GH

Greenhouses have been around for a long time. The very first thing to resemble a GH was something the Romans used to grow cucumbers for Emperor Tiberius (what a coincidence that is !)  They were grown in wheelbarrows stored under frames or in cucumber houses glazed with either oiled cloth known as "specularia" or with sheets of selenite, then wheeled out into the sunshine every day.

The first modern greenhouses were built in Italy in the 13th century to house the exotic plants that explorers brought back from the tropics.

We've come a long way since then :~))  The largest greenhouses were built in the nineteenth Century The glasshouses at Kew Gardens in England are a prime example of the Victorian greenhouse styles.

Holland is of course famous for it's acres and acres of them, in which they grow lots of tasteless tomatoes. They have now even developed a new systeem to grow them is desert climates...

My eye was caught by the following picture of the future of greenhouses:

The one below has a spiral to increase the area of production.

                                                                      And the one to the right is actually a green House

Leo and I played a very small part in the design for the latest greenhouse to be erected at the RHS garden Wisley.

My 2nd cousin Ken is a horticulturist and was on the committee that choose the design. He and his wife came over to Holland and we showed them various greenhouses... the one at the Keukenhof was inspirational and they chose the  Dutch company  that built it to also construct the one at Wisley :~))

For a total history of greenhouses etc - click HERE