Many people, having extended their houses upwards in the form of loft conversions, then decide to extend outwards with the addition of a conservatory. This may become a children's room, an additional living room, a dining room or an area solely dedicated to plants. Whatever the reason for building one, this guide will prove indispensable. From the early planning and siting stages through construction, decoration and planting, conservatory consultant Joan Phelan discusses in depth all the pros and cons to give a full picture of what could be achieved with careful planning and forethought. Once constructed it is too late or too expensive to decide on underfloor heating after all or different flooring. Discovering that the sun does not reach it until late afternoon when you would really like to have breakfast there would be an awful mistake to make and one which could not be rectified. From style and building the book moves onto plants, planting and aftercare for whatever your conservatory is going to be used for: it is no good having expensive furniture and rugs if the plants you are going to grow need high humidity and regular damping down in summer. Care too must be taken with respect to temperature and the costs of maintaining a minimum suitable for the plants. These chapters concentrate on specific plants for specific conditions giving brief descriptions of a wide range of plants and their requirements to ensure new conservatory owners do not get disillusioned by early plant failures. Written with more than 12 years experience, both professional and personal, Joan Phelan gives a clear, well-illustrated picture of conservatory construction and aftercare for both expanding families in need of extra space and dedicated gardeners who have outgrown the greenhouse.
