Where to see and touch a greenhouse before buying?

[singleseeder]

I want to buy a greenhouse and have checked out quite a bit of info on 'tinterweb' but where can I see some in the 'flesh'? There aren't many things of that price that you would buy unseen surely?

I've been to a few garden centres and DIY sheds and have only been able to look at some in B&Q

Does anyone around here know where I can see some please? Thanks

[Two_Sheds]

other people's gardens? (it's best on a bike, you see loads of gardens by bike)
If you see one you like, knock on the door and ask where they got it. Like you say, it's a big investment

[vikkib]

other people's gardens? (it's best on a bike, you see loads of gardens by bike)
If you see one you like, knock on the door and ask where they got it. Like you say, it's a big investment

Good thinking! Along the same lines you could try and pop down to some local allotments. There are a variety of green houses on the lotties near us.

[nick the grief]

I want to buy a greenhouse and have checked out quite a bit of info on 'tinterweb' but where can I see some in the 'flesh'? There aren't many things of that price that you would buy unseen surely?

I've been to a few garden centres and DIY sheds and have only been able to look at some in B&Q

Does anyone around here know where I can see some please? Thanks

if you were round the midlands I'd say gardeners world live or Malvern but I don't know what shows they have in your neck of the woods.

I've got two greenhouses one is an AGL - cheap but the frame is pretty flimsy when you take the glass out and if you remove some fo the glass (like i did this year to do some work in there) the rest moved and it was a pig to re-align.

The other one is an Elite - more expensive (same size as the AGL is about twice as much) but the frame is a lot sturdier and doesn't rely on the glass so much to stiffen the thing up. Also with the Elite you can have it modified when you order it ( mine sits one an 18" wall so the sides are about 6ft 6" tall) but that's extra and you can have wider double doors.

Hope it helps and good look, you won't regret it ... till you fill it and have to get another one

[m2gdh]

Check your PMs.

[Snadger]

You could come and cuddle mine if you llike!

Trouble is it's lashed together from window frames and an assortment of glass!

[singleseeder]

You could come and cuddle mine if you llike!

Trouble is it's lashed together from window frames and an assortment of glass!

Ooh... that's the best offer I've had all day!

I've seen pictures of your 'estate' and have been trying to guess where it is. Loved your coldframe. The window frame option certainly sits with my ethics but unfortunately my skills fall way too short. I do rescue and recycle as much as I can though.

Thanks to the rest of you guys for your ideas too. I have so much to do to this place that I've moved into that my mind keeps wandering.

[m2gdh]

I have just been in your situation: in fact today I finally tighten all the bolts add the downpipes and fix it to the ground.

I hope my experience is in someway helful.

I wanted to go see and touch as well - but all I could manage locally was a typical 8x6 aliminium GH in a friend of a friend's garden, which reminded me of the one my dad had until the hurricane of 87 !

Above all it convinced me that 8x6 was not going to be big enough, and, I needed to up my budget and get something more substantial that would last and tolerate the high winds around here. Originally I had budgeted for £600. excluding staging and vents extras etc.

I did lots and lots of surfing and ended up getting a Hercules Bleinheim from the green house people

After looking at their website and requesting a brochure - I decided to "believe" their promise of help rather than a hard sell.

I am nothing if not thorough and after VERY LONG chats with anyone who would talk to me I bought over the phone w/o seeing one ! Without exception I found all the staff; very helpful and knowledgeable. At no point did I get any hard sell. This was scary though as £600 plus is a lot of £££ - even more so if you are buying w/o touching !

In the end I got a 12x8 as it was on a super special offer and not vastly more than the 8x8. This still meant going way way over budget - but it came with toughened glass - powder coating - guttering, louvres, and the selfopening vent thingies all included. The only thing not included was the "fixi it to the ground kit" for a woppin £5 - but I didn't need that.

Alas this means no posy staging and am going to make my own - which at least means water will run off it easily !.

I do know that TGHP display at the big gardening shows: it would be worth checking with them if there are any happening that you could get to.

NOt knowing what to expect I was moon with the finished GH and have no regrets - it looks and feels superb. It is rock solid too.
The friends who helped me put it together were a civil engineer and a skilled lead worker: both were totally impressed by the build quality as am I. My gardening guru friiend has even decided she will get one of these instead of a Robinsons.

The neighbour's wife also gave it her seal of approval [phew!] saying it was like a conservatory - and it is, cos its where I shall now be listening to the footy on saturday afternoons. I digress ....

So, based on my experiences I can recommend www.greenhousepeople.co.uk for service and help etc. If it fits your budget consider the Hercules Blenheim. Obviously if you can get to see one better still.

Finally, my thanks to everyone on this forum who recommended biting the bullet and buying as big as you can possibly affor: I am so glad I heeded that advice - even if means my plants are on the floor or on wobbly staging !

Hope this has helped and if u want any more info feel to PM me.