Have you ever wanted fresh fruits, vegetables and/or flowers in the middle of winter? Greenhouses know no season. With a heater to provide warmth in the winter, and air circulation to provide cool air in the summer, even delicate orchids are only a few steps away. Cozily protected from winter's frost, the beauty and fragrance of out of season bulbs can be enjoyed with a greenhouse. If you have ever wanted that plant that doesn't grow in your growing zone because of the cold, you could grow it in a greenhouse. Flowers not your cup of tea? Grow vegetables! Think of the joy to be experienced by picking fresh tomatoes, onions, peppers or radishes in January by growing them in a greenhouse. Can you already smell the zucchini bread that you can bake to share with your neighbors?

If you are a vegetable gardener, you can start seeds in a controlled environment in February for growth in May. You know the inconvenience of starting all those plants in the house in February. You have to find a "sunny" spot, and containers for all the starter pots so the water does not leak on the floor. With a greenhouse, you can plant them on a shelf that will afford easy access, and the sun will come through the roof. The tender plants that usually result from growing seeds in the house will become strong and tall for planting in the garden when the frost is over, and you have the assurance that they are healthy plants because you grew them yourself.

Today, it is so difficult to know what is safe for your family's consumption. With rising food costs and increased contamination by chemical sprays, your dollar savings will pay for your greenhouse many times over, while you guard your health with nutritious homegrown vegetables. With a greenhouse, you control the soil, and the seeds, so no harmful chemicals ever need to touch your plants. You will no longer need to rely on "organically" grown vegetables that are sold at a higher price in your local grocery store.

Why not turn your summer hobby into a lifestyle that you can practice all year long? Imagine that instead of being confined to the house in the wintertime, that you could, instead, go out to the greenhouse and play in the dirt. By owning your own greenhouse, you will be able to plant or raise any kind of vegetable or flower. You will be able to mix your own soil so you can plant tomatoes, or orchids, or roses. You could prune the roses, smell the exotic carnations, and enjoy a cup of tea in your greenhouse in the dead of winter.

Enjoy the thrill of growing your own plants from seeds, bulbs, or plants in the safe, comfortable environment of your greenhouse. You will experience the satisfaction of watching that bulb sprout leaves, grow and bloom all within the safe environment of your greenhouse. Teach your children how to garden. Make your greenhouse a source of quality time for the entire family. Children will be able to learn the lessons that nature teaches with your guidance in the greenhouse all year long.

And in the end, you health should be considered. You have heard the reports that tell us that we are an obese nation. You have heard and read that we need more physical exercise. Gardening has proven to be some of the best exercise for all ages. By getting off your couch and going out to your greenhouse, you will exercise, do some of the best physical labor around and be able to enjoy the fresh air, to boot!

Jack Stair lives with his wife, Coleen in the Ozarks of Missouri. They garden year around and enjoy the beauty of nature and the purity of food grown in a greenhouse.