Winter garden: spectacular construction and design projects

A corner of the living nature of the house is what many housewives dream of. It is not at all difficult to create it at home. Anyone who dreamed of having a piece of summer in their home can simply equip a winter garden, filling it with both greenery familiar to the eye and exotic plants from different parts of the planet.

The winter garden was first equipped a long time ago. The first similarities of green oases appeared in ancient Greece. Later they spread to Europe. The best way was to apply new approaches to growing and caring for plants in England. The most important change at this stage was the invention of new ways of heating the space. In addition to pits filled with hot coal, a water heating system was used for heating. Due to such rapid development, it became possible to equip winter gardens not only in private houses, but also in high-rise buildings.

Over time, winter gardens appeared in Russia. The very first such an oasis at their Spaso-Preobrazhensky Monastery were arranged by monks. It was a stone building, which was used not only to grow beautiful flowers and pleasant-looking trees, but also to have access to delicious and fresh vegetables and fruits throughout the year. In the harsh climatic conditions, this was a very important point.

During the 19th century, winter gardens spread throughout Russia. True, they were equipped mainly by nobles. In their estates, they could surround themselves with outlandish plants and flowers, creating an atmosphere for relaxation and small talk. The fashion for winter gardens spread very quickly, new trends appeared. For example, the annexes were filled with fountains, unusual figures and even songbirds.

At the peak of the development of winter gardens, there was a revolution and the coming to power of the Communist Party. During this period, naturally, rooms filled with exotic plants were considered an unaffordable luxury. Now, fortunately, the situation has changed, and almost everyone can build and fill a winter garden. There are many materials that are suitable for building a garden, insulating it and creating ventilation. So you can arrange a comfortable place to rest and grow plants in almost any latitude.

A winter garden is a cross between an ordinary garden and a room. It differs from the greenhouse in that the latter is aimed exclusively at growing plants. A more simplified version of a greenhouse is a greenhouse. As for the winter garden, it is both a place for relaxation and gatherings in the company of loved ones. Greenhouses and greenhouses are located separately in the backyard. But the winter garden is, as a rule, an extension to the house. In city apartments, it is often equipped on a balcony or loggia.

The winter garden allows you to keep a corner of summer in your home. It protects flowers and all kinds of plants from negative weather conditions at any time of the year. True, unlike greenhouses, in which the climatic conditions are quite specific and aimed at growing some unusual plant varieties, the microclimate in the winter garden is neutral. It is selected so that all the plants planted in the room and the people who rest there are comfortable.The winter garden should be well heated, have full ventilation and a humidification system.

If necessary, the winter garden can be built separately or attached to a residential building. There are many interesting options for the shape of the room.

• With a pitched roof. The most common option is the classic shed roof extension. This is the simplest form that can be installed even by a person without experience. When building such a room, you need to pay attention to the fact that the roof has a large enough slope. This will prevent snow from accumulating on it in the winter season. If you need to make an extension in an elongated shape, then it is recommended to make a gable roof.

• Polygonal. It is a good replacement for round greenhouses. The number of corners can be anything, depending on the preferences of the owner and the number of plants that need to be placed in the room. True, in order for the building to be strong and reliable, you need to choose a good and strong frame.

• Corner. In some cases, in order to save space, a corner extension is used. If you choose this option, you should place it in a place that remains very well lit throughout the day.

• Mortise. This option is used less often, but it is more convenient. The essence of such a room is that the winter garden is combined with some kind of living space. For example, with a dining room or kitchen. It turns out a cozy and beautiful room in which it is pleasant to relax. The main disadvantage of such an extension is that you have to spend a lot of time on the construction and equipment of the room.

• Separate. If it is not possible to attach a winter garden to the house or you just want to place a "green oasis" away from your home, then you can give preference to a building that resembles a greenhouse. It should be well insulated, especially on the cold north side. The roof in such a building can be sloped or pyramidal, depending on the needs.

As for the dimensions of the winter garden, they may be different. As a rule, the size of the room depends on how much free space is available. In a small area, it is better to place a small glazed garden, and in a spacious yard - a large greenhouse.

It is also worth focusing on what plants will be grown there. So, for example, for the cultivation of exotic palms or spray roses, you should choose a more spacious room. And for flowers in pots or boxes, a small room will be enough.

Finding the right place for your winter garden is very important. There is definitely more room for planning in a country house. In an apartment building, you usually have to equip a balcony or loggia for a mini-winter garden. But in a private house, it can be placed on the roof, veranda, terrace, or make a full-fledged extension. If possible, then it is worth listening to the advice of professionals when determining a place for construction. It is believed that it is best to locate the structure in the east.

You can also position the structure so that it faces west. This solution also has its advantages. In such an extension, heat can accumulate throughout the day. True, in hot summer this can turn into a disadvantage. As for the rooms located on the south side, they are considered very impractical.In hot summer, the plants there will be very overheated, and in order to save them, you will have to spend a lot of time on ventilation and watering.

In the case of annexes on the north side, money will have to be spent on heating, since the room turns out to be quite cold.

These are the basic rules for planning a winter garden, which will be relevant even in the country, even in a cottage, even in a kindergarten. Next, you should focus on whether the garden is located in one-story premises or is located on the second floor. If the winter garden is at the top, then it is necessary to additionally calculate the weight so that too heavy a load does not go on the walls. Only if done right will the room be a safe haven for plants and a great place for family vacations.

The winter garden can be arranged in different ways. There are several styles that are very popular today.

• Provence. This is one of the coziest and most charming destinations. Provence is characterized by the use of wooden boxes and tubs in which flowers and herbs grow. Also, in such a winter garden there should be a lot of decorative trifles - exquisite textiles, wicker furniture, and so on. The plants themselves are better to choose simple, not too exotic. You can combine a huge number of flowers with herbs or green plants in one room.

• Japanese. When decorating a Japanese-style winter garden, you have to adhere to the rules. First, it is worth choosing certain plants. Most often these are bamboo, orchids, sakura - that is, everything that is characteristic of the Japanese islands. In addition, a lot of attention should be paid to the decoration of the premises. Decorative stones and pebbles, low chairs and chairs, painted with lamp hieroglyphs will fit well into the Japanese style.

• Minimalism. The minimalism style is one of the favorite trends of our time. It is characterized by the use of a small number of plants and their correct arrangement. In a minimalistic winter garden, everything should be clearly organized - both plants and decorative details should be given a certain place.

• Romantic. Another style that is loved by many is romantic. If you want the house to have a place where you can rest your soul or relax in the company of a loved one, then the winter garden can be arranged accordingly. In this case, the romantic corner will be complemented with delicate flowers, and the furniture will be chosen as comfortable as possible. As a decor, it is logical to use vintage lamps or candle-shaped lamps.

Different materials are used for the construction of the frame and foundation of the winter garden.

• Glass. Very often, impact-resistant glass is used as the main material for arranging a winter garden. The use of glass is considered a fairly economical option, especially if it is an extension, and one of the walls is a wall of the house.

• Double-glazed windows. A more modern material is double-glazed windows. They are laminated glass. There is an air gap between each layer. It is due to this that the room turns out to be warmer. This means that you have to spend less time heating the winter garden.

• Wood. This material is used to create wireframes. Wooden buildings with glass cladding are now very popular. And they look very stylish.

• Polycarbonate. This material is used for planking outbuildings. Polycarbonate is an excellent thermal insulation material. It is good simply because it consists of cells that are filled with air.Due to this, heat is retained inside the room. True, this material has its drawbacks. The fact is that polycarbonate reacts negatively to exposure to sunlight, becoming too fragile under the sun. Because of this, the service life of polycarbonate is reduced to 8-10 years.

• Metallic profile. This material is much more durable and stronger. True, making an extension yourself, you have to fiddle with the finishing of the profile for a long time, since it is not so easy to cut and process. You also need to additionally process the frame with special anti-corrosion agents.

• Aluminum profile. This material is even stronger than the previous one. Its strength can be compared even with steel. In addition, it does not corrode by itself. Most often, such a frame is combined with double-glazed windows that insulate the room from the cold.

Building a winter garden and equipping it with your own hands is a difficult task, but quite realizable. It is very important to arrange everything so that there is a comfortable temperature inside the room and normal lighting. The very first stage in any case is the layout of the premises and design. It is necessary to calculate the load on the foundation, the size of the extension and its location. The sketch must certainly be captured on paper and get permission to build an extension.

When the planning and construction is complete, you need to deal with the issue of lighting. The most important point is the presence of natural light. It is for this reason that very often the rooms that are set aside for a winter garden are made of glass or double-glazed windows. Regardless of whether it is an attached winter garden or a separate one, you need to make sure that the room has good ventilation and a heating system. In the case of an extension, the issue of heating is easier to solve, and if the room needs to be built from scratch, then the task becomes more complicated.

Along with the manufacture of buildings and the installation of all kinds of shelves and racks, an important role is played by the choice of plants that will be located inside the winter garden. It is difficult to advise something here, since the choice is always individual.

If you just want to add some bright colors, you can use flowers in pots or wicker baskets. And if there is a desire to receive some practical benefit from the winter garden, in this case, you can grow seedlings, herbs or even bushes with berries. The main thing is to create the necessary conditions for the normal existence and development of all their "green friends".

The choice of suitable furniture is equally important. Wicker garden furniture looks most organic in such a room. It can be made from rattan or regular vines. A set with chairs and a table, rocking chairs and sofas can be used here. You can add wicker items with soft pillows, blankets. Both the furniture itself and the textile additions to it can be bought or created by hand. Such exclusive things both look more original and are more valuable.

In some cases, the winter garden also serves as a dining room at the same time. Then you need to supplement the room with a full dining table. It can be oval, rectangular or square. The number of chairs, and the size of the table itself, depends on how many people usually eat at it. If the room is small, then it is better to choose a transforming table, which will not take up so much space when not in use.

To make it pleasant to spend time indoors, you also need to take care of the choice of beautiful decorative trifles. The most obvious decor options are figurines and garden figurines. You can buy them in stores or supermarkets, or you can do it yourself. You can also use lamps as a decoration.There are very beautiful forged products or lamps decorated with floral prints that will organically fit into the interior of the winter garden. After the installation of all the shelves and fixtures is made, ventilation and heating are installed, and the plants are in their places, the repair can be considered complete and the room can be used for resting or growing your favorite flowers.

The first option is one of the most versatile. It will appeal to those who want to turn their winter garden into a cozy place to relax. The annex is small in size. Both the walls and the ceiling are made of glass, which is very practical, because in sunny weather the plants will receive enough light.

The room is filled with things that are associated with a homely atmosphere and comfort - wicker chairs, carpets and colorful pillows. It has everything you need to relax. Flowers in large pots, climbing plants in hanging baskets and a tree in the corner decorate the space. There is not much greenery, but what is there is enough to create a relaxing atmosphere.

A second example is a small outbuilding dedicated exclusively to growing plants. As in the previous version, there are large windows and a glass ceiling. This, again, is done so that the plants have enough heat and light. There are not many plants in the room, but they are all neatly arranged and placed on the shelves and on the floor. Such a winter garden becomes a real part of nature that surrounds the extension from all sides. Therefore, furniture and all kinds of decorative details are superfluous here.

If you want the "house for plants" to be not only beautiful, but also functional, the room can be supplemented with a table, benches and a chest of drawers. Such a simple arrangement of the interior allows you to dine or just gather for tea in this room. There are not as many plants here as in greenhouses or greenhouses, but they are all very distinctive and beautiful. The interior of the room is complemented by the correct design - a painting depicting a green garden on the wall, a fan chandelier and original flowerpots. Such a room turns out to be both practical and aesthetically attractive.

There are many more ideas for decorating a green garden. The choice in the end depends only on the preferences of the owners of the house and on the budget that they have at their disposal. However, even without having huge funds, you can create a beautiful project if you correctly apply your design skills and knowledge in practice. Using the same materials at hand, for example, old frames or previously used polycarbonate, you can significantly save on construction and create a winter garden with virtually no investment. Exotic plants, on the other hand, can be brought from vacation or you can grow fruit trees yourself from fruit seeds purchased at the market or in a store.

You will learn about the intricacies of arranging a winter garden in the following video.