Winter garden: five best solutions from FORUMHOUSE participants

Types of winter gardens and their characteristics

Warm summer days don't last that long, giving way to regular long cold days.

But sometimes you really want to take and extend this warm period for at least some time, so that you can once again breathe in the aroma of your favorite flowers, admire the green leaves and amazing colors of summer nature.

A winter garden made with your own hands is an evergreen corner, thanks to which you can continue to admire all your favorite greenery at any time of the year.

Decorative greenery can be placed both in a country house and in a small city apartment.

For this, the most important thing is to choose a suitable location. Although if we are talking about a private house, then this suitable place can be created specially.

Winter gardens are divided according to their location and functionality.

1. Buffer garden. This is an extension, which is part of a private house and is a glazed veranda.

2. Residential winter garden in a private house. It can be a specially designated corner or a personally constructed building (annex). The garden can be fully or partially glazed. This room can accommodate a living room, dining room, and recreation area, and in each of these environments coziness and comfort will be provided.

An artificial microclimate is created in the room, thanks to which a certain temperature is always maintained inside and it becomes possible to grow various flowers and fruit trees at any time of the year and regardless of the weather.

3. Greenhouse winter garden in the house. This is a non-residential building equipped with an artificial climate. In such a room it is very convenient to cultivate plants brought from different parts of the world. Greenhouses located over large areas make it possible to create entire multifunctional front gardens with alleys, ponds, recreation areas and flower beds.

Thanks to such multifunctional placement, you can not only create a unique winter garden, but also get a wonderful place for rest and relaxation.

DIY winter garden construction

A professionally equipped comfort and relaxation area, among the impeccable forms of indoor landscaping, will allow you not to part with the summer even when everything around is covered with snow. You can choose a rational project and build a winter garden with your own hands, but in any case this will require certain money and time costs from the owners of apartments and country houses. Using expert advice and observing the required conditions, you can really save significant costs.

Which side should the winter garden be placed on?

• East. The best choice, since a translucent structure oriented to the east will not overheat;
• West. The advantage of this orientation is the ability to retain the heat accumulated during the day for a long time. However, in the summer, this advantage is very doubtful;
• South. This side of the house is the least suitable for arranging a winter garden. Because the plants will overheat, and this will increase the cost of ventilation and watering. Although, on the other hand, in the winter season, the garden located on the south side will remain warm for a long time;
• North. Such gardens do not accumulate heat well and release it quickly. If the choice fell on this side of the world, you should take care of good heating of the winter garden.

Winter garden, greenhouse and greenhouse - similarities and differences

Any owner of a country house dreams that summer will not end, and that his garden will look blooming and well-groomed all year round. When the days get shorter and the nights get colder, you can continue the pleasant dacha chores if you take care of organizing a winter garden.

The green pavilion will become a reliable refuge for plants and a cozy resting place for the family for the long autumn-winter period.

Winter gardens in the modern sense appeared and entered the pier in country estates in England and France in the middle of the 19th century - when, thanks to technological progress, modern heating and frame structures began to spread widely.

Gradually, buildings began to be divided according to the method of use, and today they are usually divided into three not entirely clear categories:

Greenhouse.

A room that can either be adjacent to the house or stand alone (and sometimes be located on the roof). The greenhouse, in most cases, focuses on growing exotic and local flowers, vegetables and fruits.

An artificial ecosystem with specific conditions suitable for plants is created inside the greenhouse.

Greenhouse.

A simplified version of a greenhouse. Most often, seedlings and vegetables are grown in a greenhouse, although there are also greenhouses with magnificent collections of orchids or alpine ornamental grasses. This also takes into account the needs of plants, not humans; Externally, the greenhouse looks like a utilitarian building, without a hint of decoration, inexpensive to manufacture and located away from the house.

Winter Garden.

Although such a room is created to keep exotic and heat-loving plants, priority in its construction is given to the convenience of people. A winter garden is often (but not always) attached to the house, has an elegant appearance and is used for family relaxation, and often for receiving guests.

A well-designed and properly equipped winter garden is not the cheapest pleasure.

Winter garden structures - types, types and projects

Regardless of the location of the garden, the structural system must be translucent, illuminated, ethereal, beautiful, as well as sufficiently reliable and resistant to all kinds of atmospheric (overheating and cooling) and mechanical phenomena.

The design of the winter garden can be:

• adjacent to the house;
• free-standing.

One option or another will make adjustments to the arrangement of various supporting systems.

The diagram shows ways to constructively implement the shape of a winter garden

Rectangular extension to the houseRectangular translucent structure in the form of a winter garden extension to the house. A universal option and the most common form of frame with a pitched roof.

Extension to the external corner of the house. A winter garden attached to the corner from the outside of the house. Design with a combined roof - four-beam and gable. A winter garden is attached to the inner corner of the house, the so-called “quarter polygon”. Extension from the inside. Extension of a winter garden from the inside of the corner. Extension with an extended roof sectionRectangular structure with a pitched roof and an extended roof section

Configuration of the winter garden frame, drawings are shown in the figure

Scheme - types of winter garden frames

Design features

The winter garden is sometimes located separately from the house, but most often forms one whole with it; in the latter case, the premises make significant adjustments to the design and construction of the house. It is convenient to divide buildings into the following groups:

Buffer room (extension)

The buffer winter garden is organized as a structure adjacent to the house, most often rectangular or corner, although there are other options - square, triangular, semi-oval. Such a room serves as a link between housing and the street; This is the most common arrangement option.

You can also enter it from two sides and use it not only as a relaxation area, but also as an entrance hall, helping to keep the house warm.

A specially erected building, a glazed veranda or terrace can act as a buffer winter garden if it is insulated and connected to home utility systems.

Winter gardens attached to a house are set up relatively easily and quickly, since there is a ready-made wall, and it is not difficult to supply water and electricity from the housing, and arrange heating.

Thanks to its relatively small dimensions, maintaining such a relaxation corner is not difficult. The downside is considered to be insufficient lighting and poor ventilation; Temperature fluctuations will prevent some plants from growing.

Part of a residential building

Placing winter lard in the house can be done in two ways:

1. Conceived at the design stage (optimal option). Such foresight makes it possible to equip a room with large windows and a translucent roof at minimal cost; It will be comfortable for both the owners and the plants.
2. Located in a finished living space. Even if a corner or spacious external room is allocated for it, adjustments may be required (increasing window openings).

Separate building

This option is practical for large areas; modern technologies will allow you to realize your fantasy. An elegant transparent building will ennoble the landscape and fit perfectly into any style; A round winter garden will look especially good.

A sunny place is chosen for construction, the building is reliably insulated, light and water are provided.

To create a comfortable living environment for plants poorly adapted to the local climate, the room is additionally equipped with special phytolamps. The disadvantage of this design is the cost of its arrangement. The budget will include the supply of communications, the arrangement of the foundation, and in the future - the costs of heating, watering and lighting.

It is convenient to connect the house and the winter garden with a path, the arrangement of which will also require investment.

Features of creating a greenhouse

It is obvious that for the successful cultivation of plants it is necessary to create and maintain certain conditions. If the different crops in the greenhouse are not comfortable, then the entire operation of building, decorating and maintaining an indoor green garden will fail. In order for the creation of a winter garden to be effective, at least two basic conditions must be met:

• the greenhouse room must have a high level of natural light (which is why most often these buildings are made almost entirely of glass);
• for a certain type of plant, special conditions are created and maintained - the required level of temperature and air humidity, timely watering and fertilizing of green spaces is carried out.

There are three options for creating a greenhouse in a private household:

• the greenhouse is designed at the construction stage and is an integral part of the structure;
• the winter garden is attached to the main building after the completion of construction work (it is possible that a lot of time has passed since the construction of the house);
• A greenhouse is a separate building with its own heating, lighting, ventilation and humidity systems.

Of course, the optimal way (in terms of cost and effort) is to create a greenhouse when designing a house. In such a situation, the winter garden and the foundation for it are laid initially, all communications are carried out together with the main building. But this method of constructing a cool garden is rarely used, due to the fact that the owners at the construction stage either do not yet plan to grow plants all year round, or this project does not fit into the overall financial estimate.

Most often, when building a greenhouse, owners take the second path - attaching a glass structure to the finished building. This method is relatively economical: the wall of the house acts as one of the walls of the winter garden. But you won’t be able to save money on laying the foundation. Glass structures (even the most modest sizes) are only seemingly airy and weightless - glass is a heavy material and the foundation or base must be “sunk” deep enough. The size and depth of the foundation will depend on the height of the greenhouse, because many grow not only low-growing plants, but also dwarf trees in their indoor garden.

The least commonly used method is to construct a separate building in which plants will be grown and a place for rest and relaxation will be arranged. The unpopularity of this method is explained by the high cost, the need to use the free space of the yard or land, and also to “pull” all communication systems some distance from the main building.

Ways to design a winter garden

The choice of plants for a greenhouse is an individual decision for each owner. But in the ways of organizing recreation areas you can find interesting ideas from famous designers. So, what can be organized within a greenhouse with plants? The first and most logical decision that comes to all future and actual owners of a winter garden is arranging a living room. Relaxing, receiving guests and just family gatherings surrounded by lush green plants is a pleasure not available to every city dweller. This makes the time spent in such a relaxing atmosphere more valuable.

Garden furniture, namely wickerwork, looks most organic in the interior of a greenhouse. Armchairs and sofas, coffee tables and stands made of wicker or rattan fit incredibly harmoniously into an atmosphere close to nature, creating a cozy and comfortable environment. In order to increase the level of comfort in the relaxation area of ​​the greenhouse, it is enough to equip wicker furniture with soft seats and decorative pillows.

In a spacious greenhouse, you don’t have to stop at installing upholstered furniture and a coffee table to create a relaxation area. Fountains and small waterfalls (imitation of water falling from a certain height) are appropriate in a room literally filled with green spaces. Built-in lamps and strip lighting for plants and a fountain will add originality to the exquisite setting.

The second, no less popular way to decorate a greenhouse is to arrange a dining room. Any meal surrounded by lush greenery becomes more enjoyable and tastier. It is enough to find a place for a small dining table and chairs. Depending on the size and shape of the room, you can use a round or oval (the most organic option for arranging a dining area), square or rectangular table. Depending on the model of the table, chairs are also selected. Very often, garden furniture is used to furnish the dining area.

In some cases, it is convenient for owners to arrange a full-fledged kitchen with a working and dining area in the greenhouse. But it must be taken into account that plants must be selected that are resistant to temperature changes. The working kitchen segment must be equipped with a powerful hood to save the plants from even the smallest drops of fat.

Even a very modest extension with glass walls and a roof can be turned into a small green oasis if the available space is properly distributed. Arranging plants in tiers, installing shelving for small-sized plantings, creating so-called eco-walls or “green walls” will allow even in a small greenhouse to find a place to install a round table with a pair of chairs to organize a place for short meals, relaxation and admiring lush greenery .

Winter garden styles

Interior decoration, plants, and decorative content are of great importance for the concept of a winter garden. If you select them thoughtlessly, not in accordance with one style or another, the resulting result is unlikely to please you. Therefore, before you start creating your own green “corner,” you need to decide on its style, create a detailed project, and only then begin arrangement.

The winter garden can be designed as an imitation of any natural landscape area or endowed with the features of one of the architectural styles.

Classical

The main feature of the classic style is moderation. The decoration, made in neutral soft tones, will not distract attention. And in a classical garden there is undoubtedly something to see. The rich colors of subtropical plants seem even brighter against the background of snow-white stucco and marble.

Typically, such rooms are filled with a variety of arches, columns, and pilasters.

In addition to interior solutions, the space is generously decorated with various statues and other works of art - frescoes, paintings. You can use mini fountains and water tanks as additional decorations. And of course, we must not forget about classic furniture and lamps.

Japanese

A Japanese winter garden is a place where you can completely abstract from the surrounding reality and surrender to the process of self-discovery. The philosophy of such a place tends towards minimalism and pronounced symbolism.

To create the atmosphere of a Japanese garden, you can choose one of the most common directions:

• kare-sansui - the so-called dry landscape. Such a landscape can hardly be called a garden. Its characters are gravel, sand and stones of various sizes. There are no plants or ponds to be found here.

The main purpose of this garden is to provide a space where a person can meditate, calm down and restore spent energy;

• Tsukiyama - known as the hilly garden. It is characterized by the reproduction of any locality in miniature. In this case, a set of dwarf trees will symbolize the forest, a rocky embankment will symbolize the mountains, and a small pond will symbolize the sea;
• tea ceremony garden - allows you to relax and enjoy a cup of green tea among picturesque plants. You should avoid bright colors, which have a stimulating effect on the psyche.

Country

Country style will suit absolutely any garden. The highlight of this place will be the bright and lush flower beds. They can be combined in completely different colors. The attributes of this style include natural lawns and randomly appearing self-sowing plants in the form of wild flowers or those that have voluntarily moved from the garden bed.

An integral element of the garden are vegetables, for example, bright and spectacular miniature pumpkins or squash, which successfully replace flowers.

It is impossible to imagine a country garden without wooden elements - rough untreated benches, plant boxes, old chairs, nets for vines, gazebos. The reservoirs have a natural appearance - overgrown with water lilies and duckweed; they are often equipped with wooden walkways.

You can use old watering cans, irons, wheels and even a rocker as decoration.

English

Nowhere have winter gardens become as popular as in England. It was the British who became the authors of two main types:

• Victorian - the garden is equipped with a 3 or 5-pointed bay window. The roof of this room is a transparent five-slope structure. Glass or transparent polycarbonate is used as a glazing material;
• Edwardian - differs from the previous version in the simplicity of its form - rectangular structures with a regular gable roof.

An English-style winter garden is a place for a pleasant pastime with a cup of tea, conversations and women's handicrafts.

The main color combinations are green and cream, pink and white. There are also bright colors - yellow, blue, and the interior is enhanced by details in shades of old gold. In the English greenhouse, special importance is given to the windows - they are decorated with various layouts, stained glass elements, and full-length curtains.

A warm floor will make a soft carpet even more comfortable, and aged furniture will allow you to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of antiquity and isolate yourself from the bustle of the modern world.

Mediterranean

The hallmark of a winter garden design in this style is simplicity and clarity of lines. Most often this is a room with a pitched roof adjacent to the house. Therefore, the role of a greenhouse is often played by a veranda or glazed terrace.

This is a functional and high-quality room.

The distinctive features of the Mediterranean winter garden are light walls and floors, as if burned out by the burning rays of the sun. Antique statues and ceramic vases can often be found here as decoration. Design elements can include forged benches, tables with glass tops, pergolas braided with climbing roses.

Sundials and artificial ponds are also attributes of this style.

Traditional plants for a Mediterranean winter garden are juniper, true palms, citrus, pistachio or olive trees. Flowers: lavender, roses. And, of course, you can’t do without herbs - rosemary, saffron, coriander, basil - integral attributes of this style.

High tech

A high-tech winter garden is a kingdom of glass, shiny metal, plastic and regular geometric shapes. Lighting plays a huge role in such an interior. Glass floor lamps and chrome lamps are installed at different levels, which allows you to use the light as efficiently as possible.

Practicality and functionality of each element is what characterizes this style.

Comfortable and simple geometric-shaped furniture made of plastic, leatherette, and metal would be appropriate here. Interior items with a metal frame will fit perfectly into the space.

Modern

Expressive lines, laconicism, contrasting combinations, periodically repeating identical motifs are the distinctive features of the Art Nouveau garden. A single symbolic concept can be traced throughout the space.

All design elements - crowns, lawns, paths - have smooth and very clear outlines.

The expressiveness of the borders is enhanced by the contrast of color combinations - green lawn and gray paving paths, light and shadow. Plants for this garden should have large original leaves and a bizarre pattern of branches. The ornate shape of irises made them an integral element of the Art Nouveau style.

Such a garden also cannot do without expressive and graceful peonies and lilies.

Construction of houses

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Endless summer is an unattainable childhood dream that becomes a reality thanks to the creation of a winter garden. By building a winter garden in your home, you will be able to recreate with your own hands the endless feeling of a joyful, carefree time, which everyone associates with the pleasant rustling of leaves, the air filled with the aroma of summer flowers, and sincere conversations under the evening sky of August. Thanks to the growth and development of innovative technologies, people have the opportunity to “preserve” summer under a transparent cap, which will allow them to enjoy lush greenery and the pleasant smell of flowering plants, regardless of the time of year. At first glance, a winter garden equipped in a house or cottage is just a beautiful toy that can become a pleasant place to relax, however, everything is much more complicated here, and a winter garden is a complex engineering structure, the varieties and nuances of its creation will be discussed in this article.

Content

1. Winter garden: beautiful entertainment or complex design?
2. Greenhouse, conservatory and winter garden: what is the difference?
3. Winter garden project - the charm of nature within the framework of luxury interiors
4. How to choose the right location for a winter garden?
5. Winter garden structures: basic requirements
6. Basic winter garden designs: types and designs
7. Choosing material for building a winter garden with your own hands
8. Heating the winter garden. Choosing the most optimal method
9. Ventilation in the winter garden
10. Winter garden lighting system: main types of lamps
11. Types of gardens depending on cultivated plants
12. Decorative design of the winter garden

Winter garden: beautiful entertainment or complex design?

A winter garden is a specialized engineering and technical structure that is part of a residential building and is a room designed to house and grow plants.

Moreover, from the point of view of professionals, a winter garden is not only a collection of plants, but also an artificial landscape within the living space, which can serve as a pool room and a “green” living room space.” An equally relevant definition of the phrase “winter garden” is the following: This is a complex structure, the constituent elements of which are vertically oriented or inclined surfaces, which are characterized by a wide variety of shapes.

Winter garden photo

Greenhouse, conservatory and winter garden: what is the difference?

Since the winter garden represents an intermediate zone between the natural environment and the man-made space of a living space, it makes sense to talk about the distinctive features of the winter garden, greenhouse and greenhouse. The main difference between a winter garden and a greenhouse is that the purpose of the latter is limited to growing plants in specially created conditions, which determines the organization of the greenhouse separately from the living space. For example, it is very common to grow citrus fruits in a greenhouse, for which it is necessary to create a special climatic zone that is not favorable for human habitation. The main function of a winter garden, on the contrary, is to preserve plants and create a comfortable microclimate for them during the cold season.

Unlike a greenhouse, a conservatory is a transition zone between the confined environment of a living space and the natural environment. In addition, a winter garden is considered one of the ways to passively heat a living space using the energy of sunlight, which cannot be said about a greenhouse, due to its lack of connection with the house.

Winter garden project - the charm of nature within the framework of luxury interiors

Creating a winter garden project is one of the most successful and original ways to transform an unremarkable environment into an elite interior. Considering that the almost unlimited variety of materials presented on the construction market allows you to use the most advanced ones, you get a unique opportunity to create winter gardens with the highest environmental performance, providing favorable conditions for the life of floral compositions, as well as a comfortable microclimate in the rooms adjacent to the winter garden .

How to choose the right location for a winter garden?

• South. The least successful choice for the location of a winter garden, which is due to excessive premature overheating of the plants, which will cause unnecessary costs for arranging a perfect ventilation system and excessive watering. However, a southern location also has its advantages: in the winter, a garden oriented to the south will retain heat much longer.
• North. Gardens oriented to the north tend to quickly accumulate heat and, at the same time, to quickly release it. But if you have chosen this side of the world, your primary goal should be to install a high-quality heating system.
• West. And there are pros and cons here. The ability to retain heat for a long time, especially valuable in winter, in summer can become one of the main disadvantages of a winter garden located on the west side.
• East. By building a translucent structure oriented to the east, you will protect it in advance from premature overheating, providing the most comfortable microclimate for future floral arrangements.

Winter garden structures: basic requirements

Since the main purpose of winter gardens is to provide optimal conditions for the life of plants, before developing a winter garden project, we advise you to familiarize yourself with the basic requirements for winter garden designs. They are as follows:

• Ability to effectively retain heat;
• Absolute transparency, which implies the use of materials that ensure the passage of up to 80% of sunlight;
• Long service life and anti-corrosion resistance of the materials used;
• High load-bearing capacity of frame materials and their resistance to loads.

Knowing these requirements will allow you to build a winter garden with your own hands, which will not cause you unnecessary worries about the necessary repairs of load-bearing structures.

Basic winter garden designs: types and designs

From the point of view of technical safety, the most successful design of a winter garden is a glazed extension to the living space, which is connected to it through specially equipped doors. The basis of such an extension is a supporting structure, which can be characterized by a wide variety of configurations and made from various materials. The most commonly used are: aluminum, wood, less often steel, as well as their combinations.

Since in winter the construction can be subject to high loads, the main of which are snow, winter icing, wind, hail and rain, the structure must be highly resistant to such aggressive weight loads. To the greatest extent, this requirement is met by a frame structure, which involves supporting the trusses on vertically located racks, which allows for the most even distribution of loads. It is important to remember that if a winter garden roof is installed with a slope, snow may accumulate on it, and in the spring this can cause the outflow of melt water, making it difficult to avoid roof leaks.

If you choose to build a winter garden characterized by a large glazing area, you need to know that the main measure to protect the structure from loads is to increase rigidity, which involves the use of additional frame elements such as window frames or sliding doors.

Choosing material for building a winter garden with your own hands

Glass

It is the most common type of building material with high load-bearing capacity. An equally important advantage of glass is its high throughput, guaranteeing the passage of up to 98% of solar energy.

Among the disadvantages of glass, one can note its high cost, which can be compensated by purchasing glass of a smaller thickness and increasing its strength by increasing the area of ​​​​metal frame structures.

An equally significant disadvantage of glass is its rapid heat transfer, which can be verified by heating the winter garden room to 25 degrees. After a few hours, you will witness a rapid drop in temperature.

Polycarbonate

An innovative material, the use of which can significantly reduce the cost of constructing a winter garden. 15 times lighter than glass, polycarbonate, due to its high transparency, will satisfy all the requirements for building materials for a winter garden. Resistant to corrosion and cracking, polycarbonate easily changes its original configuration and has a high load-bearing capacity.

Double-glazed windows

Currently, the construction of transparent winter gardens is increasingly not possible without the use of double-glazed windows, which in a short period of time have become the basis of greenhouse construction. The production of double-glazed windows for the construction of greenhouses and winter gardens is carried out similarly to standard double-glazed windows. A garden glass unit is based on an aluminum, metal-plastic or wooden profile that holds several sheets of glass of a certain thickness. All existing connections are also treated with sealants, which allows you to create a structure that is resistant to aggressive environmental influences. In order to carry out competent, from a technical point of view, design of a winter garden, it is recommended to take into account various operating conditions. This involves the use of different types of glass, which have different performance characteristics:

• glass reflective glass;
• energy-saving glass;
• multifunctional glasses;
• transparent float glass.

Heating the winter garden. Choosing the most optimal method

Heating a winter garden is one of the main parameters of its efficiency. The most common are electric, gas, water, air and stove heating, as well as heating options that involve the combined use of several physical factors. In most cases, heating is considered in conjunction with ventilation and is organized taking into account the vital parameters of plants cultivated in the winter garden. The choice of the most optimal heating system is made taking into account the following factors:

• Dimensions of the winter garden. Obviously, the larger the area of ​​the winter garden, the stronger the need for more heat;
• Frequency of visits to the winter garden. For those gardens where plants grow that are resistant to low temperatures, and you only visit the paradise from time to time, an electric heater can maintain the optimal temperature in such a garden;
• Plant species diversity. For example, the optimal temperature regime for tropical plants ranges from 20 to 25 degrees.

Winter garden video

Ventilation in the winter garden

It should immediately be noted that the ventilation and cooling system in the winter garden are two different systems. Cooling the air with an air conditioner is a short-term measure, necessary for a person’s temporary stay in the winter garden. At the same time, for the normal functioning of plants, constant air circulation is necessary, which is the purpose of installing a ventilation system. There are:

• natural ventilation, which includes the installation of vents, which should account for at least a quarter of the total wall area;
• artificial or mechanical ventilation, which provides for air inflow through vents and outflow using specially equipped fans.

Winter garden lighting system: main types of lamps

To compensate plants for the lack of light in winter, it is necessary to take care of arranging a lighting system, the key to the effectiveness of which will be the correct choice of lamps. Currently the choice is quite large:

• Incandescent lamps are the least preferred option, due to the lack of blue light necessary for photosynthesis in their emission spectrum. In addition, they are characterized by a high level of thermal energy, the radiation of which can cause burns to the most temperature-sensitive plants;
• Fluorescent lamps are also not the best choice, as they are characterized by high sensitivity to voltage changes;
• Metal halide lamps, the emission spectrum of which approaches natural radiation, have the shortest service life, which, in fact, is their only drawback;
• Phytolamps are the most successful choice for creating a winter garden lighting system. Specially designed for illuminating plants, they are capable of creating the light parameters of the winter garden microclimate that are closest to natural.

Let's summarize:

Types of gardens depending on cultivated plants

• A tropical garden in which heat-loving and moisture-loving plants are cultivated, requiring a temperature range from 18 to 26 degrees. Among the usual assortment of plants for a tropical garden, begonia, dieffenbachia, dracaena, ficus and alocasia should be noted, which can be diversified with new landscaping products, among which tropical vines, hedychium and gloriosa are gaining popularity.
• The subtropical garden, whose average temperature does not exceed 12 degrees, combines palm trees and ficus trees, wisteria and jaccarandas in one area. You can’t do without citrus fruits here, which will not only become an aesthetic addition to the “subtropics”, but will also pleasantly delight you with fresh fruits in winter.

Decorative design of the winter garden

From the point of view of designers, dividing the winter garden into several zones helps to significantly increase its functionality. It would be optimal to distinguish three functional zones in the garden:

• Decorative, the main purpose of which is to grow plants and create landscape floral compositions. In the space of the decorative zone, you can easily place a small pond, an aquarium, small decorative forms and various decorative compositions;
• A recreational area designed to create a cozy living space and soulful gatherings in friendly company. Furniture items are placed in the recreational area, the style of which is chosen in accordance with the general stylistic direction;
• A communication zone, which includes all available passages intended for movement from one functional area to another.

The stylistic direction in which the winter garden will be decorated depends only on your individual preferences. The most popular winter garden design styles are:

Classic style

The design of a winter garden in a classic style involves a multi-cascade roof, decorated with bright stained glass windows and curtains. Artificially aged furniture will only complement the charm of the classics.

Japanese style

The most suitable option for connoisseurs of minimalism and tranquility, glorified by Japanese philosophy. The arrangement of a Japanese-style winter garden is carried out in accordance with the principles of the teachings of Feng Shui, the dogmas of which state that four elements should be present in the garden: earth, water, wood and metal. Arranging a pond in a winter garden is not an easy task, so we suggest limiting yourself to a decorative mini-waterfall.

Another distinctive feature of the Japanese style is strict geometry, complemented by decorative bonsai flowers.

High tech

At first glance, it may seem that the proximity of plants and metal objects is not the most favorable, but in practice everything looks completely different. Such a neighborhood is not only organic and functional, but also has a beneficial effect on plant growth, due to the huge amount of light and free space.

Country

It will be the best choice for gardeners seeking spiritual harmony with nature. Original plaster and an immense amount of greenery, wicker chairs and ceramic tiles on the floor are the distinctive features of the country style.

Modern

Don't you like saving on luxurious decorative elements? Modern seems to have been designed specifically for you. The direction in which there is a clear unity of styles will delight you with harmoniously combined contrasting combinations, repetition of the most advantageous motifs, clarity of architectural forms and original vegetation.

If you are planning to bring your grandiose plans to life, arm yourself with your rich imagination and our professional advice and start making your dreams come true!

Origin of winter gardens

These days, greenhouses can safely be called green oases, a concentration of beauty and harmony for rest and relaxation. But to achieve this, rooms with plants have to go a long way.

Even in ancient Rome, winter gardens originated as a phenomenon in architecture.

Later, from the southern countries, moving westward, greenhouses literally conquered all of Europe. Free-standing structures made of glass and wood became most widespread in England, in the households of noble and wealthy people.

It was in England that significant changes took place in the very approach to growing plants in special structures all year round: the methods of heating the space underwent changes. From the most primitive measures, when holes were dug in the ground and filled with hot coal, to the appearance of the spiral chimney and, ultimately, the water heating system.

By the mid-19th century, winter gardens began to appear not only in private homes, but also in multi-story buildings.

In Russia, the first winter garden appeared in the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Solovetsky Monastery. The first stone greenhouses with a heating system in our country appeared there. The monks were able not only to cultivate a wide variety of plants in fairly harsh climatic conditions, but also to grow vegetables in their greenhouses all year round.

In the 19th century, in Russia, winter gardens received a serious impetus in their development and spread among famous nobles.

Not only the Moscow GUM and the Peter and Paul Passage in St. Petersburg were equipped with their own greenhouses; many noble people could acquire indoor gardens in their estates. Over time, glass structures ceased to be just a place for growing plants, but became the focus of relaxed pastime for the nobility. In the greenhouses there were practically living rooms where guests were received.

The fashion for indoor winter gardens with beautiful decorations quickly gained momentum - not only exotic plants appeared, but also fountains and songbirds.

With the advent of Soviet power, winter gardens as a place for exquisite relaxation surrounded by exotic plants experienced a serious decline.

Most compatriots had to worry about at least a roof over their heads and meager food. Nowadays, there are no restrictions in building and finishing materials; systems for creating a certain temperature and air humidity will help create optimal conditions for growing plants of the desired varieties.

With the help of modern technologies, you can create a not only convenient place for growing plants, but also a truly comfortable space for rest and relaxation.

What is the difference between a winter garden at home and a greenhouse or greenhouse?

When we talk about a winter garden, we first of all mean the intermediate zone between the living space and the natural environment. While a greenhouse (a more simplified version - greenhouses) is focused mainly on growing plants in special conditions. As a rule, a greenhouse is located separately from the house - in the garden or on the roof.

Like a greenhouse, a winter garden is designed to protect plants and flowers from freezing in autumn and winter. But the greenhouse is aimed mainly at growing certain varieties (for example, oranges, palm trees), maintaining special climatic conditions in which it is physically difficult for a normal person to constantly be. Whereas in a winter garden, a rationally selected microclimate has a positive effect on both the well-being of people and the cultivation of plants with a complex (and not so complex) “character”.

Optimal material for a winter garden

To ensure that the plants receive enough sunlight and heat, it is necessary to make the design of the winter garden as accessible to light as possible.

It is better to make both the walls and the roof from transparent materials.

The most popular include:

glass has been used for many years to equip not only winter gardens, but also greenhouses and hothouses. It is highly durable, withstands snow and wind loads, transmits 98% of rays, and allows the space inside the garden to quickly warm up.

However, with a strong impact, the glass can break; the material is expensive and difficult to process.

To save money, many go to reduce the thickness of the glass, but at the same time they will have to strengthen the frame (some of the light is stolen), and thin glass will retain heat even worse than standard glass;

Polycarbonate is lighter than glass, cheaper, and easier to process. The material can be bent, it is completely moisture resistant, and is not afraid of corrosion and fungus.

However, in terms of light transmittance it is inferior to glass - it transmits only about 88% of the rays.

In addition, it cannot boast of high thermal efficiency, so you will need a serious heating system;

double-glazed windows are not cheap and weigh a lot, but they store heat well inside the garden, and in terms of light transmission they are on the same level as glass. If you choose not ordinary glass, but energy-saving glass, you will be able to save a lot on heat, and that is why today double-glazed windows are used more and more often when arranging winter gardens;

plexiglass is usually used in combination with other material for arranging the side walls.

The material is perfect for these purposes, but is heavy.

Building a winter garden - step-by-step instructions

Having become familiar with the structure of the winter garden and its main systems, we will begin the construction process.

Important when building a winter garden

Step 1. Determine the side of the building where the structure will be located. It is desirable that the wall be eastern or western. It is also possible to build a winter garden on the south side, but then you will need a very serious ventilation system to keep the temperature inside at an acceptable level in summer.

Step 2. Prepare the construction site - clear it of debris, vegetation and stones. Pour a shallow concrete strip foundation to support the structure.

Step 3. Begin installing the bottom frame frame onto the foundation. There must be waterproofing between them. Check the position of the lower harness using a level, stretched ropes and a tape measure.

Installation of the bottom trim

Step 4. Then install the vertical and horizontal frame elements related to the walls of the winter garden. Make sure connections are secure.

Installation of vertical frame elements

Installation of horizontal frame elements

Step 5. Following the walls of the winter garden, install the top trim and roof beams. All wooden parts used in construction require mandatory treatment with antiseptic impregnation.

Installation of the top trim

Installing roof beams

Step 6. Prepare the rubber sealing profiles and begin glazing the walls and roof of the conservatory. To carry sheathing elements, use vacuum suction cups - this is much more convenient and safer.

Glazing of the winter garden

Glazing process

Step 7. Cover the outside of the rubber seals with aluminum profiles - they will protect them from sunlight and moisture.

Glazing is almost complete

Installation of aluminum profiles

Step 8. Install the curtain rod profile. It will be useful to supplement it with a drain.

It is advisable to supplement the cornice profile with a drain

Step 9. After completing the construction of the winter garden, provide light and water, arrange a ventilation and irrigation system. Mark places for plants and finish the interior.

Ecogreenhouse

The main feature of the eco-greenhouse is that it is combined with a chicken coop. These birds are distinguished by a very high body temperature of + 40°C. And if you equip them with a separate room for living and connect it with ventilation to the greenhouse, then warm air with a high content of carbon dioxide and ammonia will flow into the latter, which will have a positive effect on the condition of the plants.

At this point, the arrangement of the winter garden with your own hands can be considered complete. After completing all these steps, you will receive a beautiful, comfortable room in which you can relax among flowers and exotic plants at any time of the year.

Foundation and frame

To prevent the winter garden from sinking, it is better to take care of building a reliable foundation. This is a rather labor-intensive and costly part of the entire project - about a fifth of the budget is spent on creating the foundation.

A shallow strip foundation is suitable.

To create it, you can use ready-made reinforced or reinforced concrete blocks 20 cm thick. The depth depends on the type of soil, climate and topography. Instead of ready-made blocks, you can use a concrete solution, but you will have to work hard with the formwork and reinforcement frame.

The floor is made of concrete, then it can be covered with ceramic tiles, natural or artificial stone, porcelain stoneware or terrace boards. The board is also used, but less often.

To arrange the frame, you can use ready-made structures, for example, aluminum or steel profiles, wood.

You can go the more complicated route and build the frame yourself. Brick is used, as well as the same wood, aluminum and steel. After installing the frame, they begin glazing with the selected material.

When arranging the roof, do not forget to provide a slope so that in winter snow does not linger on the roof, increase the load and block sunlight.

Winter garden - photos with examples for implementing ideas

Winter garden connected to the house

Winter garden in the kitchen

Exotic winter garden

Winter garden with a domed roof Winter garden - extension to the house

Selecting a heating system

Choosing the right location and glazing material is only half the battle. Of course, the plants will receive a large amount of heat from the sun, but in winter this may not be enough, so the most optimal heating system is selected at the design stage.

The choice depends on the area, the type of plants grown and even on the regularity of visiting the garden.

If frost-resistant plants are planted, and you are not in the garden every day, you can get by with a heater. If the garden is part of a permanently inhabited house, then you need to think about a more serious heating system.

Today there is plenty to choose from:

• electric heaters do not require complex installation, they can be moved from place to place, they allow you to quickly heat a room and quickly regulate the amount of heat. Such heaters are affordable, but they are expensive to operate, especially if you use them regularly and heat a large area.

Another problem is drying out the air;

• water heating , i.e. connecting the garden to the house heating system with the installation of radiators. As a result, it turns out to achieve stable temperatures, costs will be minimal, and the microclimate in all rooms of the house will be the same.

The downside is the complexity of the arrangement.

It is better to plan such a heating system at the stage of building a house and connecting all communications. In order to then make the insert correctly, you will need calculations and the help of specialists, and even then it will not always be possible;

• A warm floor (water or electric) allows you to optimally warm the room. The soil and water for irrigation will heat up first. If the cable or pipes are laid correctly, the walls of the garden will also warm up, which will prevent them from icing.

The only downside is the cost of this method.

The water system will be difficult to repair; its arrangement is a complex process. An electric heated floor is easier to organize, but its maintenance costs will be higher;

• split systems do not dry out the air, allow you to quickly warm up the room and quickly adjust the temperature, but are not suitable for regions with low winter temperatures;
• Ural irradiation does not dry the air; it heats the surfaces, not the air, i.e. I act on the principle of the sun. For a compact winter garden this is just right, but for a large room this is not an option;
• stove heating allows you to get cheap heat, but it will be distributed unevenly, which is not good for plants, and you will have to constantly add firewood/coal - leaving such a stove without human presence is dangerous;
• air heating allows you to use warm air from living spaces. It is transported into the garden through vents and fans. It turns out cheap, but the whole system takes up a lot of space, and the appearance of the garden will be spoiled by the air duct system.

Several systems can be combined.

Which glazing to choose?

Plastic windows are excellent for glazing a winter garden. But not all plastic ones are created equal. To ensure that your idea of ​​a winter garden does not turn out to be a failure, you should choose only high-quality windows manufactured according to standards. Such designs are reliable, durable, and retain heat well. In addition, it is with a PVC profile that it is easy to organize natural ventilation and forced ventilation.

Plastic windows are perfect for glazing a winter garden.

Advantages of plastic profiles:

• durability - will last up to 50 years;
• ease of operation and maintenance - the doors open/close easily, and the profile is cleaned of dust and dirt with a piece of cloth slightly moistened with water;
• decent noise insulation properties - enjoying nature is much more pleasant in silence than under the noise of a big city;
• a high degree of thermal insulation allows you to maintain a comfortable temperature regime, necessary for the full development of all “residents” of the green zone;
• variability in the choice of color palette - you can buy panoramic windows in traditional white, or you can choose a profile in a tree-like design or in a bright shade to suit a certain style;
• Compared to conventional wooden frames, PVC windows are much less susceptible to the influence of sun, frost, wind, and temperature changes.

Selecting a ventilation system

Plants need an influx of fresh air - this is the key to their normal functioning. It is necessary to provide a path for air to enter from the street into the garden, as well as for air to be removed from the garden. There are only two options here:

• Natural ventilation is provided by the presence of vents and transoms for fresh air. Exhaust air exits through special openings or valves at the top. The air flow can be adjusted by opening and closing the vents.

Minimum investment and minimum noise, but normal ventilation is ensured only if there is a temperature difference between outside and inside.

To prevent the doors from damaging the plants and not shading them, it is better to provide a sliding mechanism for opening them. Also, do not forget about mosquito nets;

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• mechanical ventilation will work even in the absence of wind and the required temperature difference. It differs from the natural one in that the air outflow is carried out using fans.

Sometimes even more complex systems are used, where inflow and outflow are forced.

The microclimate will be fine, but your holiday in such a garden may be spoiled by the noise of working fans. In addition, these are additional costs for installation, electricity and periodic maintenance.

Watering

An irrigation system should be provided at the initial stages of garden construction. Its operating mode should change with the seasons: more abundant in summer, moderate in winter.

A modern solution is a drip irrigation system. Hoses are laid in the ground; through them water enters the soil. An artificial pond can serve as an auxiliary humidifier.

Winter garden lighting system

A winter garden in a private house needs artificial light, because in winter the sun's rays may not be enough for the normal growth and development of greenery.

You will have to take care of the wiring and study the light spectrum of different types of lamps to choose the right ones.

To ensure photosynthesis, it is necessary that the lamp produces rays in the range of 400-500 nm (blue spectrum), 500-600 nm (green, for photosynthesis of the lower leaves), 600-700 nm (red). Light of 1200-1600 nm accelerates many biochemical reactions.

• Incandescent lamps (600 nm rays) produce too much heat, can burn tall plants, and their spectrum lacks the blue spectrum necessary for photosynthesis.
• Fluorescent lamps cope well with the requirements, but they are bulky and suffer greatly from voltage fluctuations.
• sodium lamps are economical, usually used in large greenhouses, are difficult to install, and require the installation of additional equipment.
• mercury lamps are inexpensive to operate, efficient, easy to install, provide the required radiation spectrum, but they get very hot and are difficult to dispose of.

• Metal halide lamps provide light that is as close to natural as possible, but, unfortunately, they are expensive and are not particularly durable in use.
• LED lamps are distinguished by their high service life, durability, ease of installation and the ability to select the radiation of the required spectrum. They are expensive.
• Phyto-lamps are distinguished separately ; they are LED and fluorescent. Manufacturers specially adapt them for use in greenhouses and winter gardens.

This is an expensive but most suitable lighting option.

Maintaining an optimal climate

In these structures and rooms grow representatives of flora that have special requirements for air temperature. In summer, the glazed structure will ensure natural maintenance of the desired climate. But with the onset of cold weather, additional heating of the room will be required.

Various types of systems can be used in heating. A winter garden in a private house can be equipped with water, electric, gas communications, and solid fuel heating equipment. The choice depends on:

• accessibility, fuel efficiency;
• room size;
• plant species, their temperature requirements.

During the cold season, additional heating is required

In addition to the heating system, the winter garden must be equipped with ventilation that provides access to fresh air, allowing optimal conditions to be maintained. Natural circulation will be ensured by opening windows, transoms, and sashes. Systems with fans will also be required to provide air flow. Tropical plants may require humidifiers.

Opening windows provide natural air circulation

Irrigation system in the winter garden

If you are organizing a very, very compact garden, then you don’t even have to think about a special irrigation system. Regular watering cans and a good memory will be enough to add water on time.

For a more or less large garden, manual watering will become drudgery and will take too much time and effort, so you have to think about automation.

The usual types of irrigation for greenhouses, rain and aerosol, are not appropriate here.

The best option for a winter garden is drip irrigation. From the water source, water flows through a system of perforated hoses and tapes to the root system of the plants. There will be no puddles. If you connect a system of sensors that measure the level of humidity, then water will be supplied only when really needed, and this guarantees optimal soil moisture.

Some types of plants draw some of their moisture from the air.

For such greenery it is necessary to additionally humidify the air. You can use fog units, air humidifiers or fountains, which will also serve a decorative function.

Do not forget that to remove excess moisture it is necessary to arrange drainage.

History and modernity of winter gardens

There is no exact information about when the winter garden was first equipped. These corners of nature were developed in royal and royal palaces, castles of noble nobles, houses of wealthy merchants, etc. In Rus', the first winter garden was equipped by monks on Solovki. Thanks to their efforts, the Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery acquired its own oasis of eternal summer. The monks grew in it not only strange overseas plants, but also vegetables for the monastic diet.

The main condition for maintaining a winter garden is maintaining the optimal temperature required by heat-loving plants. In the first rooms of this kind, a hole was dug into which hot coal was poured. This material smolders for a long time, constantly releasing heat. Stove heating was used to create the required microclimate.

In the winter garden it is necessary to maintain an optimal microclimate

The rapid growth in popularity of winter gardens is due to several factors:

• the formation among city dwellers of an urgent need to communicate with nature, caused by the powerful pressure of the “concrete jungle”;
• the emergence of innovative glazing technology that allows you to create any design;
• Availability of various types of efficient heating systems on the market.

Modern man gets very tired in the city bustle, noise, and abundance of concrete. Outdoor recreation is very popular. But it’s not always possible to go out of town and go on vacation. A winter garden in an apartment or house makes it possible at any time to find yourself in the atmosphere of a tropical jungle, to relax comfortably among lush greenery and flowers.

The winter garden provides an opportunity to escape from the bustle of the city

Today's market provides an opportunity to create excellent conditions for plants anywhere. Reliable panoramic glazing, lightweight, durable metal frames, electric, water, gas heating systems, air humidifiers allow you to create an ideal microclimate. Automation eliminates the need to spend a lot of time and effort on caring for plants.

What else?

• Don’t forget to find out in advance what kind of soil the selected plants will need, what fertilizers you will need to buy, and how much money will be spent on providing all engineering systems.
• Also, don't forget to consider the location of the outlets.
• When choosing furniture for a recreational area, give preference to products made from natural materials: wood, rattan, wicker.
• Research whether the selected plants can be adjacent to each other. Also decide in advance how you will plant all the varieties.

Photo selection of the winter garden in the house: