DIY Winter Garden

The endless summer is an unattainable childhood dream, which becomes a reality thanks to the creation of a winter garden. Having built a winter garden in your house, you can recreate an endless feeling of a joyful carefree era, which is associated with a pleasant rustle of foliage, air filled with the aroma of summer flowers, and spiritual conversations in the evening sky of Augustus. Thanks to the growth and development of innovative technologies, a person got the opportunity to preserve summer under a transparent cap, which will allow you to enjoy lush greenery and a pleasant smell of flowering plants regardless of the time of year. At first glance, the winter garden equipped in a house or cottage is only a beautiful toy that can become a pleasant place to relax, however, everything is much more complicated here, and the winter garden is a complex engineering structure, about the varieties and nuances of the creation of which will be discussed In this article.

Content

1. Winter Garden: Beautiful entertainment or complex design?
2. Greenhouse, greenhouse and winter garden: what's the difference?
3. The Winter Garden Project Charming of Nature within the Elite Interior
4. How to choose the right location of the winter garden?
5. Winter gardens designs: basic requirements
6. Basic designs of the winter garden: types and projects
7. Choosing material for the construction of a winter garden with your own hands
8. Heating of the winter garden. Choosing the most optimal way
9. Winter garden ventilation
10. The lighting system of the winter garden: the main types of lamps
11. Types of gardens depending on cultivated plants
12. Decorative design of the winter garden

Winter Garden: Beautiful entertainment or complex design?

The winter garden is a specialized engineering and technical design, which is part of a residential building and is a room intended for accommodation, as well as plant growing.

Moreover, from the point of view of professionals, the winter garden is not only a collection assembly of plants, but also an artificial landscape within the framework of living space, which can perform the functions of the pool and the space of the green living room. An equally relevant definition of the phrase the winter garden is the following: it is a complex structure, the constituent elements of which are vertically oriented or inclined surfaces, which are characterized by the most diverse form.

Winter garden photo

Greenhouse, greenhouse and winter garden: what's the difference?

Since the winter garden represents an intermediate zone between the natural environment and the man -made space of the living room, it makes sense to talk about the distinctive features of the winter garden, greenhouses and greenhouses. The main difference between the winter garden and the greenhouse is that the purpose of the latter is limited to the cultivation of plants in specially created conditions, which determines the organization of the greenhouse separately from the living room. So, for example, the cultivation in the greenhouse of citruses is very common, for which it is necessary to create a special climatic zone, which is not favorable for human living. The main function of the winter garden, on the contrary, is to preserve plants and create a microclimate comfortable for them during the cold period.

Unlike a greenhouse, a winter garden is a transition zone between a limited environment of living space and a natural environment. In addition, the winter garden is considered one of the ways of passive heating of the dwelling due to the energy of sunlight, which cannot be said about the greenhouse, in view of the lack of its relationship with the house.

The Winter Garden Project Charming of Nature within the Elite Interior

The creation of the Winter Garden project is one of the most successful and original ways to turn an unremarkable atmosphere into an elite interior. Given the fact that the almost unlimited variety of materials presented in the construction market allows you to use the most advanced ones, you get a unique opportunity to create winter gardens with the highest environmental indicators that provide favorable conditions for the vital activity of floristic compositions, as well as a comfortable microclimate in the premises adjacent to the winter garden .

How to choose the right location of the winter garden?

• South. The least successful choice for the location of the winter garden, which is due to excessive premature overheating of plants, which will be a reason for unnecessary costs for arranging a perfect ventilation system and excessive watering. However, there are pluses in the southern location: in the winter season in the garden, oriented to the south, heat will last much longer.
• North. Gardens, invited to the north, are prone to rapid accumulation of heat and, at the same time, to its rapid return. But if you opted for this side of the world, your paramount goal should be to arrange a high -quality heating system.
• West. And here there are pros and cons. The ability to maintain heat, especially valuable in winter, in the summer can become one of the main disadvantages of the winter garden located on the western side.
• East. Having built a translucent structure oriented to the east, you will protect it in advance from premature overheating, providing the most comfortable microclimate for future floristic compositions.

Winter gardens designs: basic requirements

Since the main purpose of the winter gardens is to ensure optimal conditions for plant life, before you engage in the development of the Winter Garden project, we advise you to familiarize yourself with the basic requirements for the structures of winter gardens. They are as follows:

• The ability to effectively maintain heat;
• Absolute transparency, which implies the use of materials that ensure the passage of up to 80 % of sunlight;
• Long -term operational period and anti -corrosion stability of the materials used;
• High bearing capacity of frame materials and their resistance to loads.

Knowing these requirements will allow you to build a winter garden with your own hands, which will not cause you unnecessary concern about the necessary repair of supporting structures.

Basic designs of the winter garden: types and projects

From the point of view of technical safety, the most successful design of the winter garden is a glazed extension to the dwelling, which is associated with it through specially equipped doors. This extension is based on a supporting design, which can be characterized by a wide variety of configuration and manufacture of various materials. Most often used: aluminum, wood, less often steel, as well as their combinations.

Since high loads can operate in winter, the main of which are snow, winter icing, wind, hail and rain, the structure should be highly resistant to such aggressive weight loads. To the greatest extent, this requirement is respected by a frame structure, which implies the support of the farms on vertically located racks, which allows the most evenly distributed loads. It is important to remember that in the case of arranging the roof of a winter garden with a slope, snow can accumulate on it, and in the spring this can cause a thaw of melt water, as a result of which it is difficult to avoid leaks of the roof.

If you prefer to build a winter garden characterized by a large area of \u200b\u200bglazing, you need to know that the main measure of the structure of the structure from the loads is enhancing stiffness, which implies the use of additional frame elements, such as window frames or sliding doors.

Choosing material for the construction of a winter garden with your own hands

Glass

It is the most common type of building material with high bearing capacity. An equally important advantage of glass is its high throughput that guarantees passage up to 98 % of solar energy.

Of the flaws of glass, one can note its high cost, which can be compensated by acquiring glass of lower thickness and increase its strength, enhancing the area of \u200b\u200bmetal frame structures.

No less significant minus of glass is a quick heat transfer, which can be seen, heating the premises of the winter garden to 25 degrees. After a few hours, you will witness a quick drop in temperature.

Polycarbonate

Innovative material, the use of which can significantly reduce the cost of erecting a winter garden. 15 times lighter than glass, polycarbonate, in view of its high transparency, will satisfy all the requirements for building materials for the winter garden. Resistant to corrosion and crack formation, polycarbonate easily changes its initial configuration and has a high bearing capacity.

Double -glazed windows

Currently, the construction of transparent winter gardens is increasingly not without the use of double -glazed windows, which in a short period of time have managed to become the basis of greenhouse construction. The manufacture of double -glazed windows for the construction of greenhouses and winter gardens is carried out similarly to standard double -glazed windows. The garden double -glazed window is based on an aluminum, metal -plastic or wooden profile, holding several sheets of glass of a certain thickness. The processing of all available compounds with sealants is also carried out, which allows you to create a design resistant to aggressive influences of the external environment. In order to carry out competent, from a technical point of view, design of the winter garden, it is recommended to take into account various operating conditions. This involves the use of various types of glasses, which are characterized by various performance characteristics:

• glass -cutting glass;
• energy -saving glass;
• multifunctional glass;
• transparent glass float.

Heating of the winter garden. Choosing the most optimal way

Heating of the winter garden is one of the main parameters of its effectiveness. The most common are electric, gas, water, air and stove heating, as well as heating options, which involve combined use of several physical factors. In most cases, heating is considered in combination with ventilation and is organized taking into account the vital parameters of plants cultivated in the winter garden. The choice of the most optimal heating system is made taking into account the following factors:

• The dimensions of the winter garden. Obviously, the larger the area of \u200b\u200bthe winter garden, the more the need for more heat is traced;
• The frequency of visits to the winter garden. For those gardens where plants that are resistant to low temperatures grow, and you only visit paradise from time to time, with the maintenance of optimal temperature in such a garden, an electric heater will cope;
• Species variety of plants. For example, the optimal temperature regime for tropical plants ranges from 20 to 25 degrees.

Winter garden video

Winter garden ventilation

It should be immediately noted that ventilation and cooling system in the winter garden are two different systems. Air cooling with the help of air conditioning is a short -term measure, necessary for a person’s temporary stay in the winter garden. At the same time, constant air circulation is necessary for the normal life of plants, which is the purpose of installing the ventilation system. Distinguish:

• natural ventilation, which provides for the arrangement of windows, which should account for at least a quarter of the entire area of \u200b\u200bthe walls;
• artificial or mechanical ventilation, which provides for the flow of air through the windows, and the outflow using specially equipped fans.

The lighting system of the winter garden: the main types of lamps

In order to compensate for plants, the winter lack of illumination, it is necessary to take care of the arrangement of the lighting system, the key to which will be the correct choice of lamps. Currently, the choice is quite large:

• The incandescent lamps are the least preferred option, due to the lack of blue light necessary for photosynthesis, in the spectrum of their radiation. In addition, they differ in a high level of thermal energy, the radiation of which can cause a burn of the most sensitive to plant temperature;
• Luminescent lamps are also not the best choice, as they are characterized by high sensitivity to voltage drops;
• Metriculogue lamps, the radiation spectrum of which approaches natural radiation, have the lowest service life, which, in fact, is their only drawback;
• Fitolamps are the most successful choice for creating a winter garden lighting system. Specially designed for plant illumination, they are able to create the most close to the natural light parameters of the microclimate of the winter garden.

We will summarize a small result:

Types of gardens depending on cultivated plants

• The tropical garden, in which thermophilic and moisture -loving plants are cultivated, requiring the temperature regime in the range from 18 to 26 degrees. Among the usual assortment of plants for the Tropical Garden, begonia, diphenbachia, dracaus, ficus and alokasia should be noted, which can be diversified by the new landscapes, whose walking is gaining popularity of tropical vines, heedichium and gloriosis.
• The subtropical garden, the average temperature of which does not exceed 12 degrees, unites palm trees and ficuses, glycines and jacques in one territory. You can’t do without citrus fruits, which will not only become an aesthetic addition to the subtropics, but will also pleasantly delight in the winter with fresh fruits.

Decorative design of the winter garden

From the point of view of designers, the separation of a winter garden into several zones contributes to a significant increase in its functionality. The allocation of three functional zones in the garden will be optimal:

• Decorative, the main purpose of which is to grow plants and create landscape floral compositions. In the space of the decorative zone, you can easily place a small pond, aquarium, small decorative forms and a variety of decorative compositions;
• The recreational zone designed to create a cozy living space and mental gatherings in a friendly company. In the recreational zone, furniture items are placed, the style of which is selected in accordance with the general stylistic direction;
• The communicative zone, which is allocated to all available passages designed to move from one functional zone to another.

The stylistic direction in which the winter garden will be designed depends only on your individual preferences. The most popular styles of the design of the winter garden are:

Classic style

The design of the winter garden in a classic style involves a multi -cage roof, decorated with bright stained glass and curtains. Artificially aged furniture will only complement the charm of classics.

Japanese style

The most suitable option is for connoisseurs of minimalism and peace, praised by Japanese philosophy. The arrangement of the winter garden in the Japanese style is carried out in accordance with the principles of the teachings of Feng Shui, the dogmas of which say that four elements should be present in the garden: earth, water, wood and metal. The arrangement of a reservoir in the winter garden is not an easy task, so we propose to limit ourselves to a decorative mini-waterfall.

Another distinctive feature of the Japanese style is strict geometry, complemented by bonsai decorative colors.

High tech

At first glance, it may seem that the neighborhood of plants and metal objects is not the most favorable, but in practice everything looks completely different. Such a neighborhood is not only organic and functional, but also favorably affects the growth of plants due to a huge amount of light and free space.

Country

It will be the best choice for gardeners who seek mental harmony with nature. An original plaster and an immense amount of greens, wicker chairs and ceramic tiles on the floor are the distinctive features of country style.

Modern

Do you like to save on luxurious decor elements? Modern, as if developed specifically for you. The direction in which a clear unity of styles is traced will delight you with harmoniously combined contrasting combinations, the repeatability of the most profitable motives, the clarity of architectural forms and original vegetation.

If you plan to implement your grandiose plans, arrange your rich imagination and our professional advice and proceed to the embodiment of a dream!