Anyone Have A Junior Victorian Greenhouse Kit?

I haven't seen any reviews online, anywhere. I know they're expensive and I'd be paying for the decorative quality, but if I took the leap I would justify it because... my yard is small... yes that's it.... wouldn't want an eyesore :)
I've been drooling over the "Junior Orangerie Greenhouse Kit" and saw Sam's Club is offering it less than anywhere I've found online.

I've also been mulling over trying to frankenstein my own. Has anyone used sliding glass doors and skylights?

I'm concerned about heating with any of the kits. How well can polycarbonate really hold heat? The Victorian is a glass greenhouse- I would guess it would be better. I figured the sliding doors would be the best, but there would be light interference with all the framing. I have many small exotic fruiting plants that haven't died yet. They take turns on my SW window sill. If they make it to next winter they will be bigger.

Thanks for any insite-

The answer to your question kagst29 is "under review". But just going on my own experience, the heating costs of my polycarbonate GH have not been outandish. Would have preferred the "look" of a glass house, but when I ran the numbers---even in my mild clime---I couldn't justify it. The difference isn't that much here... but from what I remember of the northeast winters, in your clime the difference could be huge.In fact, I'd go the triple insulated poly-c route up there...

My first GH had sliding doors which I really liked. I could leave the doors open with no chance of them getting caught in the wind and slamming open and shut. This is a feature I dearly miss on my Rion. I'd go with the sliding doors if I had a choice. I don't heat the GH, so I can't comment on the costs.

http://www.samsclub.com/shopping/navigate.do?dest=5&item=350555

I thought I would include the link to show the "Junior Orangerie Greenhouse Kit". It sure is a nice greenhouse. I can see why you like it. It does say the '4mm tempered glass for safety and good insulation value', so that sounds pretty good. Yeah, If I could swing it, I would be mighty tempted, too.

Pam

I'm not sure of the floor size on this, but does not see real big to me.
With some ingenuity, you could build a similar greenhouse yourself for a lot less and choose the materials you want, too.
Alice

I see why you like it so much. It would be an asset to your small yard, but YIKES $5k+!!! If you do buy it keep us posted on the assembly process. It looks complicated.

I just love that little entry area. It is so cute!!!!!!!

I am contemplating the exact decision. The Jr. Victorian is expensive but attractive. One thought is the decorative iron along the top will keep birds off and you won't be looking at glass with lots of bird droppings. That good really be an eyesore! Has anyone purchased this greenhouse?

Pastime, when you say you don't heat your GH, are you able to use it in the winter? I'm zone 5, too, and we just put up a Rion. Tks.

That's a gorgeous greenhouse but I wonder why they don't give the dimensions. 114 sq ft seems like they're dodging the issue. We have a Rion, and now I'm a bit sorry I didn't go for a glass one just for the looks, but the shipping cost was horrendous. And the Rion certainly does what I need it to. We heat it with a small heater we got from Gardeners' Supply, but I don't think they offer it anymore. I can keep the nighttime temps at about 50 or 55 with it, when it's threatening to dip below freezing outside, but I only use it in the spring when I put my seedlings out there once they've sprouted in the house.

Re propping the doors open, we use a simple-minded system whereby we have two hollow metal pipes sunk in the ground, one behind the open door and one just in front of it. When we want to keep the doors open we drop a metal bar into the one in front of the door - the one behind has the metal bar in it all the time - and that keeps it from moving in the wind. It works well for us.

greenhouse_gal,
Here is a web site with the deminsions. http://www.greenhouses.com/grandvictorian.html What do you think? It is expensive but would really be attractive. I'm thinking about putting it on a 12 x 12 gravel pad that currently has an abondoned trampoline on it. Gymnast in the family has been off to college for 5 years.

Mary, it sounds like a nice size and it's a beautiful greenhouse; it would grace any yard! It's a shame there are no customer reviews on that site; have you found any anywhere else? It's a bit too fancy for my place, but I would have liked something just a tad more upscale than my Rion - maybe between the Victorian and mine. If it would look right in your landscape I'd say to go for it. Sounds like you already have the perfect place to put it!

Leslie

Kagst29, I am planning a glass greenhouse, have been planning it for a long time. I have very large metal and glass multi pane warehouse windows approx 6ft X 8ft stored in the barn for the job. I have been told that heating them will be expensive as not only the single sheet glass will conduct cold but the metal will as well. Also that I could pay for the double or triple polycarbonate with the money I will save on heat. But I very firmly have this beautiful glass GH in my minds eye and after a lot of discussion with Ric and a few friends I have decided to go ahead with the glass GH as planned. My GH will be part of my living space right up against the house in the back garden area, more of a conservatory than a table and bench type set up. If I was putting it in a different area I would probably go with something maybe not as attractive but much more efficient.
I just love the kit you are looking at and your kit appears to have a better glass and the aluminum supports have the gasket that may also help reduce heat loss. I would image that this kit would be more efficient than what I have in mind. Wonder what type of heat loss you get from tempered glass? You are right thinking that in your small yard this will be a focal point and that is certainly a pretty one. Think about what you want most from your GH, what do you want to grow in there. Keeping tropicals alive all winter would take much more heat than seed starting in the spring. If the cost of heating it becomes too much then you could end up with and attractive but non functioning GH.

I guess I don't have to worry about too much heat loss since I am in zone 9. I agree this GH is a little impractical but I do want it to be attractive. I just wish I would know someone who has bought one of these Victorian glass houses.

HI everyone !
I am new here. I have been looking at greenhouses too. You might want to take a look at Cross Country Greenhouses here : http://www.littlegreenhouse.com/country.shtml.
This website offers lots of good information and has specials too.

Maybe I can answer some of the heat/glass/light/shading questions. I have a 20 x 23 tempered glass GH on a 24" architectural brick knee wall. Nothing, I mean nothing, can beat the look of a glass greenhouse. But...

I heat all winter to >50F and the biggest mistake I made was using tempered glass instead of polycarbonate.

Single layer glass has an R-value of about 0.8. Twin wall PC has an R-value of 1.4. These numbers correlate directly into BTU or energy requirements, and therefore correlate directly with your heating bills. Look here: http://www.littlegreenhouse.com/heat-calc.shtml and plug in the numbers to see what a difference it makes (R-value is 1/heat loss value in the chart).

I've tried at least 3 different systems to add insulation to the GH in the winter, and the best one, by far, is the current system whereby I add 4 10x25' sheets of poly to the inside of the GH to create and additional air layer of insulation. I add 1" of reflective foamboard (R-6 or so) to the north wall. HollyAnnS is right, metal frames suck the heat right out of the GH; insulating by putting bubble wrap against each glass pane doesn't restrict any of this heat loss through the frame, thus the success of my current system. It is a PITA to put up, though. If I had twinwall or 3xwall PC, I probably wouldn't have to do it.

PC also has the great advantage of light diffusion. Diffused light improves the photosynthetic efficiency of the plants inside and reduces the risk of burn (which I have encountered more than once when I take down the poly in the spring). :-(

The shading issue is, in the end, not that important, IMHO.