Approximately 25 years ago, designer Lisa Moody had a small garden that eventually took a backseat to raising her children and growing her business. Now, with her children older and her passion for gardening rekindled, Lisa, along with her husband, decided to invest in their garden project. Living on an acre of land in North Surrey, B.C., about an hour from Vancouver, they installed raised beds and, inspired by a trip to Sweden, decided to add a greenhouse and chicken coop to their property. The eight-by-12-foot greenhouse, costing around $10,000, features a black frame for a modern and Scandinavian aesthetic, deviating from the traditional cottagey white-greenhouse look. The greenhouse, equipped with electricity, heat mats, and automatic irrigation, enables Lisa to extend the growing season, start sowing earlier, and cultivate plants like lettuce and herbs throughout the winter, making it an ideal addition to the Canadian climate.
Lisa’s dreamy greenhouse serves multiple functions, blending gardening with the joy of raising chickens. The greenhouse is not only a haven for plants but also shares a wall with the chicken coop, creating a harmonious space where nature and livestock coexist. The project reflects Lisa’s self-taught gardening journey, influenced by resources like Floret Flower Farm and online tutorials, emphasizing the learning-by-trial-and-error approach. With a focus on creating a peaceful and controllable haven during challenging times, Lisa’s greenhouse-chicken coop combo stands as a testament to the therapeutic and rewarding nature of gardening.
