This is a 16 x 24 Gothic Arch greenhouse, running approximately East to West (front door to the East). There are two benches on either side and one in the center. It handles numbers of genera - anything that can survive the Louisiana climate, aided by a cool wall on the West, and hot water heating which circulates from fins running the circumference of the greenhouse and a loop under the center bench. Two 24 inch fans exhaust from the East wall, pulling cooled air through cool cell pads. In addition five box fans are placed strategically. The flooring is 6 inches of sand with slat walkways.

The benches are of Wolmanized lumber and quarter inch hardware cloth. Corrugated fiberglass runs directly under the bench tops so plants can be housed under bench without runoff. Surprisingly, a good share of the collection winters under bench. For example, thirty full-size phalaenopsis sit on ten foot long, ten inch high movable shelves placed under the center bench from about November through April. In April, the shelves are placed on top of the North wall bench and the phals begin to acclimate to light. In June, I run an inside white fabric shadecloth over the phal section which is removed in September. Phals are usually repotted in September. Come October, they are again under bench. Optimal? No. But it makes it possible to enjoy 700+ plants!

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