Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Growing in Greenhouses & Polytunnels => Topic started by: gordino on August 13, 2017, 19:51

Title: Sunken greenhouse
Post by: gordino on August 13, 2017, 19:51
has anybody heard of a sunken greenhouse.
Title: Re: Sunken greenhouse
Post by: jezza on August 13, 2017, 20:30
hi do you mean a greenhouse that's sunk or the ones that are 2feet high glass with the inside dug out  when I was at agriculture college in the1980s there was one there we went down three steps into it  it was used to grow succulents  in summer and over winter tender shrubs and plants in winter   jezza
Title: Re: Sunken greenhouse
Post by: snowdrops on August 13, 2017, 20:50
Old Victorian greenhouses were often partially set in the ground, you went down steps to the door.
Title: Re: Sunken greenhouse
Post by: Rhys on August 13, 2017, 23:03
If I dug the floor out in mine, it would probably fill full of water  ::)
Title: Re: Sunken greenhouse
Post by: AlaninCarlisle on August 14, 2017, 21:07
If I dug the floor out in mine, it would probably fill full of water  ::)
I did, and it does
Title: Re: Sunken greenhouse
Post by: New shoot on August 14, 2017, 21:14
Old Victorian greenhouses were often partially set in the ground, you went down steps to the door.

I've seen some like that at West Dean House.  They are melon or cucumber houses where a lot of the work is done in the eves. 

Mind you, in those days they would have had an army of gardeners to dig out and install drainage areas around them.
Title: Re: Sunken greenhouse
Post by: JimB on August 16, 2017, 21:19
.

When I moved into my present house there was a 6x6 greenhouse that was 6inches below the soil and path level, when it rained heavily, 6inches or so of water!

Ps, he was an engineer by profession!

 ::)
Title: Re: Sunken greenhouse
Post by: Rhys on August 17, 2017, 22:23
.

When I moved into my present house there was a 6x6 greenhouse that was 6inches below the soil and path level, when it rained heavily, 6inches or so of water!

Ps, he was an engineer by profession!

 ::)


So he was clever in the fact he designed a self-watering greenhouse  ::) :lol:
Title: Re: Sunken greenhouse
Post by: JimB on August 22, 2017, 15:36
.

Very good!  :D

By the way you should see the different levels of the driveway into the garage!
Title: Re: Sunken greenhouse
Post by: Pimento on September 07, 2017, 12:09
I dug my last one out about 18" and it never filled with water... Loved it. Extra headroom was great and it also felt super-cosy!  :)
Title: Re: Sunken greenhouse
Post by: Tim Inman on September 07, 2017, 15:26
We had a sunken greenhouse at our home in the 1970's. It was wonderful. Here is a book that we used as a resource: Winter Flowers in Greenhouse and Sun-Heated Pit Hardcover – June, 1969
by Kathryn S. Taylor. It is still available via Amazon.
Title: Re: Sunken greenhouse
Post by: Kleftiwallah on May 24, 2018, 19:18
I hae a sunken greenhouse (my construction)  the floor is 2 foot below ground level with raised beds either side so I stand with soil level with my knees (soil held in place with paving slabs).  I would recommend one to all.
Cheers,  Tony.