The best 8’x12’ greenhouses on the market – Greenhouse Hunt (2024)

Do you have a big backyard that feels a little empty? Have you outgrown your mini greenhouse or 4’x6’ greenhouse? Are you a go big or go home kind of person? An 8’x12’ greenhouse feels like a true indoor garden. It will offer you plenty of room to decorate, put in shelves, hanging plants and maybe a little reading corner, surrounded by greens. Sounds good? We think so!

We have recently switched from a 6’x8’ greenhouse to an 8’x12’ greenhouse and boy are we loving it! We have moved our plants from the small greenhouse to the big one and we realized we still had so much room for extra plants, vegetables and fruits. Yay! Are you still wondering whether or not a greenhouse is the way to go for you? We’ve listed why we love greenhouse growing.

Advantages of an 8’x12’ greenhouse

  • Your plants will have room to grow! In smaller greenhouses you may need to trim your plants or limit their growth, while in an 8’x12’ greenhouse there’s no stopping your tomato plant or citrus tree.
  • An 8’x12’ greenhouse offers more than enough room to comfortably work and repot plants. Install a workbench and get your hands dirty. No ducking or tiptoeing from one side to the other!
  • How about a little sitting corner? You don’t need much room, put in a comfortable chair and a tiny coffee table just big enough for a cup and a book or magazine. Enjoy the warmth and earthy smell. Especially during spring and fall, a greenhouse can give you that warm summer feeling. I prefer a chair made out of wicker, as many fabrics won’t be able to handle the humidity in a greenhouse (take a look underneath to see my favorites).

The best 8’x12’ greenhouses on the market – Greenhouse Hunt (1)

The best 8’x12’ greenhouses

1. The Palram Four Season Chalet Hobby Greenhouse

This is the ‘creme de la creme’ of 8’x12’ greenhouses and one of our favorites. It comes with roof vents, a galvanized steel base and lockable double doors. It has a high-quality finishing and a beautiful design, perfect as a stylish addition to your backyard. The installment of this greenhouse is not easy, we’re not going to lie to you. But when you carefully follow the instructions and you start setting up on a windless day, the reward will be great. It might be a good idea to sturdy up the panels and doors, just to make sure it will withstand harder winds. When you’ve finished the installation, you will enjoy this greenhouse for many years!

2. Monticello 8’x12’ greenhouse

The Monticello greenhouse is a beautiful, strong greenhouse. It comes with two roof vents, lockable double doors and an integrated dual rainwater system. The Monticello greenhouses are made in the USA and are heavier than the average greenhouse, for added stability. Like all greenhouse assemblies, this one can be quite challenging. Try to engage another person to help you (reward them with cake or cookies) and take the time to really lay out all the parts and carefully follow the plan.

It’s definitely not the cheapest greenhouse, but a greenhouse is a long term investment. We feel that the Monticello greenhouse puts their money where their mouth is. Want to learn more about Monticello greenhouses? Take a look at our Monticello review article.

3. Palram Glory Greenhouse

The Palram Glory is one of our favorites in more categories than just the 8’x12’ greenhouses. It comes in many different sizes, from 8’x6’ up to 8’x20’. This premium greenhouse offers a reinforced, extra-thick, non-rusting aluminum structure to withstand weather conditions. The polycarbonate panels have frosted glazing to divide the sunbeams evenly through the greenhouse. This greenhouse comes with anchors, automatic vent openers and plant hangers (although you may want to get more than the 10 that are included). We have written a detailed review about the Palram Glory, take a look!

8’x12’ greenhouse accessories

1. Reading corner

Do you also want to install a little reading corner in your greenhouse? Here’s some of our favorite decorative furniture that fits perfectly in a greenhouse. Create a me-time haven, have a sip of coffee (or wine) and breathe in the smell of wholesome plants.

Chairs

This chair is one of my personal favorites, it’s so pretty and comfy, it instantly relaxes me. We’ve only owned this for a couple of weeks, so we need to see if it withstands the humidity in the greenhouse. This is however patio furniture so we expect it to last, even in a greenhouse. Make sure you take the cushions inside when you leave!

What’s not to like about this one? Budget friendly, beautiful design and supercomfy (although we suggest adding a cushion here and there to make it even more comfortable).

Another favorite! Beautiful chair and oh so comfy. We love the design of these hanging chairs. Assembly is easy and the chair is sturdy. Compared to other egg chairs, this one is very affordable. This chair can be placed both inside and outside, so definitely suitable for a greenhouse!

Tables

These tables are suited for outside (and greenhouse) use and have the perfect size to hold a cup of coffee or a glass of wine!

2. Shelving

When decorating your greenhouse, good shelving can save you a lot of space and is the perfect way to group your plants. Want to learn more? Take a look at our article about greenhouse shelving!

Here are a couple of our favorite shelves for 8’x12’ greenhouses!

What do you think? Is an 8’x12’ greenhouse your next investment? Are you ready to enjoy greenhouse growing? Let us know what your favorite greenhouse is!

The best 8’x12’ greenhouses on the market – Greenhouse Hunt (2024)

FAQs

What type of greenhouse is best? ›

You'll find many greenhouses are made from aluminum, which is lightweight, weatherproof and inexpensive. Galvanized steel is lightweight, sturdy and won't rust. It's a great choice for areas with inclement weather because it can withstand weights up to 100 pounds and winds up to 70 miles per hour.

What is the best greenhouse for cold weather? ›

The best type of greenhouse for winter is one that has excellent insulation, efficient solar heat gain, and can withstand heavy snow loads. Geodesic dome greenhouses, like the Growing Dome, are often considered ideal due to their structural strength and energy efficiency.

What is the most popular greenhouse size? ›

The most popular size is a 6ft x 8ft greenhouse.

This size greenhouse is popular as it provides you with sufficient space to stand and work within and at the same time has enough space to have staging down both sides and across the back of the greenhouse.

What is the most popular type of greenhouse? ›

Greenhouses with a gable roof are one of the most common types of greenhouses. They provide the maximum amount of sunlight and offer a large area inside the structure for growing a large number of plants.

What is the best month to buy a greenhouse? ›

Without a shadow of a doubt the best time to be buying a greenhouse is in advance of the new growing season. Don't wait until March or April when you see the first daffodil appear to place your order, get your order in well before then.

What temperature is too cold for a greenhouse? ›

It depends on the plants. Tropicals and subtropicals can't survive freezing temps below 32°F. An unheated greenhouse can maintain temperatures warmer than outside ambient air, protecting plants down to around 20°F. Monitoring conditions is important.

Can you grow anything in an unheated greenhouse in the winter? ›

Carrots, beets, radishes and turnips can all survive frosts and freezing temperatures. You can also plant onions and garlic with confidence. But you don't have to stick to the common root vegetables. Why not try planting leeks, parsnips or rutabagas in your unheated winter greenhouse?

What is the most expensive part of a greenhouse? ›

The covering material of the greenhouse, also known as glazing, is usually the most expensive component of the structure. It is also one of the most important because the glazing is what allows the entry of light and heat into the greenhouse.

What is the perfect greenhouse model? ›

The idealized greenhouse model is based on the fact that certain gases in the Earth's atmosphere, including carbon dioxide and water vapour, are transparent to the high-frequency solar radiation, but are much more opaque to the lower frequency infrared radiation leaving Earth's surface.

What is the best layout for a greenhouse? ›

Greenhouses with a single aisle down the center are typically 8, 10 or 12 feet wide. 10 ft. widths offer the most efficient utilization of bench space because you can put 3 ft. wide benches on both sides and have a 3-4 ft, wide aisle with room for plant to overgrow the benches.

What is the strongest greenhouse? ›

You read right: SF6 is the most potent greenhouse gas in existence with a global warming potential of 23,900 times the baseline of CO2. It means that one tonne of SF6 in the atmosphere equals 23,900 tonnes of CO2.

What shape of greenhouse is best? ›

The best shape for a greenhouse

Freestanding – Square or rectangular freestanding greenhouses are great all rounders and can be sited anywhere in your garden. They have an apex roof and allow light in from all four sides.

What is the most efficient shape for a greenhouse? ›

Thermal efficiency: We know that the dome has the least amount of surface area of all the greenhouses so it will be the most efficient as far as reducing heat loss through the cover, however I've added a few more features that boost the thermal performance even further.

Which is better, a green or a clear greenhouse? ›

Clear plastic may be ideal for colder climates, while green plastic can provide shade in hot, sunny areas. Goals: Determine your goals for greenhouse gardening, such as maximizing plant growth, extending growing seasons, or protecting sun-sensitive crops.

Is glass or plastic better for a greenhouse? ›

Glass greenhouses provide superior light quality due to their high transmittance rates, benefiting plant growth by allowing more natural sunlight to penetrate. However, plastic greenhouses offer the advantage of diffusing light, which can prevent plant burn and ensure an even distribution of light across all plants.

What is the most energy-efficient greenhouse design? ›

Wood makes a more energy efficient greenhouse because it is 1400 times more energy efficient than aluminum. In cold dry climates, ice can actually form on the inside framework of an aluminum greenhouse.

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