Five Strong, Stylish, and HEAVY Orangery Boxes

A clear definition of terms seems the proper way to begin this particular piece. Only with this  essential knowledge, will the words that follow will surely have the intended meaning. 

So...What is an orangery box? Is it a box filled with oranges? An orange-colored box? A cryptic, well-guarded phrase, the meaning of which is known by a select few in the citrus industry?

None of the above. 

But, to arrive at the correct definition of an orangery box, let us first define an orangery ; 

It’s a place with a very carefully controlled climate, suitable for growing citrus trees year round - even in famously cold regions, like Northern Europe.

Similar to a greenhouse in many ways, an orangery is usually much larger, and the roof of an orangery is often only partially glazed. The temperature inside an orangery is also far more carefully maintained  than the average greenhouse ; heated as needed in cold months and cooled in hot months, to ensure that the citrus trees inside thrive inside, year round. 

 

From the 17th-19th centuries, orangeries were a sign of wealth and prestige, and to remove any doubt as to their owners’ wealth and prestige, orangeries were famous for their ornate and grandiose architectural style. They often included decorative wrought ironwork, magnificent stone and masonry facades, grottoes inside, and other areas for entertaining. Modern day orangeries are frequently designed in this same, ornate architectural style.

Now, you’ve probably already connected the dots and correctly surmised that orangery boxes are planters large enough to hold the citrus trees inside an orangery. 

Well done.

And, not surprisingly, these large, hardworking planter boxes have to be strong. Very, very strong, indeed. Robust and rugged enough to hold one cubic yard or more of frequently-watered soil, along with the citrus tree itself. On orangery box and its contents combined could very easily exceed 2000 pounds in total weight.

 

On top of this, the design of some orangery box planters demanded that they be sturdy enough to be moved  - outside during the warmer months, and back inside the orangery during winter.

And yet, we’ve only just begun. Strength is just one requirement of an orangery box design - and, some might even say it’s not even the most important one.

Think about it. Would a simple, plain-looking wooden planter box - however strong and sturdy it happened to be - suffice in such a large, elegantly-styled structure as an orangery? 

No way. 

It would surely stand out like a single-wide mobile home in Beverly Hills - badly diminishing the orangery owner’s prestige. Chancing upon a humdrum orangery box in a finely-styled orangery? That would be something like finding a cigarette butt in your bowl of crab bisque. 

No, thank you!!

Here, style is every bit as important as function. Perhaps even more. So orangery boxes frequently included intricate wood joinery, steel bands fitted around the exterior, decorative wood finials, and other aesthetically impressive features. Orangery boxes are also often lined with galvanized steel sheets to extend the lifespan of these stylish investments.  

 

So when we were asked to build five orangery boxes to be planted with decorative trees in a customer’s landscape, we paused, and thought, “Well...it is a really cool design. And the design does call for red cedar.” Further pondering our ability to deliver such a stylish product, we glanced down at our overalls and back to the sketch. Then, we stood up a little straighter, and proclaimed, “Yes! We can pause from our daily diet of red cedar garden beds, chicken coops, and cedar-framed greenhouses, and have just the tiniest taste of caviar. Yes! We’ll trade in our steel-toed boots for soft, supple, Italian leather loafers. We’ll set the overalls aside  - just for a little while -  and don tweed blazers and gleaming cuff links. Yes! We DO have what it takes to deliver both the strength AND style that’s demanded here.”

And so it was, that we set about building the orangery box frames with red cedar ; our first choice lumber for outdoor projects like this because of its well-deserved reputation for durability. This orangery box design featured cedar boards installed vertically on the frame, then wrapped with 1/8”-thick steel bands, secured with 1/2”-diameter galvanized carriage bolts. We lined all five orangery boxes with galvanized steel sheets, sealing the seams and any screws heads with premium-grade exterior silicone.

Now, because these particular orangery boxes were designed to grow only ornamental trees and annuals - not citrus or other edible varieties - we applied Woodlife CreoCoat to the inside and underside of each cedar planter. This powerful wood preservative is designed for untreated wood that’s used in below-ground applications like fence posts, mailbox posts, etc. It helps prevent rot and damage from termites and other wood boring insects, and this step -  combined with the sheet metal linings - will extend the life span of these five orangery boxes indefinitely. 

 

With the galvanized sheet metal linings and steel bands secured, and decorative finials in place, we next applied three coats of the requested exterior stain color, and scheduled the delivery date ;  just in time for a large holiday gathering at the family’s Myers Park home.

Now, we were certain that the five cedar planters were super strong. Uber strong. Beyond hardy and rugged. And VERY, very heavy ( trust us on this ).

But were they stylish enough??

We’d like to think so.

And with beaming smiles, and effusive thanks, it would seem that the new orangery box owners heartily agreed with us.

What's Clearer than Crystal-Clear?

When Gordon and Krista McClellan moved to Charlotte from Vermont, their very first task... well, their very first task right after unpacking all the furniture, housewares, and clothes... was to to recreate the organic garden and greenhouse that they had to leave behind in Vermont. 

The couple liked our Kitchen Garden raised bed design, especially the 19” height, which was taller than their previous raised beds. Three 4’x8’ Kitchen Garden raised beds were requested and promptly installed in a semi circle arrangement, on a sunny rise towards the back of their backyard. The three cedar garden beds were filled with a premium organic soil blend and ready for the flats of seedlings that the couple had already purchased, and were sitting outside on the deck, waiting to be planted. 

 

Once the three cedar raised beds were installed and filled with soil, we then turned our full attention to the couple’s new greenhouse. 

Now, the greenhouse that the McClellans had back in Vermont was actually a kit, which Gordon assembled himself. We know from experience how tricky assembling greenhouse kits can be, and Gordon’s description of his greenhouse kit experience ( which, thankfully, did eventually result in a satisfactory finished product ) seemed consistent with what we’ve found ; huge, heavy boxes delivered by motor freight, filled with hundreds of similar looking pieces. Bewildering labeling systems that sometimes seem to pair with the thick assembly instruction manual(s). Other times, the many parts and their labels seem to dance to a very different tune than the cryptic reams of assembly instructions.

By now, the McClellan’s had already reviewed many photos of examples of our cedar-framed greenhouse designs, and the pair loved our gable greenhouse design, which closely resembled the greenhouse they had at their previous home. And they were certain that they weren’t up for another greenhouse kit adventure like the one back in Vermont.

 

Gordon and Krista had already decided on 8’x10’ as the size of their new greenhouse, and had also selected a site for it, in the back, right corner of their backyard. They agreed that the base of 4”x4” cedar timbers, leveled into the sloping greenhouse site, and filled in with decorative pebbles would make an excellent, attractive base. And this greenhouse base design would also ensure that the appearance of the completed structure was would easily meet their neighborhood’s guidelines on the aesthetics of structures like this.

The McClellans also requested cedar potting tables with upper and lower shelving - placed together in an L-shaped arrangement that would fit neatly inside their greenhouse. “Consider it done”, we said.

And the couple even liked the look and feel of the 8mm twin-wall polycarbonate glazing that comes standard on for cedar-framed greenhouse designs. This high-performance, lightweight greenhouse glazing has excellent insulation value, is easy to cut, handle, and install, and is virtually shatterproof. Twin-wall polycarbonate greenhouse glazing costs less, insulates better, and is safer to transport, handle, install, and work under, than single-pane glass glazing. 

But the couple’s previous greenhouse had single pane, clear polycarbonate glazing. And this was, perhaps, the trait that they loved most about that greenhouse. If possible, they wanted the same look and feel of crystal-clear glazing on the new greenhouse. So they gently asked us if single-pane glazing was an option, instead of the twin-wall polycarbonate - even with the slight loss of insulation value.

“Of course it’s an option”, we replied. In fact, we’ll gladly install single-pane, clear polycarbonate glazing on any cedar-framed greenhouse we build. There’s a little more to it, though, and we explained the additional cost, and additional time needed to work with the more delicate, single-pane, clear polycarbonate material. Although it’s far, far less likely to shatter the way a similar-sized sheet of glass might, single-pane polycarbonate still requires much more care and special handling than its twin-wall polycarbonate cousin.

Pilot holes must be patiently drilled close to the edges of each sheet (where the single pane material is most vulnerable to cracking) , and mounting screws and cedar trim very, very gently installed. This process requires patience, skill ,finesse, more patience, additional time on site, and thus, adds a little cost to the project.

 

So, after the couple happily agreed to the small charge to cover the cost and longer installation process of the single pane, polycarbonate  glazing, we promptly ordered the material and soon installed the 1/4”-thick, single-pane, clear polycarbonate glazing onto the rough sawn red cedar greenhouse frame.

The words crystal-clear hardly seem adequate to describe the end result. And if it weren’t for the few, small reflected areas on the glazed roof that appear in the photos, it might even seem like the frame hasn’t yet been glazed.

We were glad to see how delighted Gordon and Krista were with their new cedar-framed greenhouse. 

We were delighted, too.

The striking beauty of the finished product, and our now delighted customers, made all the extra time and attention spent working with the heavy - and sometimes finicky - single-pane, polycarbonate glazing well worth it. 

Robin Rowland : Repeat as Needed

Repeat business must be a sign that you’re doing something right. Maybe the price was right or the quality and delivery of your product surpassed a customer’s expectations. 

Perhaps, both.

Here at Microfarm, repeat business isn’t uncommon. in fact, customers frequently will have us back over to add a cedar garden bed or two, or build a greenhouse complement the organic garden. Sometimes, it’s a compost bin or rain tank to pair with cedar garden beds we had perviously installed. More than a few of our chicken coops were added later, after we had already completed a customer’s organic garden design.

But, occasionally, these repeat business examples stand out for, well....just the amount of repeated business and extended scope of the work.

 

When we first met Robin Rowland, she already had an organic garden  - a modest design, just under a foot tall, and made with landscape timbers. With it’s loosely-fitted plastic mesh barrier - presumably intended to keep out rabbits and Abigail, the dog - we had to agree with Robin that the existing garden did seem a bit sad and lonely out there in the center of her South Charlotte backyard.

After reviewing some of the many the raised bed design examples on our Flickr account,  Robin selected a U-shaped cedar garden bed design the measures 3’ wide, 6’ on the sides, and 9’ across the back side of the planter.

And to keep Abigail and the neighborhood rabbits our of her new organic garden, we made it 25”-tall ; 6” taller than the standard 19” height of our Kitchen Garden raised bed design. 

With the new installation completed, Robin stopped just long enough to pose for a photo with her new cedar garden bed ( and Abigail ), before she began planting seedlings.

Admittedly, the new U-shaped cedar raised bed was quite an improvement over the old garden. 

And it even seemed to stand up tall and proudly as we gathered our gear together and said goodbye to Robin.

 

But the U-shaped planter must have been lonely out there by itself. Or Robin simply wanted more garden area. Or both. Because it wasn’t even half a fortnight before Robin called to request that we build an identical, 25”-tall, U-shaped cedar garden bed to be placed opposite the existing one. 

We promptly made it happen, and we have to say that the two U-shaped planters placed opposite each other did create quite a pleasant sense of balance and symmetry. 

Good idea, Robin. 

And this wasn’t the first time a customer suggested a garden design that was so good that we routinely offer it to others. We’re happy to build a customer’s own design, suggest one of ours, or even combine elements of both to create something entirely new.

With her two U-shaped raised beds now neatly facing each other, Robin seemed to be all set ; a skilled organic gardener that had all she needed to ‘take the ball and run with it’.

 

But the bright red color of the cedar boards on her new raised bed hadn’t even begun to fade to that iconic silver/grey, when Robin called back to ask if we could make a cedar arbor between the two U-shaped raised beds.

“Of course we can”, was our response. 

After all, we’ll take on just about any outdoor project design that’s strong, beautiful, and made with red cedar.

We built Robin’s  cedar arbor design with a combination of 4”x4” cedar posts, 2”x6” cedar beams, and 2”x4” cedar rafters. This post and beam style is essentially the way pergolas, livestock sheds, and manner of outdoor structures have been made for eons.

Now, the primary purpose of the U-shaped raised beds is organically growing edible varieties, but Robin wanted to plant an evergreen jasmine vine that could grow up and onto the arbor, providing the needed shade to screen some of the all-day sun that her garden receives. 

 

To help the jasmine plant make its way to the top of the arbor, and to give vertical support to climbing edible varieties like cucumbers and pole beans, we built and installed four new cedar trellises into Robin’s new garden design.

With pea pebbles placed between the two U-shaped planters and the cedar arbor firmly anchored in place, it was finally time to say goodbye. By now we had gotten to know Robin pretty well and learned all about her gardening hobby, and we have to confess, it was a bittersweet parting.

 

At the same time, we had also noticed a pattern forming ; the pattern of repeat business from Robin. And we weren’t quite as surprised to receive the next call from Robin - this time requesting a third U-shaped cedar garden bed and an extension of the cedar arbor. 

 

“Done deal,” we said, and soon delivered the work as requested.

By now, Robin and the Microfarm team were becoming fast friends. Instead of “hello”, we answered her calls, with “Hi Robin!”, and we practically had our own dedicated parking spot out front.

 

The new, expanded garden cut such a prominent figure in the center of Robin’s modest-sized South Charlotte backyard, that it surely seemed like now, our work here was finally done. 

But the repeat business pattern having now been so clearly formed, we could only presume that that sooner or later, we would be back over to Robin’s house.

And it proved to be sooner than later.

“Tell me about your cedar-framed greenhouses”, Robin began our next phone conversation.

 

“Well, they’re framed with rough sawn red cedar, and glazed with 8mm twin-wall polycarbonate. We anchor our cedar-framed greenhouse to a level base made with two courses of red cedar timbers, and we fill in the floor with decorative pea pebbles. Automated roof vent windows help control the temperature inside, and we can even build tiered cedar shelving and a cedar potting bench that fit neatly inside your greenhouse  - to maximize the interior space. The robust cedar frame and stout base paired together make a sturdy, rock-solid structure that stubbornly defies wind storms, and heavy snow and ice loads.”

“Okay, let’s do an 8’x10’ cedar-framed greenhouse, with the tiered shelving and the potting bench”, replied Robin, by the end of the call. “There’s a perfect place for the greenhouse, on the left side of the backyard, between the house and the storage shed.

A visit back to Robin’s to measure the site confirmed this, and in about two weeks time, Robin’s organic garden and cedar arbor shared the backyard with her new 8’x10’ cedar-framed greenhouse, with tired cedar shelving and cedar potting bench.

So does the story end here? 

For now, anyway. After all, there’s only so much space in Robin’s backyard.

Still....there are a few choice, sunny areas back there. And we know how much she loves organic gardening. And she does seem to like the things we build.

So we won’t be at all surprised - or in the least bit disappointed - to receive another call from Robin Rowland.

An Elegant Garden Fortress

Country meadows and farm pasture nestled among towering native forests. Hardly any traffic, or the noise and stress that comes along with it. Lower taxes. Better schools. Rural beauty paired with the convenience of family-friendly neighborhood living. Who wouldn’t love that? Many do, and it’s for these reasons and more, the Ahumada family chose their Fort Mill home when relocating from California. 

As if to enjoy to enjoy that rural beauty to the fullest, the family’s home sits at the back of  a cul-de-sac, on the very edge of their graciously-designed, upscale neighborhood. The view from the family’s backyard paints a striking picture with stands of hardwood and conifer trees. A gently sloping meadow, with boulders. A sparkling pond off in the distance. 

And, of course, this heavenly slice of country living wouldn’t be complete without wildlife ; all the rabbits, foxes, raccoons... creatures that fly, walk, crawl, and slither. And especially the deer. Those hungry, hoofed, and agile creatures that move in groups that can wipe out an organic garden in 15 minutes. Or less.

Now, the family’s new home already had an existing organic garden that was well-placed on a sunny rise, towards the back of the backyard. The home’s previous owners had installed irrigation in the garden area, and had worked, with some success, to amend and improve the existing soil. But the Ahumada family wisely opted to seek a garden design comprised of raised beds that would greatly improve their chances of success, enhance the beauty of their property, and and make gardening more comfortable. And they knew that their new organic garden design had to have protections from deer.

The decorative metal fence that runs around the border of the property is attractive, and, to be fair, it does keep the family dog inside the backyard. But for hungry deer, the metal fence might as well be a small threshold to hop over on the way to dinner.

So the Ahumada family’s garden design needed to combine plenty of garden area, along with a sturdy wildlife barrier to keep out rabbits, but especially deer.

To maximize the garden area in the property’s previously established organic garden site - which was, an excellent, sunny location for an edible garden - We created a ‘keyhole’ garden design, that measured 3’ wide and 15’x17’, with a 3’x5’ raised bed placed in the center of the ‘keyhole’ planter. 

And instead of placing the wildlife barrier on the ground in a perimeter outside the keyhole planter, we anchored the series of  50”-tall fence panels right on top of the keyhole planter. This created a sort of ‘elegant fortress’ effect that proved to be attractive, and also very functional - yielding a total height of nearly 6’. 

 

Now, it’s worth noting here that deer can easily clear a 6’-tall fence and for a standard deer fence, the height should be 8’ to ensure that even the most agile deer can’t jump over. 

And we’ve built plenty of 8’-tall deer barriers, using the same red cedar frame style, clad with 1/2” galvanized hardware cloth.

( click here if YOU'D like to see some of our 8'-tall wildlife enclosure designs. )

But, because we’ve found that deer tend to avoid jumping into smaller enclosed areas - where there isn’t enough room for the deer to feel comfortable landing inside - or to make the jump back out of the enclosed area - garden fences that are even just 4’ or 5’ tall can be highly effective in keeping deer out of smaller enclosed gardens.

The Ahumada family’s keyhole raised bed and the 3’x5’ planter were both made with naturally durable, rough-sawn red cedar, and filled with a premium organic soil blend. We also fitted both cedar garden beds with 1/2” diameter drip irrigation, connecting our irrigation tubing to the existing irrigation line that was, conveniently, already right at the garden site. Even better, the existing irrigation supply to the garden area was already set up on a dedicated watering zone at the main control panel. This is the ideal irrigation scenario for an organic garden, as edible varieties have different watering requirements than ornamental plants like grass, shrubs, and trees.

We framed the 50”-tall wildlife barrier panels with rough sawn, red cedar 2”x4”, and clad each panel with 1/2” galvanized hardware cloth ; a rugged steel mesh that lasts for many years outdoors, and can easily fend off the claws and hoofs of wildlife like deer, raccoons, and even coyotes.

Once the wildlife barrier panels were screwed to each other, and screwed down to the top of the cedar ‘keyhole’ garden bed, the barrier height was nearly 6’-tall, and rock solid. Decorative pebbles spread between the keyhole planter and the 3’x5’ cedar garden bed added the needed charm to balance out the rather fortress-like feel of this organic garden design. And with the sturdy, hinged entry gate and barrel bolt finally installed, we turned the garden over to the Ahmad family - who were already making their way up to the garden, with seedlings, trowels, and smiles all around.

A Lesson in Due Diligence

Months of greenhouse product comparisons. Extensive research on the benefits and disadvantages of various types of greenhouse frame and glazing materials. Greenhouse kit vs. new construction. How much to spend. What design will work best on our property, and for our growing needs?

No one would blame greenhouse owners like Rosemarie DiGiorgio and her husband Dan for so carefully considering these important elements before making their selection. That’s the due diligence that any prudent consumer should employ in this case. And since greenhouse costs can run well into the five figures - and even beyond in some cases - it’s no trifling decision, either.

Now, we’ve found that most of our greenhouse customers are like Rosemarie and Dan in conducting this same level of ‘due diligence’ before buying. 

 

By the time greenhouse customers  contact us, they’re usually already well informed about greenhouse frame and glazing materials, pros & cons of greenhouse kits, price ranges, and can choose one of our cedar-framed greenhouse designs based solely on photos and videos of examples we’ve built, along with an on-site consultation where we carefully scout the ideal location for the greenhouse, answer specific questions, clarify details, etc. 

(click here if YOU'D like to see photos of some of our cedar-framed greenhouses.)

We even bring small samples of our rough-sawn red cedar framing lumber and polycarbonate glazing to our on-site visits, to help further illustrate how our cedar-framed greenhouses are unique.

Rosemarie and Dan were interested in a greenhouse about 8’x10’ in the backyard of their home in Greensboro, and with a few clicks, we emailed them links to photos of many cedar-framed greenhouses we’ve built, ranging in size from 8’x8’ to 8’x12’. 

In a follow up phone call, we explained in more detail about the features that set our greenhouses apart ;  the sturdy, red cedar frame, durable twin-wall polycarbonate glazing, automated roof vent windows, base built with red cedar timbers and filled with decorative pebbles. 

 

And of course, this phone call was also the time to explain our construction process in more detail ; the way we craft greenhouse walls and roof sections in our Charlotte workshop - assembling and ‘dry fitting’ each structure there first, to ensure a smooth and efficient reassembly later, at the customer’s home.

The many cedar-framed greenhouse example photos and videos made a favorable impression on the couple. And the phone conversation fully clarified all the small, but important details that can’t be gleaned from the photos and videos. 

We had even decided on a size and design for their greenhouse ; an 8’x10’ gable structure. 

But this prudent, and thorough couple just needed one more thing to pull the trigger ; Instead of the standard, on-site visit at their home, they wanted to see one of our cedar-framed greenhouses in person.

Now, this is an easy enough request to accommodate as we have plenty of greenhouse examples for prospective customers to visit ; it’s just that most of them are in the Charlotte area. 

We didn’t have any greenhouse projects in Greensboro for then couple to visit in person.

But we did have a 10’x12’ cedar-framed greenhouse project in the final stages of completion, just outside of Charlotte, not far from I-85.

The couple quickly accepted our offer to see this project in person, gladly making the hour and a half drive to tour an active worksite, meet our team face to face, and see the finished product take shape. We were happy to make arrangements for their visit to the work site, and we were now beyond impressed with the couple’s patience and careful due diligence before purchasing their greenhouse.

With all of the details of their site visit prearranged, the couple arrived on the appointed day and time to find our team installing and sealing the cedar trim on the 10’x12’ greenhouse’s seams, and installing the roof vent windows with automated vent window openers. 

About fifteen minutes after their scheduled arrival time, the phone rang here at the Microfarm.

In an excited tone of voice that said much more than the words themselves, Rosemarie eagerly placed her order for an 8’x10’ cedar-framed greenhouse - right there from the worksite, as she and Dan watched the Microfarm team in motion. 

Rosemarie and Dan selected the same 8mm, clear, twin-wall polycarbonate glazing that had been installed on the 10’x12’ greenhouse, along with four automated roof vent windows and a single 36”-wide hinged entry door. And just like the 10’x12’ structure they saw nearing completion, the couple also requested a base made with red cedar timbers and filled with decorative pebbles.

This simple and attractive greenhouse base/floor design is our first choice, as it has several major benefits over a concrete slab greenhouse floor.

-Water drains down through a pebble floor anywhere inside the structure ; there’s never a chance of a drain clogging up. 

-A decorative pebble floor is easier to install, costs less, and is more attractive than concrete.

-There’s less chance of slipping and falling on a pebble floor than on a concrete slab ; greenhouses floors make with concrete frequently become slippery, especially if the slab isn’t poured correctly and the floor doesn’t drain properly.