ASH

Thanks Phil - that's part of the planning. There is the possibility of attaching it to the house, but its an awkward shape and would entail moving the entrance or having the entrance via the greenhouse! Id love that, but most visitors and postmen would think it odd , so free standing may be easier, but as you suggest more expensive to heat. Thanks again.

Thank you!

That's really useful information, thank you. I cant wait to move into the property and start planning! Thankfully the site is level. Good point about power cuts too, where I live currently they happen about once a month. I like the idea of the polystyrene concrete base. Did you need planning permission for the greenhouse? Andy

Dear all, I guess many of you have experience over the years of the best method to grow certain species. I have an opportunity to start from scratch and in an ideal world would build an attractive greenhouse/conservatory that has drainage and heating to suit tropical plants especially carnivorous species (+ tropical cacti), as well as a cooler frost free section and more standard coldframe/cold house attached for other species such as saracenias. For those of you that know Winterbourne I am thinking along the lines of a smaller version of their tropical house/their cacti house and CPS display. I can work on the design but my key question is what heating system would you recommend for the main tropical section or frost free section? I am envisaging a brick base glazed structure. Would like to keep heating bills down. If anyone can recommend and greenhouse suppliers, have designs that they have used and like, Id be grateful for that information too. Andy