2015-12-25 301
Content
A room filled with flowering plants is a cozy place where you can comfortably work and have a good rest. Making a winter garden is not very difficult, but necessary decide on the technical requirements, the materials used and, of course, the location.
Winter Garden: design features
Thermal calculations
Thermal calculations take into account numerous parameters and data. Such calculations should be made at the very beginning of the design, and should take into account everything from the materials needed to build it, to the number of people who are constantly in it.
It is necessary to provide for the heat output of the additional equipment installed in the room, the heat calories needed to heat the ventilation systems.
The calculation system includes the heat flow produced by all garden heaters, the consumption of heat energy per hour and per heating season.
Performing the correct thermal calculation in the future can reduce the cash costs for space heating and the trouble-free operation of the entire heating system.
Winter garden lighting
Lighting is of great importance in the winter garden, it is necessary for a comfortable existence for both plants and people. Therefore, construction is carried out using transparent materials that transmit light well.
At night, special attention is paid to decorative lighting: spotlights and directional lights. Such light sources can freely translate their luminous flux in the desired direction.
If the garden is built with an opaque roof, then the green spaces need lighting, for which special lamps are used.
Ventilation and heating system
A properly selected ventilation system will ensure good growth and flowering for plants in the winter garden. Installed system ventilation is usually divided into:
- Natural (a simple system, which is usually based on windows and vents that open for ventilation, sometimes additional holes are made in the walls and roof of the building. It can be used when the ceiling reaches 2.5 m, and the temperature difference with the street is 5 degrees);
- Artificial (performed using installed fans. Such a system is usually made individually for a particular room).
Modern ventilation systems are made specifically for installation in a winter garden and can study all the data using computer programs and independently choose the best option for plant ventilation.
Heating for a home garden is carried out taking into account the climate of the region, the size of the building and its shape. As a result, the necessary temperature conditions are created in the room, which can reduce the formation of condensate.
Do-it-yourself design and decoration of a winter garden in a private house
Design solutions used to design a winter garden depend on the area occupied by the premises, on the design features, and on the type of plants growing in it.
The walls of the building are made of transparent material, usually it is either glass or transparent plastic, the floor can be varied, but it must be covered with a material that does not rot, it can be a polypropylene carpet.
Wicker furniture can be considered an ideal option for garden furniture, but plastic furniture is also an acceptable option.
The design of a winter garden in a private house involves the use of various sculptures, fountains, mini-, aquariums and more. But the most important, of course, will be those that are planted in tubs, planters, etc.
Winter garden in a private house on the veranda
Creating a garden for plants on the veranda does not require special expenses. Natural light enters through the glazed roof and walls of the building. The most ordinary veranda can change its purpose, a winter garden in a private house will only require the installation of a ventilation system that does not allow condensate to collect in winter and prevent plants from drying out in summer.
Winter garden on the roof of a private house
In this case, there is no need to fill the foundation. The assembly of the frame is carried out similarly to ground structures. To ensure a good snow and water runoff from the roof of such a garden, it is necessary to make a roof with an inclination angle of at least 30 degrees, with a direction to the outside.
The type of doors installed in the building is planned depending on where the entrance will be from. When the entrance to the garden is located in the house, then you need to consider options for stairs and railings, and any door can be installed. If the entrance is planned from the side of the street, then it is better to use warm sliding systems.
The vents in such a building perform the function of ventilation, so their number should contribute to the constant circulation of air.
Do you live in your own country house and, due to the harsh climate, lack warmth and “greenery”? Would you like to have the opportunity to relax or communicate with family and guests in a warm place, among exotic flowers and plants, even in the most severe January frosts? Do you want to grow vegetables for yourself all year round? Then you need a room or building inside which you can create your own little ecosystem. Making a winter garden with your own hands is not easy, but it is quite possible. The main thing is to know how, with what and from what it is built.
The winter garden is a room in which conditions are created that are favorable for growing various plants, regardless of the time of year and the temperature "overboard". In its function, such a structure is very similar to a greenhouse or greenhouse, but there are differences between them. Firstly, the winter garden is aimed not so much at vegetable crops as at flowers, ornamental plants and fruit trees. Secondly, such a room should be beautiful - it was created for a person to receive aesthetic pleasure, to relax and receive guests. This difference gives rise to another, third - the temperature, humidity and other parameters inside the winter garden should be comfortable not only for plants, but also for humans. Fourthly, such a room is usually created not separately, but as an extension to a residential building. Often, a winter garden is combined with a kitchen or turned into a living room.
Important! It is also worth noting that the winter garden is also used to preserve in autumn and winter those ornamental plants that are outside in the summer in an open area.
Due to its features and main function, such a room must meet certain requirements.
- Sealing tightness. With the exception of window vents and other ventilation systems, there should be no places in the winter garden from where air from the street gets inside and where heat exchange with the external environment takes place. The room must maintain favorable conditions for heat-loving plants even in the coldest weather and at the same time with as little energy as possible for heating. Therefore, it must be airtight - no extra slots and gaps.
- Availability of effective ventilation. If tightness in such a garden is necessary in winter, then at the height of summer this can become a problem - a room with transparent walls and a roof can heat up to very high temperatures, which is not acceptable for some plants. Therefore, you need a fairly effective ventilation that will allow you to control heat exchange with the external environment and direct fresh air flows into the winter garden. It is desirable that such a system works in automatic mode.
winter garden shape
Let's move on to the consideration of individual parameters of the winter garden, such as the materials used in the construction, the heating and lighting systems used, etc. Let's start with the shape, which for such a room can be very unusual. There are a large number of winter garden designs, we have summarized the most common in the table.
Table. Winter gardens are the main forms.
| Form type | Description |
|---|---|
| The simplest form. Therefore, it is well suited for self-construction. Make the angle of the roof slope large enough so that snow does not accumulate on the winter garden lining in winter. |
| The number of roof slopes has been increased to two. Good for building on the south side of the house. A winter garden of this form can be made very long in length. |
| A complicated version of the previous one, it has a more attractive appearance. |
| The number of corners in such a design can be changed. Well suited for a winter garden with a "round" plant layout. During construction, strict control over the position of individual elements of the frame is required. |
| The same as the usual shed form, but attached to the corner of the building. In this case, you need to choose the right place that will be well lit during the day. |
| A more complex design, but at the same time attractive externally and unusual in terms of internal layout. |
| A rare and very complex form of the winter garden. Most often, in such cases, one of the rooms of the house, for example, the kitchen or dining room, is combined with a room with decorative flowers and trees. |
| Simple building, installed separately. It can be supplemented with extensions from the middle or from one of the edges. Requires high-quality insulation from all sides, especially from the north. |
| A subspecies of the previous version, but with a roof of a more complex shape. |
| A garden of this design is suitable for areas with relatively little rainfall in winter. Otherwise, the risk of roof collapse increases significantly. |
Sheathing and frame materials of the winter garden
Let's move on from the shape of the winter garden to what it is made of. Materials for such a room can be divided into two groups - sheathing and frame. The first ones include:
- glass;
- double-glazed windows;
- plexiglass;
- monolithic and
Important! Among the skin materials presented above, polyethylene was not mentioned. It is undesirable to use it for a winter garden - the film is very fragile and short-lived. In addition, it does not "keep warm" in severe frosts.
Glass- one of the most common materials used as a winter garden cladding. In itself, it is distinguished by durability and an excellent light transmission rate of 98%. Also, glass stands out for its ease of cleaning - to wash it, just soapy water and a rag (or sponge).
Glass is one of the popular choices.
But at the same time, single glass is fragile and rather heavy. In addition, it has a sufficiently high thermal conductivity for the sheathing material - you will have to spend more fuel to heat the winter garden in cold weather. The glass is installed on the frame by fixing it to the sealant and clamping it with glazing beads or a rubber seal.
Most of the shortcomings of this material are eliminated in double-glazed windows- products that are laminated glass with air gaps between them. Due to the latter, thermal conductivity is significantly reduced - to maintain a comfortable temperature in a winter garden with such a sheathing, an order of magnitude less energy will be required. But such savings are achieved by high initial investments for the purchase of material and its installation on the frame of the building. In addition, double-glazed windows have a large mass and will require the arrangement of a strip foundation made of concrete.
For certain reasons, plexiglass has not received wide distribution as a material for cladding winter gardens, in contrast to monolithic and cellular polycarbonate. Both of its varieties are distinguished by low weight, reasonable cost, good light transmission, as well as ease of processing and installation. Due to the cells filled with air, cellular polycarbonate can be considered the best material in terms of heat loss. But at the same time, he and the monolithic sheets of this polymer have one drawback - over time, under the influence of sunlight, they become cloudy and become brittle. Therefore, the service life of polycarbonate sheathing is limited to 8-10 years.
Important! Also, when using this material, take into account its high coefficient of linear expansion when heated - there must be thermal gaps at the points of fasteners and joints with other sheathing sheets.
Cellular polycarbonate - characteristics
As for the frame, it can be made from the following materials.
- Wood- cheap and easy to process. Requires mandatory painting or protection from decay with an antiseptic. Suitable for small-sized winter gardens attached to a simple country house.
Prices for cellular polycarbonate
cellular polycarbonate
Winter garden heating
After the form and materials, the third most important characteristic of a winter garden is the heating system used in it. See the list below for the available options.
- oven. Relatively cheap coal and firewood are used as fuel. With some skills, the stove used to heat the winter garden can be "fit" into the interior. But such a heating system is suitable only for small rooms and is characterized by uneven heating. In addition, the owner of the winter garden will need to strictly monitor the condition of the furnace and fire safety.
Choose one of the options presented above based on your own preferences, the weather in the area where you live, the size of the winter garden and the budget for construction.
Furnace prices
Ventilation, lighting and watering in the winter garden
In addition to heating, the winter garden includes other life support systems - ventilation, lighting and watering. Constant air circulation in the room can be ensured in several ways.
- With the help of ordinary vents. It is desirable that they occupy up to a quarter of the total area of the winter garden sheathing. To free yourself from the need to waste time and effort on opening and closing each individual sash, install which will automatically control the vents depending on the temperature inside the winter garden.
- With natural ventilation. In this case, one half of the transoms is mounted in the lower part, the second - under the roof of the winter garden. Air exchange between them is provided by the temperature difference.
- With the help of fans installed in the winter garden sheathing. At the same time, it is desirable to mask them so as not to spoil the interior of the room.
Incandescent lamps are not used to illuminate the winter garden - they are too inefficient. This task is best performed by fluorescent, LED or halogen lamps. It is desirable that the wavelength in the visible spectrum emitted by lamps has the best effect on the vital processes of plants.
As for watering, in a winter garden, when there are a large number of plants and sprinklers are unacceptable, only a drip system is suitable - water from a container or from a house is supplied through a system of hoses and droppers, through which moisture enters directly to the roots of each individual crop. With a special controller, watering can be made automatic - you just need to set the duration of work and the time intervals between turning on the system.
Video - Do-it-yourself winter garden
Building a winter garden - step by step instructions
Having familiarized ourselves with the structure of the winter garden and its main systems, we will begin the construction process.
Step 1. Determine the side of the building where the building will be located. It is desirable that the wall be east or west. It is also acceptable to build a conservatory on the south side, but then you will need a very serious ventilation system to keep the temperature inside at an acceptable level in summer.
Step 2 Prepare the construction site - clear it of debris, vegetation and stones. Fill a shallow concrete strip foundation - a support for the structure.
Step 3 Start installing the lower frame trim on the foundation. Between them there must be waterproofing. Check the position of the lower harness with a level, stretched ropes and a tape measure.
Step 4 Then install the vertical and horizontal frame elements related to the walls of the winter garden. Keep connections secure.
In order for the plants to beautifully green the premises, they must be in the center of the room, where in most cases there is not enough light for them. An excellent solution for lovers of indoor plants is the organization of a winter garden - a green area where you can not only place a lot of large and small indoor flowers, but also have a good rest.
In the article you will learn everything about the winter garden in a private house and how to make it yourself. The design of a winter garden in a private house can always be chosen individually.
Photo designs of winter gardens in private homes
Recently, winter gardens have become popular and plant lovers organize huge rooms for flowers.
Possible designs
These rooms are divided into 2 types:
- buffer winter gardens;
- Gardens in a finished living space.
Each type has its own advantages and disadvantages. The design is chosen depending on the layout of the dwelling and the architecture of the private house.
buffer winter garden
This option is an additional room (glazed extension), which is adjacent to the house. Typically, such an extension has translucent walls and a roof, and its own heating system is organized inside. Buffer winter gardens are rectangular and angular.
Not every owner of a private house will like this option. But if the house does not have a room that is suitable in size and lighting, the garden in the annex is an excellent solution.
Building a buffer winter garden is expensive
The buffer winter garden requires additional efforts and funds for the construction of an extension, which in most cases does not harmonize with the architecture of the main building.
Also, good thermal insulation is needed here so that you can relax in such a room not only in summer, but also in winter.
The advantages of buffer structures include their dimensions. It is relatively easy and fast to build such a building, it is not difficult to create the required area of the winter garden.
Winter garden in the living room
Such a garden is usually placed in a ready-made living space, specially reserved for it. It can be a veranda, a spacious loggia, an external or corner room, and even an attic.
It will be pleasant to be here at any time of the year, because, thanks to the heating system, a temperature regime that is comfortable for a person is maintained here. Also, the arrangement of a room with flowers does not affect the appearance of the building in any way and does not require any construction costs.
But of course, placement of a winter garden in a residential area must be planned in advance before starting building a house. This will create a room with comfortable living conditions not only for people, but also for plants. For better lighting, it is desirable to add more glazing elements to the design of the room. And in attics, loggias and on verandas, the arrangement of a translucent roof is practiced.
Organization of heating
The winter garden, located in a residential area, does not require an autonomous heating system. But the garden in the annex during the cold season needs to be heated, since natural solar heat is not enough for plant growth even in a glazed room.
When organizing heating, its location plays a significant role.
The best location is the western and eastern sides of the house. In this case, the room does not overheat in summer, and in winter it accumulates heat well.
A south-facing room needs to be heated weaker, but protected from sunlight in summer.
The most intensive heating in winter is necessary for a room facing north. Also, the choice of heating is influenced by the size of the room and the plants in it.
For heating, you can use:
- Electric heaters;
- Air conditioners;
- Underfloor heating system;
- Central heating radiators.
This article is often read:
Electric heaters suitable for heating only very small winter gardens. They are also commonly used in south-facing rooms, as other locations require more powerful heaters, which are expensive to use. The main disadvantage of this heating method is a significant decrease in humidity, which is unacceptable for many plants.
Using air conditioners the air does not dry out, and it is very easy to regulate the air temperature. But for large structures, powerful air conditioners will be required, which is very expensive. This type of heating is used only for small and medium-sized rooms.
Warm floor allow you to perfectly heat any area, as well as regulate the air temperature. Such heating of the winter garden will create the necessary microclimate and temperature conditions. The main difficulty is the installation of underfloor heating, which is carried out at the stage of building the premises.
The most reliable heating system is central steam heating. To do this, you need to install radiators and embed them in the central heating of the house. After that, the extension turns into a living space in which you can arrange a dining room, an office or a rest room.
Ventilation features
In the winter garden, ventilation is indispensable. All plants need fresh air, so you need to regularly ventilate the room. Therefore, combined ventilation is usually created. It includes a natural and mechanical component.
For natural ventilation provide supply and exhaust ventilation. In the lower and upper parts of the walls put special opening shutters.
When they are open, air enters the room from the lower holes, and exits through the upper ones.
For forced ventilation install mechanical ventilation. These are various hoods with which you can quickly ventilate the room.
Winter garden lighting
The room needs natural and artificial lighting. The required level of natural light is achieved by using transparent materials. The walls of the room should have high and wide window openings, panoramic windows are often used. For the arrangement of the roof, polycarbonate is used.
In winter, when the daylight hours are significantly reduced, and there is very little sun, it is necessary to highlight the plants with electric lamps. It is also necessary if the roof is made of opaque material.
Phytolamps are the best lighting option, which are specially designed for lighting plants. Conventional fluorescent and halogen lamps have a short service life, and the emission spectrum is not suitable for all plants.
Watering
Only in a small room it is convenient to water the flowers manually. If there are a lot of plants and they are large, manual watering takes a lot of time and effort. In this case, a purchased automatic system is used.
There are many irrigation systems for winter gardens and greenhouses on the modern market. Their use provides control of soil moisture and its regular moistening, depending on the selected mode.
The choice of plants and flowers for the winter garden in a private house
Arranging a winter garden in a private house is also not an easy task. When the room is ready, the heating, ventilation, lighting and irrigation systems are properly organized, it is necessary to correctly select and plant plants.
You should not keep indoor flowers in the winter garden, the conditions of which are very different - they will feel bad and soon die.
For good growth and development, you need to take plants from the same climatic zone.They are adapted to similar conditions of existence, which we must try to recreate in the new winter garden.
Winter gardens and terraces in a private house have become popular entertainment and decoration of premises.
Juicy greenery and pleasant aromas of summer can be extended for the whole year. This is what winter gardens are for. Just imagine how pleasant it will be to go into a real indoor garden in winter and be transported to a warm summer, breathe in the smell of greenery and flowers, sit, relax, for a couple of hours and have a great rest. Such a pleasure is worthy of being a little confused and organizing a winter garden in a private house. On the way to your own oasis, you will have to solve a lot of issues, from choosing a place to choosing plants. Let's deal with the main aspects.
No. 1. Winter garden, greenhouse and greenhouse - what's the difference?
The first winter gardens appeared in ancient Egypt. Then in the palaces the rich put stone vases with plants. Confirmed facts of the use of winter gardens in ancient Rome. Then the greens were placed on the windowsills, and the richest allocated a separate room in the house for the garden, decorating it with columns. Later, the idea of an indoor garden conquered Holland, France, England, and then the whole world. Today, winter gardens are at the peak of popularity. Of course, you can try and build a small semblance in an ordinary apartment, but the owner is much more fortunate - you can turn around in them and realize almost any idea.
No. 2. The main types of winter gardens
Depending on location, functionality and role winter gardens can be of the following types:
No. 3. Choosing the right place
As a rule, a winter garden is organized in an extension to the house, and in this case it is very important which side this extension will be located on:
Very often they are converted into a winter garden, equipping them with the necessary engineering systems.
Much less often, a winter garden is placed on the roof.. This is a technically more complex solution, it is necessary to calculate the load on the supporting structures, properly organize the roof, supply all communications. But in return, you will get a house that compares favorably with the rest. There will be no problems with finding the cardinal direction, and household members will be able to admire not only plants, but also the starry sky. 
No. 4. Construction of the winter garden
Winter garden can be implemented as a separate building, but this option is rare. It is usually adjacent to the house, and in this case the construction can have different shape:
No. 5. Optimal material for the winter garden
In order to provide plants with a sufficient amount of sunlight and heat, it is necessary to make the structure of the winter garden as accessible as possible to light. Both the walls and the roof are best made of transparent materials. The most popular are:
- glass have been used for many years to equip not only winter gardens, but also greenhouses and greenhouses. It is highly durable, withstands snow and wind loads, transmits 98% of the rays, and allows the space inside the garden to warm up quickly. However, with a strong impact, the glass can break, the material is expensive, and difficult to process. To save money, many go to reduce the thickness of the glass, but at the same time it will be necessary to strengthen the frame (part of the light steals), and thin glass will keep heat even worse than the standard one;
- lighter than glass, cheaper, easier to process. The material can be bent, it is completely moisture resistant, not afraid of corrosion and fungus. However, in terms of light transmission, it is inferior to glass - it transmits only about 88% of the rays. In addition, it cannot boast of high thermal efficiency, so a serious heating system will be needed;
- double-glazed windows they are not cheap and weigh decently, but they store heat well inside the garden, and in terms of light transmission they stand in the same place with glass. If you choose not ordinary glasses, but energy-saving ones, you will be able to decently save on heat, which is why today they are used more and more often in the arrangement of winter gardens;
- plexiglass usually used in combination with other material for arranging the side walls. The material is perfect for these purposes, but is very heavy.
No. 6. Foundation and frame
So that the winter garden does not sink, it is better to take care of the construction. This is a rather time-consuming and costly part of the entire project - about a fifth of the budget is spent on creating the foundation. Suitable shallow strip foundation. You can use ready-made reinforced or reinforced concrete blocks 20 cm thick to create it. The depth depends on the type of soil, climate and topography. Instead of ready-made blocks, you can use it, but you will have to work hard with the formwork and reinforcement frame. 
The floor is made of concrete, then it can be revetted, or. The board is also used, but less frequently.
To equip the frame, you can use ready-made structures, for example, aluminum or steel profiles, wood. You can go the more complicated route and build the frame yourself. It is used, as well as all the same wood, aluminum and steel. After mounting the frame, proceed to the glazing with the selected material.
When equipping the roof, do not forget to provide a slope so that in winter the snow does not linger on the roof, does not increase the load and does not cover the sunlight. 
No. 7. Choosing a heating system
Choosing the right place and glazing material is only half the battle. Of course, plants will receive a large amount of heat from the sun, but in winter this may not be enough, therefore, even at the design stage, they select the most optimal heating system. The choice depends on the area, type of plants grown and even from the regularity of visiting the garden. If frost-resistant plants are planted, and you are far from being in the garden every day, you can get by. If the garden is part of a permanently inhabited house, then a more serious one needs to be considered.
There are plenty to choose from today:
- electric heaters do not require complex installation, they can be moved from place to place, they allow you to quickly heat the room and quickly adjust the amount of heat. Such heaters are affordable, but they are expensive to operate, especially if you use them regularly and heat a large area. Another problem is air drying;
- water heating, i.e. connection of the garden to the heating system of the house with installation. As a result, it turns out to achieve stable temperatures, the costs will be minimal, and the microclimate in all rooms of the house will be the same. Minus - the complexity of the arrangement. It is better to plan such a heating system at the stage and sum up all communications. In order to make the insert correctly later, calculations and the help of specialists will be needed, and even then not always, it will be possible;
- warm floor( or ) allows you to optimally heat the room. The soil and water for irrigation will be heated first. If you lay the cable or pipes correctly, then the walls of the garden will also warm up, which will prevent them from icing. The only downside is the cost of this method. The water system will be difficult to repair, its arrangement is a complex process. Electric underfloor heating is easier to organize, but the cost of maintaining it will be higher;
- split systems do not dry out the air, allow you to quickly warm up the room, quickly adjust the temperature, but are not suitable for regions with low winter temperatures;
- UFO they do not dry the air, they heat the surfaces, not the air, i.e. I work on the principle of the sun. For a compact winter garden - that's it, but for a large room this is not an option;
- stove heating allows you to get cheap heat, but it will be distributed unevenly, which is not good for plants, and firewood / coal will have to be constantly thrown up - it is dangerous to leave without the presence of a person;
- air heating allows you to use warm air from living quarters. It is distilled into the garden by means of vents and fans. It turns out cheaply, but the whole system takes up a lot of space, and the appearance of the garden will be spoiled by the duct system.
Several systems can be combined. 
No. 8. Choosing a ventilation system
Plants need an influx of fresh air - this is the key to their normal life. It is necessary to provide a way for air from the street to enter the garden, as well as for air to be removed from the garden. There are only two options here:
No. 9. Winter garden lighting system
A winter garden in a private house needs, because in winter the sun's rays may not be enough for the normal growth and development of greenery. You will have to take care of and study the light spectrum of different types of lamps in order to choose the right ones. To ensure photosynthesis, it is necessary that the lamp gives rays in the range of 400-500 nm (blue spectrum), 500-600 nm (green, for photosynthesis of the lower leaves), 600-700 nm (red). Light 1200-1600 nm accelerates many biochemical reactions. 
No. 10. Protection from excess light
Keep in mind that in summer there can be too much light, especially if the garden is facing south, so you need to consider options for protection from excessive solar radiation. This includes the following activities:
No. 11. Irrigation system in the winter garden
If you are equipping a very, very compact garden, then you don’t even have to think about a special one. It will be enough ordinary watering cans and a good memory to add water in time.
For a more or less dimensional garden, manual watering will become hard labor, it will take too much time and effort, so you have to think about automation. Habitual for greenhouses, rain and aerosol types of irrigation are not appropriate here. 
The best option for a winter garden -. From the water source through a system of perforated hoses and tapes, water flows to the root system of plants. There will be no puddles. If you connect a system of sensors that measure the level of humidity, then water will be supplied only when it is really needed, and this guarantees optimal soil moisture.
Some plant species draw some of their moisture from the air. For such greenery, additional humidify the air. You can use fog installations, humidifiers or fountains, which will also perform a decorative function.
Do not forget that in order to remove excess moisture, it is necessary to equip drainage.
No. 12. Selection of plants for the winter garden
When choosing plants for a winter garden in a private house, you must rely only on your own taste. But when combining different types, you already have to think about how to correctly combine them. The requirements for lighting, temperature and humidity are different for all varieties, and it is almost impossible to create several microzones with radically different conditions in one garden. Therefore, it is better to choose plants that require approximately the same conditions, and then combine them with each other. 
When choosing, consider the direction of the world, which overlooks the winter garden. If it is the south, then preference is given to heat-loving varieties.
Plants according to growing conditions can be divided into several types:
No. 13. Design and decoration of the winter garden
It is advisable to start work on creating a winter garden with design. In special applications, a sketch is created, on which the dimensions of the structure, windows, hatches and transoms are marked. Then a project is prepared, when creating it, lighting, ventilation, heating, irrigation systems, materials used, and a connection scheme to the house are thought out. The design stage involves the creation of drawings indicating all the details. Only with a serious thoughtful approach will it be possible to build a durable and reliable winter garden. 
After the technical side of the issue has been thought out, you can move on to the pleasant and plan the interior arrangement of the winter garden in the house. Better foresee several functional areas:
It is difficult to clearly follow any particular one within a small winter garden, but common features can be used:
No. 14. What else?
Do not forget to find out in advance what kind of soil the selected plants will need, what fertilizers will need to be bought, how much money will be spent on providing all engineering systems. Also, do not forget to consider the location of the outlets.
A winter garden in a private house, apartment, cottage or balcony is a piece of summer all year round. Creating a cozy place of beauty and relaxation involves the implementation of a serious engineering solution and requires scrupulousness at all stages from the creation of a project to implementation. If you take into account all the nuances, the home greenhouse will become the highlight of home ownership, and caring for it will be your favorite hobby. This article will help to correctly design, create and equip a garden indoors.
The winter garden is a room with a specific purpose. It serves to accommodate exotic, indoor and heat-loving plants, requires special heating, water supply and lighting systems with the most rational use of natural solar heat and light. Usually this is a glass structure in a metal, aluminum, wood or metal-plastic frame. It can be a continuation of the living room in the form of a terrace.
The winter garden is not a separate building, but an integral part of the house. It is protected from atmospheric influences (rain and wind) by a glass roof and walls.
The beauty and aroma of flowers have a positive effect on the human nervous system. The green zone performs a number of positive functions, in particular:
- enriches the room with oxygen;
- prevents the penetration of dust into the living room;
- caring for plants becomes a useful and original hobby;
- the green zone is a territory of comfort, relaxation at any time of the year and in any weather.
Helpful advice! For the construction of a winter garden, it is not necessary to have a spacious house or yard. You can create a cozy summer corner even on the balcony or loggia of the apartment.
Winter garden in a private house:history of occurrence
As early as the 4th millennium BC, the first winter garden appeared. Pictures depicting stone vases in the palaces of ancient Egypt clearly testify to this. The followers of the Egyptians are the ancient Romans, who began to place mini-gardens on the windowsills. Wealthy owners of estates could afford a peristyle - a garden in the middle of the building, surrounded by columns.
Winter gardens reached Europe already in the 11th century. King William of Holland arranged a flower greenhouse in his palace. Soon, "orange houses" appeared - these are buildings where citrus fruits bloomed all year round.
The orangery at Versailles from the time of Louis XIV is considered the most beautiful in history and has survived to this day. No less famous are the greenhouses of the Potsdam Sanssouci Palace. In the 18th century, citrus fruits replaced tropical plants. Winter gardens were considered a luxury until the 19th century, when Nathaniel Ward tried growing plants under a glass dome.
In 1854, the Englishman Joseph Paxton built the Crystal Palace, the prototype of the modern winter garden.
Today, almost everyone can attach a winter garden to the house. It can also be placed on a balcony or terrace.
Winter garden and greenhouse in the house: similarities and differences
There are certain differences between a greenhouse, a conservatory and a winter garden, despite the fact that these concepts are related. All rooms have the same purpose in terms of plant cultivation in the intermediate zone between the dwelling and the open area. At the same time, the greenhouse and greenhouse are independent buildings, and the winter garden is an integral part, a harmonious continuation of the living space.
Greenhouses, for the most part, have a temporary purpose for growing different types of crops in special conditions at a certain stage. From the photo of the greenhouse it can be seen that this is a place for growing exotic varieties of plants, for example, orchids or citrus fruits. For this purpose, special climatic conditions are created with high humidity and temperature, which can be difficult for the physical condition of the human body. Long stay in them is uncomfortable and undesirable.
The main purpose of the winter garden at home is to give pleasure from contemplating the lush greenery of small trees, the beauty of bright flowers and their fragrance. The microclimate of the garden under glass is selected rationally, having a positive effect on both cultivated plants and people's well-being. You can create such harmony only if all the rules of construction and improvement are strictly observed.
Note! The winter garden should not be confused with a greenhouse, which is located outside the house and serves to grow seedlings of garden crops and flowers. A flower greenhouse differs from a garden by a tropical microclimate with high humidity and air temperature.
Winter garden in a private house: photo, varieties and features
The winter garden is a rather complex engineering and technical structure. The main feature of the future building is the maintenance of plants in comfort, protection from frost, and other negative environmental influences. Therefore, during the design, the following conditions must be observed:
- maintaining a constant temperature regime;
- constant air circulation;
- sufficient lighting;
- optimal air humidity;
- sealed frame.
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The design of the winter garden, regardless of where it is located, must be transparent, sufficiently lit, aesthetically designed, and resistant to external factors.
The winter garden conditionally has several internal zones:
- communicative - performs a function connecting with the house. These are paths that lead to the house on the one hand, and to the street on the other;
- recreational - part of the interior, where there are pieces of furniture for relaxation, meetings, meals;
- decorative - the main zone where the plants are actually located;
- office - a place where inventory, fertilizers, access to communications are located.
There are many projects of houses with a winter garden, which involve building them together with the main room, but glass outbuildings for growing plants are more popular.
The layout of the winter garden attached to the house
Before attaching a winter garden to the house, it is necessary to decide not only on the size and landscaping, but also on its location so that all of the above conditions are met.
The most optimal side of the winter garden is east. The structure in this zone will not overheat. Plants will receive the necessary solar energy from the morning cool sun.
The western side is also quite acceptable and successful, the second one is optimal. But such a placement project will succumb to excess heat, especially in summer, and therefore will require additional watering.
The south side is often considered the most suitable for a winter garden. This opinion is very misleading. The south of the house is an unsuitable area for a winter garden. Direct sunlight, especially in summer, contributes to overheating of plants. To avoid this, additional ventilation and watering will have to be provided. It should be noted that in winter it is in the southern garden that heat is well and long preserved.
North. The garden on this side is placed only as an exception when there is no other alternative. The accumulation of heat in this area is the smallest, so you should take care of an additional heating system. Sunlight will also be minimal. Therefore, shade-loving plants are planted in such a garden.
Helpful advice! It is possible to place a small winter garden on a loggia, even if it is located on the north side. Phytolamps will help provide a sufficient amount of sunlight. Their service life is about two years, they are expensive, but they consume little electricity. At the same time, they help plants in the process of photosynthesis.
Winter garden attached to the house: photos, views, location
Depending on the function performed and its location, the winter garden has several types.
Buffer is a winter garden attached to the house in the form of a glazed terrace or veranda. Mini-option - vestibule or balcony.
A winter garden in a private house is a specially designated room or part of a room, fully or partially glazed. It could be a living room or a dining room.
The greenhouse of the house is a non-residential extension with an artificial microclimate where exotic plants are cultivated.
Rectangular winter garden extension to the house. This design is a universal and most popular option. The building has a transparent pitched roof.
Angular. A green zone can be created using an extension to the outer corner of the house.
Double sided building. This option involves an extension to the inner corner of the house. Another name for the extension is a quarter polygon with a combined four-beam or gable roof.
The three-facade design is the most efficient in terms of lighting. Three walls of the extension are glass, and the fourth is one of the walls of the main building.
The winter garden can be a structure adjacent to the house or a separate building connected by a corridor or a glass passage to the main room. Each option affects the design and construction of heating, water supply and ventilation systems. For a complete picture, you need to study in detail examples of different projects of houses with a winter garden. Photos clearly illustrate this diversity.
Helpful advice! An ideal place for a winter garden in a country house can be a veranda. Its creation is quite simple and does not require large expenditures. You just need to install ventilation and heating. Another simplified option is a winter garden on the roof, which makes it possible to save on the foundation, but the frame and roof will still have to be built. You also need to think about how to build a ladder.
Creation featureswinter garden project
There are more than a dozen projects for a winter garden attached to a house. Photos show their diversity:
- Rectangular shed extension.
- Rectangular shed extension with a kink
- Rectangular gable extension.
- Shed winter garden attached to the inner corner of the house.
- Shed winter garden attached to the outer corner of the house.
- Shed bay window extension to the outer corner.
- Corner shed single-roof building.
- Single-sided two-roof construction.
- Single slope single bay corner extension.
- Gable winter garden with a bay window.
The roof of a shed extension has one roof slope with a minimum pitch of 10°. Builders recommend maintaining an angle of at least 25 °, and the most optimal is 45 °. A gable roof, as a rule, has two slopes, block extensions - three or more roof slopes.
Projects of winter gardens in the form of gazebos are quite common, their classification depends on the number of faces and the method of extension:
- multifaceted;
- hexagonal;
- trihedral.
Design of a winter garden in a private house
The aesthetic function of the winter garden implies compliance with style. There are several of the most common style options for a winter garden.
Classic style. It implies the location of the greenhouse in a spacious room, with many plants that grow in the same climatic zone. Clear symmetry, strict design - a distinctive feature of the classics. An element of decoration of such a garden can be parrots or canaries in cages or a pond with fish. Hemp, snags, stones, small trees serve as decor.
Japanese style. The presence of free space, good ventilation, conciseness and asymmetry are the main distinguishing features of the Japanese winter garden. At the same time, the apparent external simplicity requires a professional approach to its creation.
Hi-tech. Exotic plants, clear geometry. Concrete, metal and combined materials are used in the design. This garden is a great addition to the office.
Modern. The style was popular at the turn of the millennium. Distinctive features are the clarity of lines, the presence of air space and a minimum of decor.
Before you make a winter garden in a private house, you need to design it - this is the laborious and most important stage of creation, which includes:
- Sketch stage. When creating a sketch, special design programs are used. The most popular of them are Solid Works, Auto Cad, Pro Ingeneer, 3Ds Max. The sketch displays the number of windows, transoms and hatches.
- Creating a project is a clear drawing of the schemes for adjoining the winter garden to the wall of the house, the dimensions of the structures and the intended material. Lighting, dimming, water supply and heating systems are planned. It is necessary to calculate the power of racks and crossbars.
- At the design stage, drawings are directly drawn up, in accordance with which you can build a winter garden in a private house with your own hands.
Helpful advice! It is quite possible to build a winter garden with your own hands, having a detailed and detailed project, but it is better to entrust the creation of the project to experienced architects.
Step-by-step instructions for making a winter garden
How to make a winter garden - the best advice will be given by specialists, since not only design, but also installation requires a professional approach. Guided by the advice, following the instructions clearly, you can get the desired result.
Depending on the location of the winter garden, calculations are made for the main room and materials are selected. The construction that adjoins has no more than three common parts with the house. The extension being created should not reduce the thermal insulation characteristics of the main room, but, on the contrary, help reduce heat loss. It depends on engineering calculations and materials.
The construction of a winter garden, in addition to the construction of the foundation and the direct installation of the supporting structure, includes the following steps:
- glazing and insulation of the extension;
- installation of a heating system;
- installation of water supply and irrigation systems;
- electrical wiring and lighting;
- ventilation system equipment;
- installation of protection against excessive exposure to sunlight;
- selection of plants and decoration of the garden.
Foundation construction and frame installation
The foundation of the winter garden is the basis on which the strength and durability of the entire structure depends. The cost part can be a fifth of the entire construction budget.
For such buildings, a shallow strip foundation is used. Ready-made reinforced or reinforced concrete slabs with a thickness of more than 20 cm are suitable. The composition of the soil, climate, and relief affect the choice of depth.
The frame of the building can be purchased ready-made. Fortunately, the modern market offers many models. Installation does not take much time and effort, but you can’t do it alone - you need support. Structural parts are attached to special joints in the foundation.
Glazing of the winter garden in the house
Glass is one of the main materials used in the construction of a winter garden. Even when designing, it should be taken into account that this material is quite weighty and can create a certain load on the supporting structure, it is also increased by the effects of wind and snow.
The expected loads at the junctions are calculated according to the same method as for metal-plastic glass structures, where the post-transom serves as a connecting link of the carriers. Thermal characteristics correspond to the glazing of the dwelling. For the preparation of calculations, SNiP 2.01.07-85 is used, taking into account the changes of May 29, 2003.
The construction of a winter garden implies the presence of openwork load-bearing structures. This can be a problem, especially in temperate regions where the temperature difference throughout the year is 50°C or more. Therefore, vertical supports must create resistance to heat transfer (Rwr, m 2 K / W) from 0.4 (SP 23-101-2004).
Such parameters have designs from single-chamber double-glazed windows, but require the installation of a supporting brick support with a side of at least 230 cm, which can adversely affect the illumination. Combining wood and aluminum will help solve the problem.
On the connection line of the glass wall and the pitched roof, it is necessary to create additional thermal insulation.
Note! The roof requires special attention when glazing. Shed with one run - the most economical. When choosing glass, you need to take into account the snow load in the region. The slope angle is at least 20 degrees. It should be noted that slopes with transitions will create problems when the snow melts.
Winter garden heating
Glass or polycarbonate can accumulate sufficient heat for more than a six-month period - from mid-spring to mid-autumn. In cold weather, you need to worry about efficient heating.
When choosing a heating method, it is necessary to take into account the size of the room and the type of plants grown. If this is a small greenhouse on the balcony, then a simple heater is enough, if the winter garden is in a private house, then you cannot do without a heating system.
You can heat a greenhouse in one of several ways.
Electric heaters. Convenient in terms of their mobility, ease of installation and use if necessary. At the same time, operation leads to significant financial costs. Frequent use dries the air, which has a negative effect on plants.
Air conditioners and heaters UFO. With their help, you can regulate the temperature without overdrying the air, but they are expensive to buy and operate.
Water heating is often used to heat winter gardens and terraces in a private house. Such a system involves connection to the main heating system, which allows you to maintain a constant temperature, without differences between the living rooms and the garden. This terrace is a great place to relax. The location of the heating pipes along the walls protects the walls and roof from icing.
By placing a “heat-insulated floor system” under the top coating, you can significantly simplify the control of maintaining a stable air temperature in the winter garden
Furnace heating is an opportunity to use alternative raw materials. The design of the stove will give a special flavor to the garden. At the same time, uneven distribution of heat can be observed, the stove requires close attention, due to the high fire hazard.
Air heating is the distillation of warm air from the main heated room or with the help of an air heater. The system is low-cost, but it implies additional insulation, the air ducts are quite voluminous and can spoil the appearance.
Underfloor heating in the garden is laborious in design, installation and connection. The installation must be carried out before the arrangement of the garden. The system allows you to create an optimal thermal regime in the garden, promotes the development of roots.
Helpful advice! Combining several types of heating will create an optimal heating system. It should also be noted that heating is closely related to the ventilation system.
Even at the stage of selection of materials, one should take into account the different coefficient of thermal elongation. So, taking into account the temperature difference up to 50 ° C, the thermal expansion of aluminum per meter of length is 1.2 mm, steel - 0.65, glass - 0.45. These data must be taken into account in order to avoid deformation. The air temperature during installation must also be taken into account. Gaskets and sealants serve as sealing.
Installation of water supply and irrigation system in the winter garden
There are many different irrigation systems that allow automatic irrigation, using different watering modes according to the need for moisture.
The most popular is automatic. It is a perforated hose through which irrigation is dosed. Water gets exclusively to the roots of plants, and special sensors allow you to control the level of moisture in the soil.
For water-loving plants that require irrigation of the vegetative part, special fountains are installed. Devices simultaneously humidify the air and serve as a decoration of the garden. Excess water must go through an equipped drainage system.
A winter garden with a swimming pool does not require additional moisture. A pond with internal circulation and a connected drainage system will provide the necessary water cycle in the greenhouse.
Wiring and lighting: savings and efficiency
Plants in the cold season and cloudy weather experience a lack of sunlight, which negatively affects their growth and requires the installation of additional lighting in the winter garden.
For this, you should not take ordinary incandescent lamps. They do not contribute to photosynthesis, but on the contrary, they can harm tall plants with excessive heat.
Fluorescent and metal halide lamps are also not suitable due to their relatively short life. Sodium lamps that are sensitive to voltage drops should also be excluded from the list.
But phytolamps were specially invented as an additional source of light for plants. They are divided into LED and fluorescent.
The functioning of most life-supporting systems in the garden depends on the power supply, so even when designing, you need to consider the type of electrical wiring, the connection points for sockets and lamps.
Helpful advice! To illuminate an area of 5 m², you will need 4 metal halide lamps with a power of 40 W or just one sodium 250 W lamp.
Ventilation system equipment
A winter greenhouse or garden, wherever they are located - in an annex, a separate building or an apartment balcony - requires ventilation. Ventilation can be done in one of two ways.
Natural ventilation is carried out by opening vents or windows. In this case, the area of opened places should be at least a quarter of the area of \u200b\u200bthe walls. Supply and exhaust ventilation is also considered natural. Fresh air enters through special openings in the walls and through the windows in the roof. Such a system does not cause noise and drafts. It should be remembered that the doors of the vents can be damaged by the action of the wind.
Mechanical ventilation involves the use of fans to extract air. It does so in a natural way. Such a system requires an electrical connection and generates noise.
Protection of the winter garden from strong solar radiation
Plants can suffer from both a lack and an excess of sunlight and heat, especially in hot summers. To do this, invented means of protection from the sun's rays. Curtains and blinds, capable of blocking 40% of the light, provide internal protection. They are made of fabric, plastic, bamboo or metal alloys.
External protection in the form of awnings and awnings prevents the penetration of up to 90% of the light. They are made from reflective fabric. This protection also prevents excessive heating of the walls.
Plants for the winter gardenand decoration
Along with heating, lighting and watering, you need to take care of high-quality soil, ensure it is sufficiently fertilized and enriched with oxygen. It is best to use special soil-woody mixtures. When choosing plants for a winter garden in a private house, one must be guided not only by taste, but also by the ability of different species and varieties to coexist.
Regardless of the size, design and location of the greenhouse, the combination of colors for a winter garden in a private house should be a well-composed composition, and not represent bad taste in the form of a bunch of pots. It is simply unrealistic to collect plants from different parts of the planet in one place, because representatives of different species and climatic zones require special conditions.
The greenhouse at home assumes the constant presence of flowering plants, so experienced flower growers plant plants, depending on the time of year.
In winter, they prefer primrose, Kalanchoe, daffodils and tulips. With the advent of spring warmth, hyacinths, lilies, hydrangeas, pelargoniums, astilbes, schisanthus are additionally planted. In summer, one bulbous plant is replaced by another. Oriental and Asian lilies, begonias, zinnias, perillas, vincha, salphia, echinacea grow well. Autumn is the time of cyclamen, cochia, gomphen, chrysanthemums. With this approach, exotic flowers will be fragrant all year round in the winter garden.
Helpful advice! It is very difficult to create several microzones in a winter garden, so it is better to choose plants belonging to the same category. For example, for the growth of tropical plants, the optimum temperature is 22 ° C, for subtropical plants - 10 ° C.
Winter garden in the apartment: rational arrangement and design
You can create a piece of summer not only in a house with a yard, but also in an apartment. To do this, it is enough to have a desire to rationally distribute the place by filling the space with flowers. Weaving plants on the walls will create a vertical garden. Pots can be placed at the bottom and allow the stems to be pulled up on special supports. If, on the contrary, the flowerpots are suspended, then the plants will simply freely fall down.
Light-loving flowers in the apartment are best placed closer to the windows, creating a backdrop. In the second row from the window, the place for lush flowering plants will be optimal. Large-leaved flowers are best placed in the third row, and the central part should be given to large and attractive representatives of the fauna.
Winter garden on the balconyor loggia
A spacious balcony or loggia is the best option for placing a winter garden in an apartment. Here you can place a different number of ornamental plants, having previously prepared the area. It is also worth taking care of insulation, heating and additional lighting.
The loggia is a great place to create a greenhouse in the apartment. The main thing is the positive temperature and a sufficient amount of light, which can ensure the placement of the garden in the east or west. The south side will allow growing heat-loving cacti and phloxes, and the north side will allow growing coniferous crops.
Helpful advice! You can create a greenhouse in the house with your own hands in any free corner or throughout the entire apartment, using the additional functional features of plants. For example, curly ivy or sparse fern will become a “live” drapery in an unsightly corner.
The winter garden is a great place for rest and relaxation. The process of its creation in a private house is laborious, requires attention and certain efforts. If you take into account all the engineering features, have the means and time, then it is quite possible to create a private greenhouse on your own. In this case, do not neglect the advice of experts. You can create a small garden in an apartment with the help of imagination and the rational use of space for plants that will delight you with flowers and greenery all year round, reminding you of summer.
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