A greenhouse for a unique guest experience

In the heart of Jersey, Gardener’s Rest is a unique guest accommodation where gardening, growing and hospitality come together. Owned by Sophie and her husband Geoff, the accommodation is reached through their beautiful Alitex greenhouse, creating a memorable arrival for guests and making the greenhouse an integral part of the experience. What began as the replacement of a much loved family greenhouse has become a productive growing space, a place to relax and a special feature of their guest accommodation.

For Sophie and Geoff, the story began with a little bit of garden history. Living next door to Sophie’s parents, they took over the greenhouse and adjoining barn space from her father, who had built a wooden greenhouse there around 30 years ago on top of sturdy granite walls. A carpenter by trade, he had created a structure that served the family well, but over time the timber began to rot and repairs became increasingly difficult. Then, in 2023, Storm Ciarán hit Jersey, leaving the greenhouse standing, but only just, with glass strewn across the lawn.

By this point, Sophie and Geoff had become keen vegetable growers, having discovered a love of gardening during Covid. They initially assumed they would rebuild the greenhouse in wood, but struggled to find someone able to take on the project. A recommendation from a builder led them to Alitex, and Sophie remembers immediately feeling that they had found what they were looking for. After ordering brochures, meeting with Alitex and visiting an Alitex greenhouse at The Pig Hotel in the New Forest, they were certain it was the right choice.

A bespoke design

The result is a traditional 6m x 6m gable end to wall greenhouse, designed and made to measure to sit on the existing granite wall and work with the slightly uneven stone. Finished in Wood Sage (RAL 7032), with spike finials, cresting and small and large watercutt spandrels, the greenhouse combines traditional detailing with the durability of an aluminium structure. “We loved Wood Sage as soon as we saw it and knew it would look stunning alongside our garden and granite wall.” Although they had considered white and cream to echo the previous wooden greenhouse, they knew they had made the right choice as soon as the frame started going up.

The greenhouse project also gave Sophie and Geoff the opportunity to transform the adjoining barn. They knocked through the wall to create a Potting Shed, while the space above was converted into Gardener’s Rest. With its vaulted ceiling and original beams, Sophie felt it was too lovely not to share. The decision to make the greenhouse part of the entrance means guests walk through the growing space before reaching their accommodation, creating a particularly distinctive experience.

A productive growing space

Inside the greenhouse, raised beds made from hardwood sleepers maximise the growing space, particularly for the couple’s impressive collection of tomatoes. Alongside them are aubergines, chillies, peppers, melons, cucumbers, spinach, pak choi, spring onions, kiwi, a grape vine and a variety of herbs, including pineapple sage, which Sophie particularly loves for its scent. Flowers including pelargoniums, geraniums, bougainvillea and sweet peas add colour, while the greenhouse is also used for hydrangea and lavender cuttings.

The very first plant Sophie introduced was a self fertile kiwi called Jenny, inspired by one she had seen growing beautifully along a vine wire. It quickly grew from a bare stick into a real feature, and was followed on the second day by a Bougainvillea, which reminds Sophie of holidays in the Caribbean. “It comes back every year and adds a brilliant pop of hot pink.”

Tomatoes are a particular staple, with Geoff growing everything from cherries to plums and beefsteaks – even saving seeds from supermarket varieties she particularly enjoys. Melons have also been a great success, trained along the greenhouse’s high ceiling wires and supported in little hammocks as the fruit becomes heavier. The greenhouse even has a role in the family’s giant vegetable tradition, providing the perfect place to start the giant pumpkin seedlings before they are moved outside. Sophie’s father holds the Jersey record for the heaviest pumpkin at an incredible 979lb and is still hoping to reach the 1,000lb mark.

A place to stay, grow and unwind

Despite how productive the greenhouse is, some of Sophie’s favourite moments there have nothing to do with gardening. Comfortable seating and a coffee table make it a place to read, enjoy a quiet cup of tea, watch the birds and butterflies, or simply escape from screens. Sophie and Geoff often eat breakfast or dinner surrounded by fragrant plants, while in the shoulder months, when it is not quite warm enough to sit outside, the greenhouse becomes the perfect place to relax.

Guests at Gardener’s Rest enjoy the space in much the same way. Many stop to have a cup of tea or glass of wine in the greenhouse, and because it forms the entrance to the accommodation, visitors are immersed in the garden from the moment they arrive. Guests have travelled from the Netherlands, Germany, France and across the UK, and Sophie and Geoff often find themselves exchanging gardening tips, recipes and stories with visitors.

The greenhouse has completely changed the way the couple use their garden. “It’s been a complete game changer,” says Sophie. The connection between the greenhouse, Potting Shed and house means they can garden even when it is raining, while the generous space gives them plenty of room to experiment with growing from seed. What began as a replacement for a much loved family greenhouse has become the heart of their garden, their growing space and the unique experience they offer at Gardener’s Rest.

A love of growing and sharing

Sophie and Geoff may not have considered themselves serious gardeners when they met in 2019, but after growing their first vegetables during Covid, there was no stopping them. Today they have a large outdoor vegetable plot as well as the greenhouse, growing enough to keep up with what they eat while regularly sharing surplus vegetables, chutneys and home baked goods.

Sophie’s parents have always been keen gardeners, so living next door has provided plenty of advice, although she admits that trial and error has probably taught them the most. Her advice to other Alitex owners is similarly generous: “There’s no such thing as sowing too many seeds.” Sometimes only a few seedlings establish and the strongest need to be selected, but if there are too many healthy plants, Sophie believes the answer is simple – give them away and make someone’s day.

For Sophie and Geoff, that spirit of growing and sharing is at the heart of Gardener’s Rest. Their Alitex greenhouse provides somewhere to grow, somewhere to relax and somewhere to welcome people into their garden – creating a space that is as much about enjoying the garden as it is about cultivating it.

Visit Gardener’s Rest, Jersey

For those looking to visit Jersey and experience Gardener’s Rest for themselves:

Instagram: www.instagram.com/gardenersrestjersey

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Email: [email protected]

Telephone: 07797 725524

Photography credit: Andy Le Gresley