Wellness under glass

Turn your greenhouse into a yoga studio this summer

We love this new yoga studio concept by historic greenhouse and glasshouse manufacturer Hartley Botanic (hartley-botanic.co.uk), which was showcased at the prestigious Chelsea Flower Show this year. The company has been making the finest English greenhouses and glasshouses at its factory since 1938 but has clearly had to adapt to the times – that includes making room for a spot of yoga.

The company’s decision this year to move away from depicting greenhouses as spaces purely for growing was driven by trends among its customers. The Lancashire firm is finding that greenhouses are moving away from the traditional ‘good life ’stereotype towards more ‘good living ’among gardeners and homeowners.

At the Chelsea show, the Hartley 10 Greenhouse was styled as a tranquil meditation space and yoga studio. A pale grey wood effect porcelain tile floor, and light grey clay planters in the greenhouse’s four corners, evoke a clean, calm and neutral space. Set against this quiet, neutral backdrop are green palms, weave basket lampshades and meditation cushions.

Aromatic plants are also dotted around the edges of the greenhouse. And there is plenty of natural light. It makes for a perfect space to roll out your mat. “We see an incredible variety of uses,” said Tom Barry, Hartley Botanic's managing director. "As well as their obvious horticultural potential, they also allow customers to enjoy their gardens in a far richer way.” He said communicating the wellness theme was important at the show, as it is “something customers report: to feel personal psychological and physical benefits as a result of using their greenhouses. This may be because they use them for activities which make them feel good, or simply because they enable them to spend longer in their gardens.