What can you grow in a small greenhouse?

More than you would expect. Tomatoes, cucumbers, peppers and salad up one side, with seedlings and herbs on staging opposite. There is room to start seeds early and overwinter a few tender pots too.

What size counts as a small greenhouse?

Roughly 6x4 and under, including mini and lean-to models. These suit small gardens, patios and balconies, giving real growing space without taking the room a 6x8 or larger needs.

Do small greenhouses need ventilation?

Yes, more than larger ones relative to their size. A small house overheats quickly in sun, so a roof vent or an automatic opener is essential to keep crops setting fruit and seedlings from scorching.

Can you grow tomatoes in a small greenhouse?

Yes, and they do very well. Train cordon tomatoes up strings to use the height, pinch out side shoots, and a 6x4 will hold around six plants in grow bags for a heavy summer crop.

Do I need a base for a small greenhouse?

Yes, a firm, level, square base. Even a small frame shows a twist as a sticking door, so a manufacturer base kit on slabs or concrete, built true, is worth getting right first.

Greenhouses
Small Greenhouses

Small Greenhouses

Maximise growing potential in limited spaces with our small greenhouses, designed specifically for compact gardens, patios, and courtyards. We supply high-quality aluminium and wooden models from Elite, Vitavia, Access, and Swallow, ranging from 4ft to 6ft widths.

Enjoy professional features like toughened safety glass, sliding doors, and roof vents in a space-saving footprint. Whether you need a 4x4 compact model or a narrow lean-to, all come with Free UK Mainland Delivery.

Pick the width first. A 4ft frame leaves room to stand outside and reach in. A 6ft width gives you a bench down each side and space to work through wet weather. If you can stretch the footprint, an 8x6 greenhouse costs little more per square foot. All-aluminium frames never need repainting — compare our aluminium greenhouses. Prefer timber? See our wooden greenhouses. For hardening off at ground level, a cold frame costs less and takes half the footprint.

Every frame still needs a firm, level base. Our base comparison guide covers slabs, concrete and plinths. Got more room to play with? Browse the full greenhouse range.

Related reading: small greenhouse ideas and what to grow in a greenhouse.

Compact Widths 4ft, 5ft, and 6ft Options

Premium Glazing Toughened Safety Glass

Top Brands Elite, Swallow & Vitavia

Free Delivery UK Mainland Shipping Included

No Trip Base

~~£695~~

£649

SAVE £61

Vitavia 4x8 Green IDA 3300 Lean To Toughened

in stock

FREE Delivery 1-6 Weeks ⛟

~~£655~~

£594

Need Help Choosing?

Which greenhouse? Compare glazing, sizes and styles to find your match. Buyer's guide Materials, sizing, glazing and prices explained. Installation Base prep, assembly and our professional fitting service.

Or call our team free on 0800 098 8877

Real customer greenhouses

Photos from customers and our own installers - real greenhouses in real gardens.

Greenhouse from Norbiton, GB — Norbiton, GB

Greenhouse from Ilford, United Kingdom — Ilford, United Kingdom

Greenhouse from Torquay, United Kingdom — Torquay, United Kingdom

Verified Customer

I have done this twice??????

Verified Customer

ordered a 4x6 greenhouse which was delivered on time. My son put it up in a day and it looks lovely. Can't wait for the next spring growing season.

Verified Customer

Great in communication. Attentive. Concrete base layer needed and link to him enabled him to do it. Lean to greenhouse efficiently assembled. Highly recommended

Verified Customer

Brilliant service from start to finish and a slight issue with my order was resolved extremely quickly great service

Verified Customer

Great product and straight forward to assemble, would suggest a few addition 3D views in the assembly manual but thats only so you can confirm which orientation you are working on. Also make sure the base is securely fixed prior to the build and ensure you are within 1mm on corner to corner measuring so you know you are square before you start building up. Some of confusion on some of the instructions as the description can be read several ways. All in all a very simple build. Only concern is how it acts in strong winds, I have positioned mine adjacent to a fence on one side and a structure at the rear to try and reduce the potential for wind causing damage

Verified Customer

Absolutely love my greenhouse. Fast delivery, very helpful friendly delivery driver. Good communication. Fast to get back to me when emailed with problem putting together. Thank you

Verified Customer

All arrived as planned. Elite not so good wih missing parts that had to be chased up. Delivery time was perfect, as arranged.

Verified Customer

Great product , just what I was looking for . Delivery was faster than expected too

Verified Customer

Great products, great prices. Delivered when suitable to me.

Verified Customer

Great service lovely greenhouse !

Verified Customer

I'm 100% happy with product and the company that sold it the delivery driver was a very helpful nice man and nothing was too much trouble I would recommend definitely thanks

Verified Customer

From ordering to delivery went fine had a phone call to let me know when delivery was coming. And it was on time.

Verified Customer

Was waiting for over a week for delivery from order date but apparently this is the norm with this company so be aware if you want it quick - delivered well boxed- no damage- no parts missing - husband assembled by himself and found it easy - couldn't find a small compact one like this on other websites and if available on other sites no shelves available which we feel you need - overall very pleased with purchasing method and product - enclosed pictures so other customers can gauge storage

Verified Customer

Greenhouse Stores were the answer to my prayers. Amazing people who went above and beyond to satisfy my requirments and to ensure that I was happy with everything from ordering to having the Greenhouse put up. Top class from start to finish and wouldnt ever go anywhere else.

Verified Customer

Very easy to order delivered on time and answered questions quickly not erected yet

Verified Customer

Great purchase. Super delivery as arranged and very well handled. The only criticism is that the vents fall out easily when opening so we will need to secure them.

Verified Customer

We were looking for some shelving for our greenhouse. It's funny how garden centred don't sell extras. Of course I thought my husband wanted the wooden slat type of shelving, but when he saw yours, that's just what he wanted. We have had our greenhouse over 30 years. Now we are both retired spending more time growing our own from seed. Thank you, as they say up north, jobs a good one.

Verified Customer

Excellent service from purchase through to delivery. Helped with an issue during the installation, quick response and happy to assist. Would definitely recommend to others.

Verified Customer

From placing the order to arriving cannot
Fault the service no issues with the unpacking
And. Assembly of my 6x4 greenhouse.did notice in reviews that instructions could be better
But having assembled greenhouses before got round that and the greenhouse is great looking as well as it’s practical use which is why I bought it having seen a few before opting for this one

Verified Customer

Very pleased with the Delivery and quality of the shed I ordered from greenhouse stores

Verified Customer

Product arrived as advertised and company provided Excellent service

Verified Customer

Excellent and friendly service from ordering, delivery and installation.

Verified Customer

delivery bang on !! haven't built it up yet because it will replace my polytunnel which still has produce to harvest !! I wonder which box holds the instruction plan tho 🤔!!

Verified Customer

Very nice greenhouse. Instructions could be better. Resorted to youtube. It's a giant meccano set so if you have never built meccano your in trouble

About Our Small Greenhouses

A small greenhouse does almost everything a big one does, on a fraction of the space. It gives you an early start on seeds, a home for tomatoes and salad, and somewhere frost-free to overwinter tender pots, all in a corner most gardens can spare. We stock 97 small models, from £229, across freestanding, mini and lean-to styles from Vitavia, Elite, Palram Canopia, Access and Swallow.

With a small greenhouse the trick is to grow upward and pick your glazing well. Train tomatoes and cucumbers up strings to use the height, and choose toughened or polycarbonate glazing if the spot is near a path or children. A compact lean-to against a sunny wall borrows heat and gives the longest run for the footprint.

Why We Chose This Range

"People worry a small greenhouse will not be worth it, and they are nearly always surprised. I have grown a summer's worth of tomatoes in a 4x6 by training everything upward and keeping the door open on warm days. The thing that matters most at this size is ventilation: a little house heats up fast, so a roof vent or an autovent is the upgrade I push every time. Get that right and a small greenhouse out-grows its footprint."

— Matt, Founder of Greenhouse Stores

💡 Tip: In a small greenhouse, shelving doubles your space. Put seed trays and pots up on staging and keep the floor for grow bags. You will fit far more growing into a 6x4 than the footprint suggests.

🔧 Matt's Installation Tip: Ventilate more than you think

A small greenhouse swings from cold to baking in an hour of sun, and that heat stops tomatoes setting and scorches seedlings. Fit an automatic vent opener so the roof vent works while you are out, and leave the door open on warm days. It is the cheapest upgrade that makes the biggest difference.

Matt's Pick: Access Half Growhouse

Best For: Growing tall crops where space is tight.

Why I Recommend It: It is tall enough to run a cordon tomato to the top, sits neatly against a wall, and the toughened glazing is safe and holds warmth for an early start.

Price: from £355