I'm certain the seasoned greenhouse experts will offer numerous technical suggestions. I have found this community recently, while researching information for a custom greenhouse for my wife and I, admit to having limited direct experience - but have learned a lot in these forums.

I can relate to your situation however - having designed numerous custom houses for my past + current architectural clients - integrating their envisioned sun-space / greenhouse extensions. Your desire to offer this as a gift to your parents shows a deep compassion for them and reveals a true sensitivity to their passion . . . I'm truly impressed and think they will embrace your gift with eternal gratitude.

That said, my opinion is to seek out an equally sensitive architect in your community, with considerable experience with green building technology and a knowledge of working greenhouse science. This would ensure a seamless integration with the existing built spaces and, depending upon his / her experiences, will design an addition to whatever budget you have in mind, rather than telling you what to spend. There are so many variables which will affect the final construction costs.

You've come to the right place in pursuit of which of these many variables are appropriate to your parent's particular requirements. Ultimately though, consider hiring a design professional.

Best of luck.

Hi
I'm impressed !! I'm bearing down on the big 70 and was thinking of giving up my GH lol can't imagine just starting out!!! Good luck for sure. gary

IS the GH a surprise? Have you spoken to them? It can be a lot of work. How long will they be able to truly use it and enjoy it?
Its a touching thought,and at 36 years old I'd love someone to give me a GH...but... at 70.... I may be looking to slow down a little not add more hobbies.
Proceeded with open eyes and ears and your evidently open heart and you I am sure will find something that allows you to bless your parents.

While you heart seems to be in the right place, I agree with ontheteam. Is this something that your parents have stated they are interested in?

A GH is a huge investment (not just monetarily), and are you sure they are willing to put the time in there that would be required. There are a lot of considerations (as you seem to be aware), but the biggest one is your parents' interest level. This is not something that should just be "sprung" on them, but rather something that is seriously discussed in depth before even contacting an architect. You don't want to waste the architect's time, if your parents are not interested.

First, are they willing to have a GH constructed adjacent to their home? (That would be a significant disruption to their routine for the entire time that construction continues.)

Second, are they interested in the time and money commitment (unless you are going to install a completely solar powered heating/cooling system, there is going to be an ongoing expense with this)?

Third, even if the answer to the previous questions is "yes", are they willing to accept a gift of this magnitude from you? (Whether or not you can afford it may not even be the important factor here.)

Finally, if your parents are not willing to accept the GH, I WILL! Email me, and I'll give you my address! As a sign of gratitude, my next child will be named graficaamy!

Hm-mm . . . not sure I agree with the - too far over-the-hill for green-housing - sentiments. Of course, some people age differently than others. But, seems to me a greenhouse would make graficaamy's parent's gardening hobby easier - and more enjoyable.

My Mom just turned 85 yesterday and shows no signs of slowing down with her garden activities - was going through seed catalogs for expanding her flower gardens next season when I visited last night.

It also seems to me graficaamy should know his/her parents enough to consider this . . . you think?

Not saying they ARE too old... But what does it hurt to ask "THEM" if they were looking to be decreasing the garden hobby.. downsize or even move before you do something like that.

i am a healthy 36 yo who LOVES horses...but IDK how thrilled I'd be to get one with out being asked.. KWIM?

I am watching my 76 yo granddad fade fast. And he's BEEN fading for a long time. Some people are just now accepting that reality. Sometimes we see the reality we want VS the one we have.
It's a huge generous and touching thought. I'd hate to see it end up as a burden on the giver or the receiver.

onetheteam,
I suppose we're all speculating here - since the OP hasn't replied. However, I took the POV that he/she had some knowledge of his/her parent's desires for having a greenhouse, or at least a hint from them, and inquired here for technical support.

Best wishes for improvement with your grandfather's health . . . maybe a greenhouse will help rejuvenate him. ;)

Thank you everyone for all these thoughtful comments -- I don't get to check in often enough to the garden forums. (For some reason the email notification of post never has worked for me!) As answer to a few questions:

My dad's aging is making his two other major "hobbies" increasingly difficult. (His vision is no longer good enough for serious mineralogical study thru microscopes; Woodworking with power tools becoming dangerous since his hands are not as steady as they used to be...). In the wintertime these activities used to occupy several hours a day. I know he'd want to spend more time on gardening, year round, if he could. My mom is much more active, but would also love to expand her gardening activity. They both are intense gardeners, but with different "special interests", so I think it would be lovely for them to have a place they could work side by side.

When I had this brainstorm idea of the greenhouse last time I visited, they said they had already considered it in the past. They are pretty frugal and probably consider it too much of a splurge on themselves. My brother & I will talk it over these days (over Thanksgiving visit) but would most likely involve them in the project if we decide to push for it. Our gift might be sharing the cost with them, but mostly taking the initiative to plan and oversee the project.

They are already considering work on the house, to improve a badly layed out and constructed garage entry / basement landing / stairs area already, and my brother & I think we could combine projects in one coherent plan. This area is on the south side of house, the area least interrupted by plantings or trees on their property, and I think an addition at this point could work architecturally.

I need to do lots of research obviously... Don't know if there are ways to make it totally solar, or what sort of heating / ventilating systems are used. I could see involving a professional for initial consultation but I don't know if we can afford to have the project custom designed and constructed What other options are there? Is it like cabinetry (i.e. stock, semi-custom, custom)? Is it possible to get a good quality "stock" greenhouse?

Please recommend good sources of info: books, websites, companies, etc...

First, what a fantastic gift. You will surely have karma credits for your entire lifetime and part of your children's too if you procreate. If our daughter gives me one of these in my dotage, I won't need morphine in my last days.

Second, there are so many references and styles and types of greenhouses that it is hard to give one ref. Your first task is attached or detached. There are + and - for both and we can't do that for you. Personally I'd want a detached but 2-3 steps from the house. Then I'd want an insulated north wall and frugal solar heating of the floor and electric for the heat mats for germination.

Sigh... So many choices. My reference is The Solar Greenhouse Book, falling apart and needing to be replaced. That will help keep costs down and make your mind wander.

But IMHO bare minimum is aluminum frame and an ability to cover to retain heat and frugal supplemental heating and an electrical outlet. And both of them will want to be in there puttering and agreeing how wonderful their daughter is. So maybe 8x12 or 10x14. Start looking at The Google for greenhouse suppliers for an idea of what you are in for. You will be well into 4 figures depending upon quality and benches and heating and whether family can do labor.

Dan

Thanks Dan -- I've already got a daughhter who has no interest whatsoever in gardening. But neither did I until I got a yard of my own. I must admit that part of my agenda for setting up my folks with a greenhouse is to be able to start my own own seeds there too...

I hadn't honestly thought about whether a GH would be a burden for them. I'm taking this idea seriously and will talk it over with them.

Re ongoing cost of running the GH, if we were to be able to set it up as mainly solar heating (except heat mats for germination), what other kinds of costs do we need to consider? I'll go out tomorrow and get some references but I want to begin thinking asap.

Thanks.

Yes, it will work. Use the link and look at what the Univ. of Georgia booklet has to offer. I think it will give you some great options.

Here is a link that might be useful: UGA Greenhouse Booklet

Hi
I turn 70 next Oct. and live in 10 florida so obviously A GH here is nothing like a GH in your area. Mine evolved from an attached screenroom ,have used it for over 30 years. Runaway my favorite grow area lol Have no idea how much money time and effort I've spent on it but I think worth every cent. Wife does not unfortuneately lol.
I hire all the Landscape work done now which greatly reduced the work load but even with that the upkeep of the GH is a lot.lol I repaired the last hurricane damage myself but feel certain I won't be able to do that in the future even IF I do keep my health. The expense of hiring it done will be out of the question
I HATE to admit it but the wife is probaly right that the money would best be used toward upgrading the house.
I would certainly recommend making the upkeep as easy as possible
using GOOD equipment well thought out for your climate.
Attached to the house for sure. Good luck with whatever you decide!!! gary

HEY Arch..sadly nothing but a miracle will help my granddad,he's too sick for surgery with diabetes,congestive heart failure and poor kidneys..those conditions we have managed for 10 yrs or so.. recently he developed an intermittent internal bleed they can not find. Which almost does not matter beacuse he's not fit for surgery if we did find it.

The whole experience has taught me that people who love him some very smart people still see him as they wish he was ...not the way he is now. I do not "blame" them.I wish I could BE them.

The OP has a fine idea and a fine heart and I wish her and her parents well.

Hey ott, seems as though the family may be in denial over granddad's prognosis - while you remain realistic. I guess that approach builds a stronger foundation in preparation for the inevitable emotional tsunami.

My wife and I became grandparents not too long ago and it shattered me. Such a stigma associated with that title, I thought - as when turning 30 seemed like the end of our "anti-establishment" generation. What I have learned however is, it's simply another phase of growth with new opportunities. :)

Hopefully, grafficaamy with keep us updated with her and her parent's decision.

I will be 60 in December and just spent a year building a 10 X 12 greenhouse. It's passive solar with rock and polycarbonate walls. This will be my first year to use it. I have two comments on the gift of the greenhouse. 1 - given the extent of the gardening the parents do, I am surprised they don't have one already. Although they may take the winter to rest up for all that work in the spring summer and fall. LOL 2 - The greenhouse should be low maintenance which means it should be passive solar and should be as small as it can be. There is a wealth of information on how to incorporate passive solar into the building of the greenhouse on the web.

You're never too old. But, at any age, you might be in a physical or mental state such that a greenhouse would be a waste. I'm 78, put up a Rion 8x16 fall of 2008 to replace a smaller one, and last winter put up two Rion 6x8 Easy2Build's, mated back to back & covered with chicken wire, for lettuce in winter (squirrels) and tomatoes in summer (squirrels and jay birds). I have next-door neighbors in their 20's with two kids, all wrapped up in their church activities, whose place is overgrown and don't even keep their lawn mowed. I'm sure a GH would be wasted on them. I agree with the others: talk to your parents first, but don't let anyone convince you 70 is too old for a GH.

Packing now to head up to CT. Will keep everyone's comments in mind -- thanks so much, so far. Will certainly have more questions as I research. I'm feeling more and more convinced this is a good idea and we should pursue right away so as to maximize the benefit.

Happy Thanksgiving.

Sooo... howd 'it go?

Well they don't want to pursue the greenhouse. They said it's because they don't know how long they'll stay at current house. I think it's mostly just too big a project and they aren't comfortable with what they feel is a luxury, even though they could definitely afford it. My brother & I are going to still encourage them, but I think it's a long shot. I'm very disappointed but have to respect their wishes obviously...
Many thanks to all who gave me your thoughts. Happy Holidays...

I am sorry. Your heart really was in the right place.
What about a "floracart?" An indoor light set up..just a few shelves really...

Here is a link that might be useful: indoor

amy,

There are many low budget items (even temporary shelters) that can be used to extend their gardening (or at least their harvesting, which in my opinion is the best part!).

Have you considered a PVC or EMT hoop house (very low investment, and it can extend the gardening season 6 weeks or more, depending on how it is used (3 weeks in the early spring and 3 weeks into the fall)?

This type of structure could be built in a weekend (with a few hands), and used to warm the soil and protect the plants from wind damage. Also, it can be used to keep the soil from getting drenched in the winter and help to keep the planting areas usable for more time.

Also, if your parents are interested in winter greens, the harvest could continue throughout the winter until the spring plants are ready to go.

This type of structure can also add in propagating cuttings as well. By protecting them in an unheated but sheltered environment, they will go through far less of the stress that traditional cuttings go through. It can also be used to overwinter perennials.

Furthermore, given the area of the veggie bed you are describing, you could actually design it to go over the entire veggie garden, which would open up a world of possibilities. Just a thought.

A couple of references to consider for this suggestion: Four Season Harvest by Eliot Coleman and 12 Month Gardener by Jeff Ashton.

(Just something to consider.)