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Where should I place my first greenhouse?

ashtonlisagreenashtonlisagreen Posts: 7
edited August 2020 in Garden design
i have a long thin garden with high fences on all sides, it is 38 feet by 14 feet. My house is on the north side with an 8 foot patio. The neighbor has two tall juniper trees to the southwest, and the other neighbor has an apple tree which hang over the middle of the garden to the east, covering it halfway. On the south side of the garden are a few smaller trees with ivy growing on them. I was able to remove some of this to get light in, and I think I could remove more. 

The south side of the garden slopes downward towards the north for the back 15 feet, and the rest of the garden is flat from there to the house. I currently have three vegetable beds, but I don’t mind putting the greenhouse on top of one. I intend to use a perimeter base as I do not own the house. The greenhouse is 6x8 feet. I am in London. 

I am am currently considering putting it north to south on the west side of the garden, anywhere from the patio to where the slope starts. 

Suggestions on where it should or shouldn’t go and why?
right side of the photo is west 


Photo taken from south, right side of photo is east. 

Here is another photo from the north (right side is west) before planting.
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  • ashtonlisagreenashtonlisagreen Posts: 7
    edited August 2020
    *typo fixed  - last photo right side is west
  • ashtonlisagreenashtonlisagreen Posts: 7
    philippasmith2 said:
    What do you intend to use your GH for ?  Raising plants for the garden, overwintering tender plants or growing summer veg ( toms, Cues, etc. ) ?
    You are somewhat limited but you are also entitled to cut back all the Apple tree which overhangs your garden.  This would give you more light.  Perhaps have a word with the Apple neighbour and/or your landlord regarding this.  If the response is positive, it gives you a wee bit more scope. 
    A little bit of everything I think. Starting seeds and extending the growing season for tomatoes and  peppers. 

    I hadnt thought to cut back the apple tree. This is a good idea! I might like to leave a bit of it but it doesn’t produce many apples anyway (it seems it hasn’t been pruned in a long time). If I could cut it back, would it be better to have the greenhouse near it? Or is the west side better? 
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    Generally speaking, the thinking is to site in the sunniest position possible , especially if you're planning on growing tomatoes. 
    As it says in the advice here
    https://www.gardenersworld.com/plants/siting-a-greenhouse/ ,
    another thing is to consider how easy it will be to get to in various situations,  sudden downpours,  etc.

  • HeliosHelios Posts: 232
    edited August 2020
    Mine goes against the ‘rules’ and is on the west side with the ridge running east to west. It works for me because I grow tomatoes in the greenhouse mainly on the south facing sunny side yet still have a slightly shadier side to the north for anything that doesn’t require so much heat and direct sunshine. As Phillipa suggests, I use shading down the sunny south side only if the sun is very strong. 
  • CeresCeres Posts: 2,698
    Another thing to consider is falling apples. You may have to protect the roof of your greenhouse with some sort of rigid construction if you site it near the apple tree.
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    Other things to consider are the need, or not, to create a path to it, nearness to water supply and how much it will interrupt views of the garden which could be a bonus if you want to tuck behind the greenhouse things like compost bins and water butts that you don’t want to see from the house.

    And related to that last point, greenhouses with some kind of solid wall below bench height rather than glass all the way to the ground allow you to hide from view unsightly things like bags of compost and tottering piles of flower pots.
    Rutland, England
  • ashtonlisagreenashtonlisagreen Posts: 7
    Thanks all for such great points. I will watch where the apple tree shades today and try to cut back where best to give the northwest quarter of the garden the most sun, I will probably run north to south, as this is seems standard but also fits best with the thin nature of the garden. How much room should I leave between the fence and the wall of the greenhouse?

    We got the greenhouse (for free!!) on Nextdoor (had to dismantle ourselves) and there are two split panes. Also, any recommendations for things to consider/suppliers when replacing the panes would be welcome.
  • HeliosHelios Posts: 232
    I’ve got slabs on the ground between mine and the fence. When we constructed it I made sure to leave enough room to allow me to get in behind to clear any weeds etc. I’ve put on weight since then....either that or the greenhouse has moved.
  • ashtonlisagreenashtonlisagreen Posts: 7
    BenCotto said:
    Other things to consider are the need, or not, to create a path to it, nearness to water supply and how much it will interrupt views of the garden which could be a bonus if you want to tuck behind the greenhouse things like compost bins and water butts that you don’t want to see from the house.

    And related to that last point, greenhouses with some kind of solid wall below bench height rather than glass all the way to the ground allow you to hide from view unsightly things like bags of compost and tottering piles of flower pots.
    These are very good points to consider also, the greenhouse is glass all the way to the ground so I think I may make a burlap cover for some areas of the bottom shelf, to hide compost bags and things, and put a water butt and compost bin behind it. I use a watering can at the moment but am looking to upgrade by putting gutters on the greenhouse and using a water butt. 
  • AnniDAnniD Posts: 12,585
    I should leave enough space so that you can access the fence panel and have room to manoeuvre to treat it if necessary. 
    Congratulations on getting a freebie,  hope you took careful note of the various sections and nuts and bolts etc. With luck you will have got the assembly instructions or at least the make and model number. 
    The best place for replacement panels is a glass supplier who will cut to size, being in London you should be able to find a local one without too much difficulty. 
    Good luck with the assembly,  make sure you have plenty of tea/coffee/biscuits to hand  :)
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