Why Greenhouses Are a Gardener’s Best Friend
Looking for a way to grow plants all year round? You can do that with a greenhouse in your yard! These structures offer a great way to garden while protecting flowers or vegetables from pests and the elements, allowing you to grow in all seasons.
You can also customize your growing space with greenhouse designs, making yours as functional or visually appealing as you want. In fact, a greenhouse DIY project can end up adding curb appeal to your property thanks to a combination of beauty and function.
Not sure where to start in terms of design? We’ve got plenty of greenhouse ideas to share with you for inspiration!
30+ Beautiful and Practical Greenhouse Ideas
From traditional and simple to decorative and modern, check out the following ideas for greenhouse designs.
Modern Greenhouse Designs
Build a beautiful greenhouse using metal and glass for an urban or contemporary style. Black accents on a wood greenhouse with glass panels or polycarbonate panels can also give it a modern look. The key to modern styles is a sleek frame and streamlined design.
1. 8×10 Modern Wood Frame Greenhouse Plan
Gabled roof and modern wood offer a contemporary greenhouse design.
2. 8×12 Modern Polycarbonate Greenhouse with Built-in Shelves
Sleek lines and a streamlined design provide a modern look.
3. 8×12 Modern Wood and Polycarbonate Lean-To Greenhouse
Modern wood frame and polycarbonate panels create a sleek, stylish design.
Pretty Greenhouses for Flower Displays
Use greenhouse landscaping ideas to build a beautiful structure that’s perfect for showing off your flower displays. Include vines to give your greenhouse a more natural look, or choose a design that allows floral overflow for a visually striking effect. Explore pretty greenhouse ideas using pastels or vivid colors that complement your flowers.
4. Wood Greenhouse with Hanging Vines
Vines twining around greenhouse frames add visual appeal.
5. Stained Glass Floral Greenhouse
Stained glass creates a stunning greenhouse for displaying flowers.
Greenhouses with Raised Beds or Benches
A DIY greenhouse with raised garden beds gives you a great place to grow and work comfortably without having to do a lot of kneeling or bending down. Built-in benches or seats provide convenient places to take a break or sit, combining workspace with seating.
6. 8×10 Wood Greenhouse with Built-In Raised Garden Beds
Raised garden beds offer convenient, ergonomic gardening.
7. DIY Greenhouse with Built-in Garden Beds Plan
Built-in gardening beds provide a more efficient way to grow vegetables or flowers.
Greenhouse-Shed Combos
Trying to maximize the use you get out of your greenhouse? Consider combining it with a shed for additional workspace and convenient storage for tools and gardening supplies. You’ll be able to garden and work on other projects all in one space!
8. 8×15 Greenhouse-Shed with Storage and Gardening Shelves
Large greenhouse-shed offers ample storage and workspace areas for more functional gardening.
9. 12×12 DIY Greenhouse-Shed With Built-in Shelves and Storage
Spacious and stylish greenhouse-shed provides plenty of storage space and built-in shelves for convenience.
10. Wood and Siding Greenhouse-Potting Shed with White Accents
Elegant white door and accents create a visually striking greenhouse-potting shed.
Budget DIY Greenhouse Ideas
Looking for budget-friendly greenhouse designs? Gather supplies you have lying around, like old doors and windows, to make a self-built greenhouse. A homemade greenhouse is a great way to spend the weekend, creating a practical place to grow flowers and vegetables in any outdoor space.
11. Greenhouse Made of Old Windows
Repurposed windows make an affordable DIY greenhouse project.
Vintage windows give DIY greenhouses extra charm.
12. Greenhouse Made With PVC
PVC provides an affordable and effective material for DIY greenhouses.
Small Greenhouse Ideas for Patios & Balconies
Need a greenhouse design for a tight space or to do some urban gardening? Compact cold frame styles and lean-to designs are good options for building a greenhouse in limited space, such as on your patio or a corner of your yard. You can even build a mini greenhouse for your balcony!
13. Cold Frame Greenhouse
Cold frame style offers a perfect place for urban gardening or smaller spaces.
14. 6×8 DIY Compact Lean-To Style Greenhouse Plan
Compact DIY backyard greenhouse with built-in garden beds and a lean-to style offers efficient gardening.
15. Mini Balcony Greenhouse with Glass Panels
Sleek and space-saving, this greenhouse is perfect for apartment dwellers or anyone with a compact outdoor area. Glass doors and shelves create the ideal environment for herbs and small plants, while keeping your balcony stylish and clutter-free.
Greenhouses That Stay Warm in Winter
It’s possible to keep a greenhouse warm in winter, even if you live in a colder climate. It just takes a bit of planning, like finding ways to keep it heated or ensure plenty of sunlight for solar energy. Insulated plastic panels or rain barrels that boost thermal mass are great options for heating up a greenhouse. Consider positioning your greenhouse so that the longest side faces south, providing better solar gain for warmth in winter.
16. Solar Greenhouse with Rain Barrels for Thermal Mass
Rain barrels increase thermal mass to keep greenhouses heated in winter.
17. Greenhouse with Rocket Stove for Heating
Rocket stoves offer efficient heating for greenhouses in winter.
Affordable and Easy-to-Build Greenhouses
It’s usually cheaper to build your own greenhouse, especially if you save on materials and supplies. An easy DIY greenhouse with a hoop house design or a pallet frame offers budget-friendly options. You can also save money using materials you already have or choosing wood that’s less expensive, such as pine or Douglas fir, rather than redwood or cedar.
18. Pallet Frame Greenhouse
Simple pallet frame designs offer affordable DIY greenhouses that are easy to build.
19. Hoop House Greenhouse
Provides a budget-friendly DIY greenhouse for simple weekend projects.
Unique & Creative Greenhouse Designs
Cool greenhouse ideas can give you inspiration for building your own creative structure for growing flowers or vegetables. Unconventional shapes, like spirals, add aesthetic appeal. Or consider building a vintage upcycled greenhouse or exploring other unique greenhouse ideas to come up with your own design.
20. Greenhouse Frame with Intricate Decorative Design
Ornamental wood frame cuts create eye-catching designs and add charm to DIY greenhouses.
21. Vintage Greenhouse with Repurposed Windows
Vintage upcycled windows create an old-world look.
22. Triangular Greenhouse Design
Unusual shapes give greenhouses an eye-catching appearance.
Rustic Greenhouse Designs
Using natural materials, such as untreated wood or stone, gives greenhouses an organic, rustic look that adds tons of visual appeal and charm to your yard. Despite being an enclosed structure, these greenhouse styles blend in more with natural surroundings, making them a great choice to build near trees or shrubs.
23. DIY Wood and Stone Greenhouse with Gabled Roof
A wood and stone combination offers a charming, rustic design.
24. Reclaimed Wood Greenhouse
Beautiful reclaimed wood adds a rich yet cozy texture.
25. Cabin-style Wood Greenhouse
A quaint cabin-like design gives greenhouses a classic, woodsy appeal.
Spacious Greenhouses for High-Yield Planting
Looking for greenhouse ideas that provide plenty of space to grow a large garden? Bigger greenhouses give you the space needed to grow multiple types of vegetables and flowers or focus on growing high-yield crops to load up your pantry. With so much space, you also have more flexibility in terms of layouts for your plants and gardens.
26. 10×12 Greenhouse with Built-in Gardening Shelves Plan
Spacious layout and built-in shelves offer convenience and plenty of room.
27. 10×16 Greenhouse with Raised Garden Beds Plan
Large layout and built-in raised garden beds provide ergonomic gardening.
28. 12×16 DIY Greenhouse with Garden Beds Plan
Built-in garden beds and a huge layout provide tons of space for growing vegetables and flowers.
Energy-Efficient Geodesic Dome Greenhouses
Geodesic or geodome greenhouses have surface areas that offer better energy efficiency, saving you money on keeping your structure cool or warm as needed. These greenhouses allow you to grow plants in all seasons, while also providing enhanced durability and protection from extreme temperatures and inclement weather.
29. Self-Built Geodome Greenhouse
Geodesic design offers improved energy efficiency and year-round growing ability.
30. DIY Wood Geodesic Greenhouse
Wood geodome shape allows for more even light distribution and better heat retention.
31. Alder-Framed Geodesic Greenhouse
Alder wood geodome greenhouse offers natural water resistance, durability, and aesthetic appeal.
Planning Tips Before You Build
You can build a simple greenhouse with the right materials and an ideal location. Choose a spot for it that provides easy access, plenty of sunlight, and protection from high winds. For materials, consider wood and/or metal for the frame and either glass or polycarbonate panels to allow sunlight in. To build your own greenhouse, choose a simple design, construct the frame, and add panels and a roof. Now let’s go over some commonly asked questions about these gardening structures.
FAQs: Greenhouse Planning & Design
- Is it cheaper to build or buy a greenhouse?
Building your own is typically less expensive than buying a pre-made greenhouse or a kit that you assemble. You just have to pay for your materials and tools. - What are the 5 disadvantages of a greenhouse?
- Possible disease and pest problems due to being an enclosed space
- Higher cost to build and set up than traditional gardens
- Higher operating expenses for heating in cold weather
- Regular maintenance is needed, such as keeping panels clean
- Reduced pollination from bees and other natural pollinators due to enclosure
- Do greenhouses work in cold climates?
Yes, you can have a greenhouse in a cold climate as long as you have a way to heat it. - What’s the easiest greenhouse to build?
That may depend on your skills. In general, a portable or mini DIY greenhouse that needs minimal assembly is the simplest type to build. - Can I grow year-round in a DIY greenhouse?
If you have the right conditions, you can grow throughout the year. That means having a way to heat your greenhouse and provide lighting as needed on short winter days.
