GLASS HOUSE GARDENING

Make the most of your greenhouse to nurture fruit, veg and exotic blooms throughout the year

- RACHEL CROW

When organising your greenhouse, think about how you use floor space and under shelves and benches, which can provide useful storage

A greenhouse is a wonderful addition to any garden or growing space. They can be as beautiful to look at as they are useful in helping you grow salads, vegetables, fruit and tender flowers all year round.

'If you have a large greenhouse, you can group plants that thrive in the same temperature and humidity. For many gardeners, though, the greenhouse is used for germinating and propagating, then growing on plants to move outside into flower borders or vegetable gardens, explains Chris Sawyer, strategic director at greenhouse manufacturer Alitex (alitex.co.uk).

Include a mix of bench and shelving heights for storage and growing

GET A HEAD START

Canny lovers of homegrown crops will plan a rotation of crops so they have a constant supply of fresh duce for the kitchen table. 'But whatever your gardening preferences, your greenhouse will broaden the scope of what you can grow, as well as when you can grow it. Seasons become a little less relevant as you are able to provide full frost protection, and at the start of the growing year you can steal a march on nature,' says Tom Barry, CEO of glasshouse manufacturer Hartley Botanic (hartley-botanic.co.uk).

Organisation is key when it comes to planning how you will arrange your greenhouse and what you will grow in it.

You can achieve some impressive results with delicate soft fruit in a greenhouse among other veg and herbs

ZONE AREAS

'Create zones when planning the layout of your greenhouse, and allocate separate areas for propagation, potting on, growing and storage, not overlooking floor space. You need to consider how much space plants need and their temperature requirements, explains Chris.