Well, I’m back! It’s been several months since my last post. I’ve been busy with political involvements prior to the November election and busy with other projects in life. I’m excited to get going again with monthly posts, do a little redesign of the site, and keep flowing in the direction of following my bliss with nature, art, and culture. Upon starting this website last year, I really needed to get back to some of the things that make me feel most alive and happy. A lot has changed since I first started designing the site around this time last year. It feels like I went from not knowing how to get back to my bliss in life to a place flowing with so many creative wanderings I don’t know what to work on first. It’s really an amazing thing how our paths are just sitting there waiting for us to hop back on. Sometimes, it’s just taking a first step, then a next one, and keeping on going.
We all have those special things that make us feel most alive and happy, like when we’re doing them, we’re at our fullest. The greatest thing is when these things are aligned with creating a better world and nourishing our connections to the earth and others. We all have special gifts to contribute to building better communities. These are the gifts we were born to share, and my thoughts are that when we are doing so, we are at our fullest. We feel the most alive. One of the places I feel most alive and happy is in the greenhouse. I worked in a native plant greenhouse for several years and at the campus greenhouse where I attended college. I have very fond memories of both. This upcoming spring, I am excited to return to work with native plant landscaping and am also thinking about the options of having a greenhouse on my family’s small, hobby farm. This leads me to share some thoughts on greenhouse gardening and compile some of the great resources I have found.
Why Greenhouse Gardening?
The greenhouse is a happy place. It’s not a place to escape as a complete avoidance of the issues in the world. However, at times it can be a really healthy way to cope. It’s a peaceful place where I find myself feeling most serene, nourishing my connection with the plants, and sharing my bliss with others in gardening. It’s a place to become more aware of the intricate relationships among the plant world and the beautiful web of life while caring for the planet. Nature IS intelligent. Nature is beautiful. Nature is creative and ever coming up with beautiful ways to problem solve and heal itself. It has a lot to teach us. We can benefit greatly by gardening whether or not we have a large area or the resources to invest in having a greenhouse.
I love what one of my favorite books on native plant landscaping has to say about the benefits of gardening with native plants. Raising native plants in your greenhouse is an amazing experience.
The less tangible-but possibly the more important-side of using native plants is the connection you make with nature. Gardening with natives instills an understanding of our natural world- its cycles, changes, and history. Communing with nature has a positive, healing effect on human beings. Learning how to work with instead of against nature will do wonders for your spiritual health. By observing native plants throughout the year, a gardener gains insight into seasonal rhythms and life cycles. You will experience intellectual rewards that are somehow missing if you only grow petunias or marigolds. -p. 11, Landscaping with Native Plants of Minnesota, Lynn M. Steiner
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It’s fantastic to be able to slip into a greenhouse and enjoy the company of the plants especially in weather that isn’t the most ideal to be out in. By creating a greenhouse environment where plants thrive, you also extend your growing season and protect plants from the elements and pests. By coming up with good greenhouse goals, you can really make an impact on the environmental and ecological damage that we see in the modern altered state of our environment. Possible goals could include increased self-sufficiency with sustainable agriculture, planting native plants to use in restoration, or using the greenhouse for educational purposes connecting others with the natural world. My goals aim to do a little bit of all of these but plan to focus on native plant gardening and landscaping to begin with. Our pollinator friends and the wildlife that relies on their native habitats thank us when we choose to plant native. Read my post Creating a Family Butterfly Garden from earlier this spring to explore more topics on native plant gardening for pollinators.
What are some Greenhouse Options?
There are many greenhouse options. Some are very simple in their design and not very costly. You can even use repurposed or recycled materials which are some of my favorite ideas that I’m running across. Of course, you can also go way out and design a greenhouse from scratch or hire someone to design and/or build one for you. You can also build from a kit. Any way you look at it, it’s a project and an investment of time and resources. Research what will work best for you. Here’s a compiled list of some great resources on some greenhouse options, design, and construction. I’ll start with ideas for using repurposed materials as I see it to be very important for us all to be environmentally conscious with the resources we choose to consume. There is a ton of creative ways to build using materials that may otherwise make its way into a landfill.
- Pinterest has some amazing ideas for ways to use upcycled and repurposed materials. Check out these Pinterest Old Window Greenhouse Ideas. There are fantastic, creative ideas on using old windows to design and build a greenhouse.
- In thinking about design and construction, this is a great Greenhouse from Old Windows instructable.
- Following is an excellent example of a community effort to build a DIY designer greenhouse by Garry Entropy. In watching this video, think about the possibilities that could be done with repurposed windows and other materials. It’s exciting to think about the greenhouse possibilities that could be built when whole communities come together.
- Other recycled materials for building could include plastic bottles. Here is a FREE printable Recycled Plastic Bottle Greenhouse Plan uploaded from Moray Greenspace Education Project.
- There are so many greenhouse plans on the web. Morning Chores has a great list of 125 free DYI Greenhouse Plans compiled which really helps in considering a variety of options. If you’re still looking for ideas after that, check out these 42 Best DIY Greenhouses from A Piece of Rainbow.
- To keep it simple with a smaller greenhouse design, here’s an 8 x 8 design by Construct 101. It has excellent, detailed instructions.
- Outside of using the recycled materials you have on hand or decide to collect, Growers Supply has an extensive inventory of possible materials you may need for your chosen design. You can check out their greenhouse building materials HERE.
There are a lot of points to consider in deciding on a greenhouse. Designing or purchasing a greenhouse that will best suit your needs, climate, and individual preferences can take some time to research. I hope you’ve enjoyed the post, and thank you for joining Nature Art Exploration. It’s always a good day to share your bliss and do your part to create a more beautiful world. As always, feel free to comment below with your experience or thoughts. This is a place for sharing. Miigwech!
