoy the benefits of your greenhouse right away. On the other hand, if you are not sure which style and layout of greenhouse is most suitable for you and your garden then take a little time to study various images and photographs of the different types of greenhouse and think how well they would fit in your garden. A good quality greenhouse could last for twenty years or more so you want it to be the right one for your garden.

Remember that some plants need more space than others and knowing the types of plants and vegetables you will be wanting to grow will help you come to a decision on the type of greenhouse you build. In general, tall plants will want taller sides on the greenhouse whereas shorter plants can grow on racks or shelves if you have the space or under a low roof in the ground or in pots or growing bags of compost.

There are loads of books available on greenhouse design which show some of the more usual and unusual designs of greenhouse available so if you are not yet sure grab a book and a cup of coffee and take some time to think about the right greenhouse layout for you and your garden.