Personalised Thomas Messenger greenhouse

When looking to transform an old disused tennis court, our client browsed online for her dream glasshouse when she came across Alitex. Intiallially drawn to the National Trust Wimpole glasshouse, the cover photo of a Thomas Messenger greenhouse on our brochure caught our clients eye, and inspired the project.

Our client wanted to keep the Victorian aesthetic cohesive throughout the garden, but add a touch of individuality, so we designed the glasshouse to have a decorative hipped roof. Nestled at the back of the garden, amongst beautiful raised beds and a water fountain, the greenhouse symmetrically mirrors the house and is a real focal point in the garden. The Thomas Messenger glazing system felt incredibly welcoming, and our clients enjoy the ambiance of the glasshouse with all the internal nuts and bolts concealed.

The Messenger has two partitions, creating three individually controlled zones. The central section is the perfect size for a large table for dining: our client enjoyed hosting Easter lunch there this year! It is perfect in spring and autumn on sunny days when it’s cooler, to be inside, but enjoy the outdoors. Tubular heating is also used to heat the greenhouse and keep it frost free in the winter, so the central dining section stays at a comfortable 10 degrees.

The left hand zone is kept the warmest, at 15 degrees in winter, for our clients tropical plants. The right hand wing is a handy working zone, with the Potting Shoe and Propagator sitting on the Traditional Benching. Strawberry Boards wrap around the gable end and provide stylish shelving for smaller pots and decorative pieces.

With a project so grand, our client called on the experts to bring her garden vision to life. Taylor Tripp designed the garden and bought all the ideas together. Our client also enlisted help from like-minded Liz Rentzsch when it came to the planting, with lots of plants sourced from Clifton Nurseries.

The glasshouse has opened up the whole garden, and draws people to a part of the garden that wasn’t previously used. Our clients recently enjoyed hosting a garden party, and had drinks in and around the greenhouse and terrace.

Heat, light and water are the three growing essentials. The tubular heating keeps the greenhouse frost free in winter, and the glasshouse also boasts three handy taps. Our client thought her beloved Bougainvillea was gone, but in the right conditions and with some tender loving care it is now thriving. Other triumphs in the greenhouse include avocados, passion flowers, pineapples, geraniums and calla lilies.