Are greenhouses worth it? 5 of the best benefits for your most productive garden yet

Greenhouses top the wishlists of gardeners everywhere — they're the ultimate staple in a grower's garden, providing stable conditions for healthy plants. But are greenhouses worth it?

There are plenty of greenhouse ideas to choose from, from walk-in glasshouses to smaller lean-tos, but before you choose a greenhouse, you'll need to consider whether it's worth the investment. When we asked our panel of trusted garden experts, they certainly thought so.

'Buying a greenhouse is an investment, but for keen gardeners, it’s a game-changer,' says Annelise Brilli, horticultural copywriter at Thompson & Morgan. 'Even an unheated greenhouse massively extends the growing season — meaning more flowers, fruit and vegetables filling up your garden over a much longer period.'

So, are greenhouses worth it? If you're an eager green thumb looking to get the most out of every year in the garden, we think so. We've rounded up the best benefits, and a few caveats, to help you decide if a greenhouse is right for you.

Annelise Brilli

Annelise Brilli is the horticultural copywriter for Thompson & Morgan. Annelise caught the gardening bug from her mother, whose tiny backyard was crammed with a huge collection of plants. She is passionate about sustainable gardening and has developed her own wildlife-friendly garden which she has opened as part of Macmillan Coastal Garden Trail.

Benefits of a greenhouse

1. It extends the growing season

One of the biggest benefits of a greenhouse? It protects plants from the elements and creates a microclimate that's separate from the outside world. Not only does this provide plants with ideal growing conditions, but it also affords you more time to garden.

If you’re researching what to sow in January, for example, you’ll often find that fruit, vegetable and flower seeds can be planted undercover during the winter months — and a greenhouse is the ideal place to do this.

‘Greenhouses allow you to control the environment, including critical factors such as temperature, moisture, and light, which extends the growing season, allowing you to start planting earlier in the year and continue growing later into the season,’ explains Mairi Devlin, head of gardening at B&Q.

You can raise the temperature inside a greenhouse by investing in a greenhouse heater like this one from B&Q.

2. Stronger and healthier plants

Growing conditions inside a greenhouse don't just afford you extra gardening time — they also foster the perfect environment for your plants to grow healthy and strong.

For flowers, this means better blooming potential, and for fruits and vegetables, a healthy plant means extra harvests.

'Raising seedlings inside the house on windowsills often results in weak, etiolated specimens, whilst a greenhouse provides a bright, warm but well-ventilated environment resulting in much stronger and healthier plants,' explains Annelise. 'Similarly, rooting cuttings in the greenhouse will be more successful.'

3. Wider variety of plants

If you’ve exhausted your wishlist of plants to grow or simply fancy trying something a little more unique, greenhouses provide the ideal conditions to experiment with unusual varieties.

‘A greenhouse enables you to grow a wider variety of plants, including exotic species that require a warm, stable climate,’ says Mairi. ‘This opens up exciting possibilities for adding unique and unusual plants to your home or garden.’

Melons, cucamelons and flowering plants like bougainvillaea are brilliant options, especially if you're after Mediterranean garden ideas.

4. Overwintering space

One of the most common overwintering mistakes is failing to keep your tender or half-hardy plants sheltered over the winter months. If your shed and garage are full and you’re struggling to find the right overwintering spot, a greenhouse is ideal.

‘With the addition of some simple bubble insulation, you can overwinter tender plants in the greenhouse and they will come into growth much earlier and be far more advanced when you move them outside after all danger of frost has passed,’ says Annelise.

Whether you’re learning how to overwinter fuchsias for the first time, overwintering geraniums, or any tender plants between, a greenhouse can provide the ultimate safe haven.

5. The perfect sanctuary for gardeners

So, are greenhouses worth it? For your plants and yearly gardening potential, absolutely — but they’re also a fantastic sanctuary for you.

‘A greenhouse is also a pleasure to work in, providing a space for all your propagation equipment and somewhere warm and dry to work when the weather is miserable,’ says Annelise.

Gone are the days of rain wiping out your gardening plans — walk-in greenhouses grant you the ability to spend time in the garden whatever the weather. They’re also the perfect place to set up a potting bench and sow seeds when it’s wet outside.

Are there any disadvantages?

There are plenty of benefits when it comes to owning a greenhouse, but as with all good things, there are a few caveats to consider, too.

The main pitfall of greenhouses is, of course, the cost. Walk-in greenhouses with polycarbonate (tough plastic) panes start from around £200, but for traditional glass greenhouses, you could be looking at hundreds of pounds more.

Plus, if you have a small garden, it can be tricky to allocate space for a greenhouse.

That said, it all depends on the size and style. Plenty of options exist beyond the traditional glass greenhouse, with lean-tos, mini greenhouses and even cheaper versions with zip-up plastic covers available to buy. They’re much more affordable than a glasshouse, and the variety of shapes and styles mean there’s a perfect match for every garden.

Where to buy a greenhouse

Convinced? We've picked out a few greenhouses you can buy now.

FAQs

Where should you not put a greenhouse?

Ideally, you'll want to put your greenhouse somewhere it receives plenty of sunshine throughout the day, so avoid shady spots like under trees or tall buildings. Greenhouses sat beneath trees are also the target of sap and bird droppings, which can add extra faff to your greenhouse cleaning regime.

Are greenhouses worth it? For extra gardening time, flowers and harvests, and a garden sanctuary, absolutely — you'll just need to consider whether the cost is worth the investment for your own gardening needs.