The position of the greenhouse is convenient in our garden and fits a few of the conventional principles:
- The ridge will be positioned east-west
- It will not be overhung or under any future threat of anything overhanging
- It has a nice open aspect
The nearby fences are not an issue. I intend to build a hedge at the rear as a windbreak. I am hoping to make the hedge of fuchsia magellanica from around next April, but there may not prove to be entirely straightforward.
After a little deliberation I opted for an entirely gravel floor to the greenhouse, at least for the initial phase, with flagstones under the frame. The first picture shows things getting started, with some pegs marked up to measure heights from their top by putting a longer piece of wood atop them on which the spirit level can be placed.
The blue bin is holding stones retrieved from the soil which went as hardcore for a drive. The pink waste bag is just a kneeler.
Any turf that was dug out was turned upside down and buried beneath the soil I’m preparing to lawn. This old trick tends to keep weeds down while retaining decent drainage.
The second picture shows the outer flagstones almost complete, and the start of the greenhouse end of the trench for the electric cable. The inner layer of turf was being dug out, then needed levelling and more stones removing prior to putting in a weed fabric liner below the gravel bed. The flagstones are laid on sand and cement, in most cases using what I know as the star or five-point method, i.e. just the main blobs of sand and cement mix near the corners and in the centre of each flag. Since they won’t be taking much weight this is ok, but on the front end, nearest to the camera in the photos, as they will get more walking on, sand and cement was layered in.
By the way, anyone interested in general points about building greenhouses might find one of the articles I’ve written about greenhouse gardening useful, which touches on some of the general planning ideas.