A winter garden in a private house, on a balcony or a summer house is something that can warm you on long winter evenings. If you want to create this non-trivial place to relax, you will have to seriously try, because such an idea requires attention at all stages of implementation. If you take into account all the nuances at the very beginning, then caring for the winter garden in a private house will be your favorite pastime. With the help of our article you can learn more about all the details of the arrangement of this highlight of the interior.
Main characteristics and features of the winter garden
The winter garden is a room whose purpose is quite specific. In order for the plants for the winter garden not to wither in the first year of existence, it is necessary to choose a suitable place, think out a heating and water supply system, and also make the use of sunlight and heat as rational as possible. The ideal room for this is a glass structure with a metal frame. Sometimes the winter garden has a peculiar continuation in the form of a terrace.
The benefits of the winter garden
Contrary to popular belief, plants for the winter garden do not grow separately from the house, but in a room adjacent to it, which is protected from the negative effects of the atmosphere by a wall and a glass roof.
Beautiful and pleasantly smelling flowers are not only beauty, but also good for a person. Plants for the winter garden are useful for several reasons:
- enriching your home with oxygen;
- protect your home from dust and chemicals;
- the emergence of a new hobby in the form of plant care;
- A place to relax in the cold of winter.
In order to please yourself with a winter garden, it is not necessary to have a huge house with a large quadrature. You can plant plants that are pleasant to you on an insulated loggia.
The history of the emergence of winter gardens
Winter gardens in private homes appeared a long time ago. According to historical data, the appearance of the first winter gardens in the world dates from the 4th century BC. This is clearly evidenced by wall paintings in Ancient Egypt with the image of plants for the winter garden. The flowers on the windowsills were the first in history to be placed by the followers of the ancient Egyptians - the ancient Romans. One of the indicators of prosperity among the ancient Romans was peristyle. It was a kind of garden in the middle of the building, surrounded on all sides by columns.
In European countries, the first winter gardens appeared only in the XI century. One of the kings of Holland by the name of William arranged a flower greenhouse right in his palace. Soon in Europe, the so-called orange houses began to appear, which all year round pleased citizens with flowering citrus plants.
The Versailles greenhouse of King Louis XIV has survived to this day and is considered one of the most beautiful in history. Also, the beautiful conservatory of those times can be called the greenhouse of the Potsdam Palace of Sanssouci. In the XVIII century, the fashion for citrus fruits was replaced by a fashion for plants from the tropics. Having a winter garden was considered a luxury until the 19th century, but later Nathaniel Ward made the first successful attempt to grow flowers and trees under a glass dome.
In the middle of the XIX century, the Englishman Joseph Paxton built the so-called Crystal Palace, which became the ancestor of modern winter gardens.
Currently, the winter garden is no longer a luxury item. If desired, it can be located on the terrace or even on the balcony.
Similarities and differences between conservatory and conservatory
The principle and design of the winter garden, greenhouse and greenhouse is similar, but certain differences still exist. The purpose of these premises is to cultivate plants in the winter in the area between the living room and the street. The greenhouse and the greenhouse are independent buildings, and the winter garden is, rather, a continuation of the living quarters.
The purpose of the greenhouse is to grow various crops, but only until a certain period. In the greenhouse, mainly exotic plants are grown, for example, citrus fruits, tropical flowers or orchids. Suitable conditions are created for these plants with increased humidity and temperature, which are simply unacceptable to the human body. You will not be able to be in the greenhouse for a long time, even with all the desire, because breathing there is quite difficult.
Features of the winter garden
The purpose of the winter garden on the site or at home is to enjoy and enjoy the pleasant environment that greens give, at any time of the year, regardless of weather conditions. It is very important to create a favorable climate in the winter garden, in which both the person and the plant will be quite comfortable. It is impossible to create a favorable environment in the winter garden if you do not follow all the rules of improvement and construction.
It is worthwhile to clearly understand the difference between a winter garden and a greenhouse, which serves to grow vegetable crops and rare plant species. Separate concepts such as a flower greenhouse and a winter garden, because in the first case, temperature and humidity are not suitable for humans, but ideal for plants.
Date palm in the winter garden
How to grow a date palm at home? This question is being visited by some winter garden owners. This plant is not capricious, and if you follow simple recommendations, your work will pay off handsomely.
When choosing a place for a date palm tree, it is worth remembering that although she loves the light, it is not worthwhile to allow direct sunlight to fall on it, otherwise burns will occur on the leaves.
The temperature in the room where the palm tree grows should be maintained from 12 to 18 degrees. A pot with a date palm tree should be placed near a window or wall in the winter garden to maintain a cool temperature near the plant.
In winter, keep the palm tree away from heat sources, otherwise the tips of the leaves will dry out. In summer, you can spray the plant from a spray bottle, and wipe adult leaves with a damp cloth.
How to germinate the seeds of dates? Take the seed of the plant and carefully make an incision so that the plant sprouts faster. The date seed sprouts better at a depth of one centimeter in peat or moss. The temperature in the room should be from 20 to 30 degrees, the time of seed germination - from 3 months to six months.
Aloe
Aloe vera is an unpretentious home plant, it is the best suited for cultivation in the winter garden. Only two conditions must be observed: good drainage and protection from direct sunlight. The plant can rot from the abundance of water, so watch out for watering.
Fern
This plant does not require special conditions and feels great both on the street and indoors.
If your greenhouse is humid enough, the fern will certainly grow, turning your small winter garden into a Jurassic park
There are several types of fern suitable for a winter garden:
- curly fern;
- bony fern;
- tern fern;
- nephrolepis.
Orange tree at home
One of the most common plants grown in conservatories is beautiful and vibrant orange trees. If you are serious about ennobling your winter garden, then buy a kilogram of oranges at the nearest store and start growing your own slice of citrus paradise!
The seed of the orange itself is covered on the outside with a hard shell that simultaneously protects it from damage, and on the other hand prevents its germination. Do not use dry seeds to grow orange trees, because making them hatch is quite difficult.
In order for the orange seeds to sprout, you must:
- rinse them in warm water;
- soak for 8-12 hours;
- plant in peat or loose soil to a depth of 1 cm under an airtight film.
Until the seed begins to germinate, it is better to store the container in a warm and dark place with good ventilation and humidity level. It takes only a month and a half to take out the containers to the light.
Rhododendron
Rhododendron is a beautiful artisanal plant, some species of which endure persistent frosts, and some coexist perfectly in greenhouses and conservatories.
If you plan to plant rhododendron in your conservatory, opt for more thermophilic varieties of this plant, for example:
- Indian Rhododendron;
- Japanese Rhododendron;
- dense rhododendron;
- Rhododendron Smirnov.
The most comfortable temperature for growing rhododendron is 10-15 ° C. The extreme heat point for these plants is 18 ° C, if the temperature gets higher, the plant may begin to grow uncontrollably. Do not place rhododendron in direct sunlight, because he does not like it.
For the cultivation of rhododendron, the dark, cool corners of the greenhouse are most optimal.
Winter garden at your home
The winter garden is a rather complicated design both from the technical and engineering side. It is designed to protect plants from environmental influences, maintain a comfortable environment for both humans and flowers and trees. When designing a winter garden, the following conditions must be met:
- constant temperature in the room;
- regular intake of fresh air;
- optimal humidity;
- tightness of the glazed room.
The winter garden, regardless of its location, should be a transparent, illuminated, aesthetic, sustainable design. We can distinguish several of its conditional zones:
- communicative, through which the house is connected to the garden;
- recreational, where relaxation and meeting with guests are supposed;
- decorative, where the plants themselves are located;
- official where fertilizers are located.
There are quite a few conservatory projects where the latter are part of the living space, but glass outbuildings and loggias are much more popular.
The layout of the winter garden as an extension to the house
If you want to attach this building to the house, then you need to not only think about the size and trees for the winter garden, but also about its location.
It is better to place a winter garden on the east side of the house. The design will not overheat, and the plants will receive the solar energy they need from the morning soft sun.
If it is not possible to arrange a winter garden on the eastern side of the house, try the western one. There will be much more solar energy, but this can be compensated by increasing the amount of watering.
It is widely believed that the south is less suitable for the location of the conservatory. On the one hand, this is so, and the south side can really contribute to overheating of plants. In order to avoid the negative effects of high temperatures, you need to increase the amount of moisture and air. The advantages of the southern location include the preservation of high temperature in the winter.
Varieties of Gardens
Flowers for the winter garden can grow in structures of the following type:
- Buffer - a glazed part of a house or apartment. Example: balcony or vestibule.
- A winter garden in a private house is a specially equipped room that can be used as a dining room or living room.
- A home greenhouse is a place not associated with the house and used to cultivate tropical plants.
- Garden-annex to the house is rectangular in shape. One of the most popular types of winter garden. Has a hollow glass roof.
- Winter garden angular view. It can be equipped with an extension to the outer corner of the house.
- Two-front extension. This is a winter garden, equipped on the basis of the internal corner of the house with a gable, four-beam or combined roof.
- The three-facade design is one of the most cost-effective lighting solutions. Three of the four walls of the structure - glass, the fourth acts as the basis.