Victorian or Modern Greenhouse – Which One is Right for Your Garden?

Griffin Glasshouses strives to design greenhouses in keeping with the surroundings. Whether it be a listed building or a modern eco-house, we create our greenhouses according to the unique traits of every property.

Which option will work for your property?

Traditionally, Victorian greenhouses had steeper roof pitches with fairly narrow glazing. Manufacturers only made glass in short, narrow sheets and workers had to overlap them during fitting. This caused capillary action to form green lines of algae at the overlaps, which were both unsightly and impossible to remove.

Which option will work for your property?

Victorian Greenhouses History

Traditionally, Victorian greenhouses had steeper roof pitches with fairly narrow glazing. Manufacturers only made glass in short, narrow sheets and workers had to overlap them during fitting. This caused capillary action to form green lines of algae at the overlaps, which were both unsightly and impossible to get rid of or clean.

They also fitted fancy roof cresting and finials to the ridges of Victorian greenhouses. This helped to keep birds away and, in the right setting, enhanced the overall look of the structure.

What is a Modern Glasshouse?

More modern buildings tend to have much wider glazing, which manufacturers combine with a lower roof pitch. A brick base forms the sturdy foundation of the structure. Clean lines are also key to modern design. Clients that prefer modern design usually choose simple finials without roof cresting.

The Growing Importance of Colour

Traditionally, greenhouses were made of wood and painted white. In the last 15 years, however, colour has come to play a significant role in the design of greenhouses.

Today, of course, you can still find the wooden greenhouse type. However, due to the change in timber quality, they don’t last 100 years like the original greenhouses.

Griffin’s Unique Solutions

Route Timber Look

Griffin’s glazing systems are profiled to look like routed timber with the fixings hidden within. Our attention to detail results in greenhouses that very closely resemble traditional wooden structures. In fact, when we exhibit our greenhouses at flower shows, you can often see visitors tapping on the metal, surprised to discover that it’s not wood!

Custom Colours

Furthermore, we can powder coat aluminium according to a large palette of colours. Popular colours include:

• dark grey
• green
• pale blue

Recently, someone ordered a purple greenhouse! 

This gives our clients the flexibility to colour match their greenhouse with other garden items. We use the standard RAL colour chart, so other vendors can mix metal or wood paint at any DIY store to match the glasshouse colour.

Layout and Design

To meet design needs, firstly Griffin glazing systems cater for various roof pitches. Also, because manufacturers make toughened glass to measure, we can accommodate a number of glass widths to suit design requirements. 

Quality and Workmanship

Today, manufacturers provide glass in single sheets of 4mm and toughened safety glass is up to 3m in length. This ensures stronger and better quality than the 3mm horticultural glass people use traditionally. It is rarely necessary to join glass these days, but you can use butting strips that sit between two panes of glass. This ensures a perfect joint. Algae doesn’t form between these strips and we can colour match the strips to the greenhouse to ensure a perfect finish.

Why a Victorian Glasshouse can Work for You

Many clients prefer the steep Victorian pitch while opting for

• wider glazing
• darker colour
• clean lines for a more modern look

At Griffin, we provide flexibility to mix and match elements so that the end result is exactly right for the setting and your personal requirements.