Urban Gardener: A Sliver of a Greenhouse for a Small Space

Imagine having a window onto spring all winter long: that’s the promise of a lean-to greenhouse, just four feet wide and sited alongside an exterior wall. When it’s installed to frame a window or even a back door, the lean-to can put herbs, seedlings, or potted plants within easy reach year round:

Above: A Swallow Finch Lean-To Greenhouse has two pop-up ventilation windows, a slatted shelf for work or display, and a sturdy gutter that will extend the life of the redwood pine framing. The trellis is a nice touch—plant ivy or twining clematis to disguise an exterior wall. The trellis is available in four sizes (from 4-by-6 feet to 4-by-12 feet ) at prices starting at ₤1,484 from Swallow G.B. US gardeners can consider a similar structure with polycarbonate walls instead of glass, prices start at $1,249 from Sunshine Greenhouse.

(N.B. For more lean-to greenhouses, see “Steal This Look: A Potting Shed Made of Scraps.”