The Greenhouse in 2025
The use of partitions in Greenhouses is becoming increasingly popular as gardeners look for more precise control over their growing environment and formally divide structures for additional lifestyle uses.
By dividing Greenhouses into distinct zones, partitions allow for tailored microclimates that cater to the specific needs of different plants optimising conditions such as temperature, humidity, and light exposure. This not only improves plant health, it also enhances resource efficiency, allowing for more specific heating, ventilation, and watering. Additionally, as a physical barrier, partitions can reduce the spread of pests and diseases and the need for environmentally-friendly controls.
At the 2024 RHS Chelsea Flower Show, Hartley Botanic showcased its stunning Victorian Manor Glasshouse, with a partitioned-off work/ lifestyle room. Increasingly, Hartley Botanic customers are now using partitions to create separate spaces for dining, garden working or tranquil morning and evening relaxation. Greenhouses, even though single-glazed, offer a sheltered environment that allow customers to enjoy their gardens regardless of the weather, and the use of partitions adds an additional element of flexibility and personalisation. Greenhouse owners are using them to add a garden “room” separate to their horticultural needs, enjoying the space in a multifaceted way while surrounded by their plants.
2. Environmentally Conscious Water Conservation and Pest Control
With a growing concern for sustainability, rainwater harvesting and biological pest control will become increasingly popular amongst Greenhouse owners. These methods not only help address environmental concerns, they can often mean more cost-effective solutions.
– Rainwater harvesting
Water Butts are the simplest way for Greenhouse owners to collect rainwater and, this year, in response to customer demand, Hartley Botanic launched its own range. Rainwater may swing from being sporadic to torrential as a result of climate change, it is also better for plants, as it often has a lower pH. The minerals that are sometimes found in mains water, especially in hard water areas can raise the pH of your root zone, which can affect nutrient availability. Rainwater is vital for the healthy growth ofericaceous plants such as azaleas, camellias and rhododendrons
Hartley Botanic’s new Water Butts provide a useful rainwater storage solution (up to 167 litres) at the same time as offering customers a stylish design which can be powder coated to match their Greenhouse.
– Natural pest control
Natural, often called ‘Biological,’ pest control tackles invasive Greenhouse insect species using predators found in nature, rather than any harmful chemicals. The predatory wasp Encarsia formosa can be used to combat whitefly, predatory mitesPhytoseiulus persimilis and Amblyseius, a predatory midge Feltiella acrarsuga and a rove beetle Atheta coriaria can help get rid of red spider mites. You can also control mealybug, with the ladybird Cryptolaemus montrouzieri. Many biological pest controls can be bought online. Greenhouse owners should check their plants regularly for signs of an infestation, as it is easier to control smaller occurrences than an epidemic. To help estimate how extensive a whitefly problem you have, simply install a few yellow sticky traps inside your Greenhouse and observe how many you catch.
3. Successional Growing (year-long harvesting)
Greenhouses provide a controlled environment that can extend the growing season and protect plants from undesirable weather. For those who grow their own food, this means edible plants year-round, it also means enjoying the benefits of bulbs flowering early.
’Successional sowing’ allows for growing and harvesting ‘cut and come again’ edibles at all stages of growth. This can range from microgreen seedlings to juvenile and mature plants and will result in an interesting array of eating textures – from soft to crisp.
For flowering bulbs in pots, keep them outdoors or in a cold frame at 1.5 to 10C for ten weeks in autumn and early winter. Bring them into the Greenhouse for an early burst of spring. If you have the facilities, put them under growing lamps once they start sprouting, or on a heat mat, enough to encourage growth but not to make stems long and leggy through lack of light.
Keep this in mind when buying bulbs in autumn for planting from September to November for next spring. Traditionally, people ‘force’ hyacinths and narcissus but there can be so much more variety than that and it is time for a revisiting of this technique. Other bulbs to consider include; crocus, daffodils of all kinds including miniatures, ‘Lily of the Valley,’ hyacinths, Iris reticulata, Scilla and Lilies.
4. 2025’s In Demand Greenhouse Accessories
From their extensive range, the Greenhouse accessories set to be most popular in 2025 are blinds, staging and shelving, withHartley Botanic’s Victorian roller blinds anticipated to be the most in demand.
Blinds help regulate the temperature and light levels inside a Greenhouse and prevent plants being burnt by intense sunlight or affected by harmful UV rays. They can also act as a form of insulation in colder months. A growing necessity for blinds in Greenhouses, may reflect our changing climate, a recent Met Office report confirmed the country is getting wetter but also warmer and sunnier.
There are many accessories that can help you make the best use of your Greenhouse and using a mix of shelving and staging is highly effective. As Greenhouses increasingly evolve into multi-use growing and lifestyle spaces, attractive ways to organise them are becoming more popular boosting the interest in staging and shelving. Hartley Botanic offers aluminium shelving and staging options (including ornate designs) that can be powder-coated in a colour to match or contrast their Greenhouses, providing elegant coherence. Hartley Botanic offers high and low level staging, with high level allowing for the display of low-hanging plants.
All Hartley Botanic’s Glasshouses and Greenhouses are handmade, bespoke, and made to order. Customers interested in purchasing a Hartley Botanic Greenhouse should visit http://www.hartley-botanic.co.uk or call 01457 819 155 for more information.
Why Hartley?
In many respects what we say about our Glasshouses and Greenhouses is immaterial. It’s what you say that matters. It’s your inspiration that guides us. The conversations, the compliments, our collaboration that together create the world’s greatest Glasshouses and Greenhouses – Hartley Botanic:
Structurally Superior
Every Hartley Botanic Glasshouse and Greenhouse is handmade in England – each a labour of love.
A time-honoured celebration of expert craftsmanship, the very finest materials and matchless attention to detail, that together create the ultimate in durability, safety and beauty.
Structurally superior work that will leave you as confident in your new Hartley as we are in giving every one of them a 30-year Lifetime Guarantee.
Astonishingly Beautiful
When only the most refined, sublime, most heart-stoppingly beautiful design will do – we’ve got just the Glasshouse or Greenhouse for you.
Some gardeners dream of our classic Victorian styles, others our Heritage, or maybe our Modern collection. Perhaps you dream of your own bespoke design.
Distinctive, unique and unfailingly gorgeous, whatever you dream of most, your dream Glasshouse or Greenhouse is here.
Knowledge Beyond Compare
There’s so much more to a Hartley than will ever meet the eye.
You won’t see the years of hard-won knowledge passed from generation to generation. The customer conversations. The incomparable care. The consideration. The decades of continual refinements, finessing and fine-tuning.
When you buy a Hartley Glasshouse or Greenhouse you won’t see any of that. But you will feel it all.
A Reputation Second to None
85 years designing the finest Glasshouses and Greenhouses that money can buy, a unique and prestigious Royal Horticultural Society endorsement, with thousands of beautiful installations for thousands of delighted customers the world over. Our plaudits don’t make our reputation – they reflect it.
A reputation built on a devotion to the very highest standards, vast experience, peerless craftsmanship and customer service that’s literally second to none.
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