Gardeners Embrace Compact Greenhouses for Year-Round Growing

Compact greenhouses allow gardeners to extend the growing season and experiment with a wider variety of plants.

Mar. 10, 2026 at 11:01pm

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Gardeners are increasingly turning to compact greenhouses to create thriving gardens, even in small spaces. These structures allow gardeners to extend the growing season, start seeds early, overwinter plants, and grow a wider variety of plants. Three gardeners share how they've used greenhouses and cold frames to grow everything from lettuce and strawberries to citrus and winter greens, regardless of their location.

Why it matters

Greenhouses and cold frames provide a controlled growing environment that protects plants from fluctuating temperatures and pests, enabling gardeners to grow a wider range of crops and extend the growing season. This trend reflects a growing interest in home gardening and a desire to become more self-sufficient, especially in urban and suburban areas with limited outdoor space.

The details

Melissa Geurts, a gardener in Jersey City, New Jersey, used a basic greenhouse and online supplies to grow a thriving rooftop garden with lettuce, strawberries, eggplant, and more, despite having no prior gardening experience. Laura Boissonnault, a master gardener in southern New Jersey, chose an 8' x 10' greenhouse kit that she and her husband assembled, allowing her to start seeds early, overwinter plants, and even grow citrus. Gardening author Niki Jabbour in Nova Scotia has found success with simple cold frames, which she uses to harvest vegetables year-round, from carrots and beets in the winter to greens in the fall.

  • Melissa Geurts began her rooftop gardening project when she moved into a Jersey City apartment with rooftop access.
  • Laura Boissonnault and her husband assembled their greenhouse kit over several weeks.
  • Niki Jabbour has been using cold frames in her garden in Nova Scotia for years.

The players

Melissa Geurts

A gardener in Jersey City, New Jersey, who started a thriving rooftop garden using a basic greenhouse and online supplies, despite having no prior gardening experience.

Laura Boissonnault

A master gardener in southern New Jersey who installed an 8' x 10' greenhouse kit on her small suburban lot, allowing her to start seeds early, overwinter plants, and grow citrus.

Niki Jabbour

A gardening author in Nova Scotia who has found success using simple cold frames to grow vegetables year-round, from carrots and beets in the winter to greens in the fall.

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What they’re saying

“When I was little, I spent hours running through the fields on my grandma's farm. My rooftop gardening felt like an attempt to reconnect with that feeling.”

— Melissa Geurts

“One of my requirements was for it to be able to handle wind and snow.”

— Laura Boissonnault

“Opening a cold frame in February to pull some carrots or beets brings me so much joy.”

— Niki Jabbour, Gardening author

What’s next

Laura Boissonnault and her husband are planning to open a garden shop (The Garden Shop of Woodbury) in Woodbury, NJ, this year.

The takeaway

Compact greenhouses and cold frames are enabling gardeners, even those with limited outdoor space, to extend their growing seasons, experiment with a wider variety of plants, and become more self-sufficient in growing their own food. This trend reflects a growing interest in home gardening and a desire to reconnect with nature.