After manufacturing our particular breed of greenhouses for over 60 years, there's plenty of evidence that Hartley Botanic is one exception, in an otherwise throwaway consumer age.
Hartley greenhouses that survived World War Two, are still surviving today. Our customer archives are replete with enquiries from customers we haven't heard from for three or even four decades, requesting a lock or window catch replacement for an otherwise perfectly sound Hartley greenhouse. Customers have been moved to write about Hartley greenhouses that have been dismantled, to move home with their owners' other prized possessions. Some of our greenhouses have graced a number of different homes, or given unbroken service and pleasure to three generations of the same family. From the unique and patent-protected design of our extruded aluminium alloy sections, to the stainless steel capping screws that will endure dismantling and re-erection many times, every material and component in a Hartley Botanic greenhouse is confidently expected to last a lifetime. As time will surely tell, by far the best value is to invest in a Hartley.
Read on for evidence that Hartley Greenhouses have been recommended for generation after generation.
“Thank you so much for making the purchase and installation of the greenhouse go so smoothly. Your reassurance and follow up telephone calls made it so much better. Your cheerfulness and efficiency make you a special team. Thankyou! Please also thank the delivery men and the installers for being to time and their hard work. I have been very impressed. The greenhouse already has 2 tomatoes, cucumber and peppers doing well and the Apricot is busting into leaves (12 Apricots) we saved it!
If you are ever this way call in for a cup of tea.”
20 May 2013, Mrs G, Pembrokeshire
“We bought a 12 ft Highgrow ( 5 panes long ), as our last greenhouse exploded in a particularly bad gale in November 2010. Our lovely Hartley is reassuringly sound. The recent weather has been testing and it is solid in gales.”
24 March 2013, Mrs S Thomas, Conwy
“Just a quick e mail to say how pleased I am with my new greenhouse. I am busily getting it ready for spring if it arrives. I would like to thank you for your excellent service.
The delivery and assembling was as promised.
I had the base put down by a local builder with a stone mason making the base and slabs. They did a great job and would recommend their service to any prospective buyers local to Buxton.”
11 March 2013, Philip Cox Peak Forest
“Our greenhouse virtually finished and we are delighted with it, and with the impeccable service received from Hartley Botanic. Very grateful thanks to all concerned. ”
Chris and Di BB
“Our greenhouse was delivered safely this evening by your two young men. I would like you to know that they were extremely polite and very efficient, even after what had been a very trying day. Please thank them for us.”
Mr B
“ I wanted to tell you how very pleased we are with our new Wisley 8. The snow cleared enough yesterday to allow me to move in and sort things.
The service from Hartley Botanics has been impressive. You in particular but everybody involved have been both kind and professional. Particular thanks to the person who brought forward installation so that it happened on my birthday. Andy and Dean deserve a medal for working so cheerfully in the biting cold.
If you ever need a friendly customer in Shropshire to show off a Wisley give me a call.”
Andrea, January 2013
“ I have recently had my new Tradition 8 greenhouse erected and I am very pleased with the efficiency of the overall service from Hartley Botanic and the quality of the Greenhouse itself.I felt I was being dealt with very much on a personal basis and staff were particularly good at getting back to me and checking and confirming my expectations.”
Mrs Toms, Cheshire. 12th Nov 2012
My now wife Diane moved from Oregon to the UK & we got married in April 1999. In our garden in Northamptonshire was a dilapidated greenhouse. Diane, being an avid gardener, wanted a new one & “worked on me” for 9 months. I finally gave in & we bought a Hartley Highgrow Greenhouse. We put this up in our garden in 2000 & were both very pleased with it. Diane then went to visit her parents in California for a couple of weeks, whilst she was there my company informed me that they wanted to transfer us to Northern Virginia. I told Diane, & the first comment from her was “I’m taking the greenhouse”. So, about a month after putting it up we were taking it down & had it packed into our container bound for the USA.
We bought a house by the Blue Ridge Mountains & after going through all the permitting, erected the greenhouse. We used it there for 11 years, where it survived blistering summer heat; hard winters with freezing temperatures & heavy snow; and winds up to 70-80 miles an hour.
This year (2012) we have just moved to Cornwall and yes the greenhouse was again dismantled & transported back to the UK where it has now taken pride of place in our new garden. We put it up in one day & everything fitted as it did originally!!
They really are GREAT greenhouses & travel well.
Peter & Diane, Cornwall.
“I inherited this Hartley greenhouse from my late Father who owned it for over 40 years. My dad was a market gardener and this was his 'smallest’ greenhouse. I recall seeing it for the first time in the early seventies at his nursery sat amidst the 100 footer greenhouses. He retired in the early nineties and this is the one he took back to the family home.
I inherited it in late 2007 and rebuilt it single handily without the instructions. I didn’t rush into things; as I had to think things through logically and establish how it went together again. The greenhouse is in excellent condition for its age and it is so robust in its manufacture.
I should think it will last a good few years yet.”
Paul Townsend. Cumbria.
“I just wanted to let you know that your lovely delivery drivers have just left us after delivering our greenhouse in 15 inches of snow. All the trains for miles around are cancelled, the supermarket shelves are almost empty, many of the shops are closed, nothing is moving locally but your drivers appeared on our doorstep at about 8.30 this morning having spent the night in their van! They had a hot drink but refused to come in for a warm because they cheerily told us they have to get to Brighton and on to Hailsham!”
G. Simpson . Caterham, Surrey.
“. . . To say that the greenhouse is well designed is an understatement. It put me in the mind of Abrahams and the Ironbridge in Shropshire, Isambard Kingdom Brunel's achievements and the general over-engineering of the victorians, what a splendid structure . . . From what I have seen of the advertising, I am quite sure that the product is under sold, if the public knew what they were really getting for their money I am quite sure they would never buy another cheap greenhouse again.”
John H. Bartle. Bradford, Yorkshire.
“Dear Sirs, In september 1969 we purchased from you a New 'Hartley 7' Lean-to Glass to Ground 7' 8" long greenhouse which has since given us good service. Due to house alterations it has to be relocated and the only part which needs to be renewed in rebuilding it is the plastic glazing strip. I would be glad if you could supply and deliver a length of glazing strip sufficient for complete reglazing and invoice me with the cost.”
Mr. Fleming. Bromley, Kent.
“Dear Sir. I have inherited a semi-dodecagon greenhouse which was made by V&N Hartley. I have moved it from North Wales to Yorkshire. Before re-assembly I would like to paint it in a colour similar to the green being used on the same model today . . . . I realise that the greenhouse is over 33 years old since I also have the original brochure from which it was selected in 1967. It is in remarkably good condition for its age and looks as if it is good for at least another 33 years, maybe you should not make them so well as the greenhouses appear to outlast the customers!”
Mr P. Adams. Wickersley, Rotherham.
“. . . I cannot say how very much we are delighted with the greenhouse. It is even better in reality than the pictures we have looked at longingly for the past several years. We would be very pleased to show any interesting parties around and assure them of the high standard of service.”
Mrs. M. A. Birchenall.
“. . . . all those involved have been extremely polite and co-operative. The installation team cleared up completely on completion and left the site impeccable”
Norman Millard. Chelsfield Village, Kent.
“. . . In 1948 my father bought a 15' x 10' Hartley Greenhouse and coerced me, an unwilling teenager, to lay the foundations for the first time . . . My father-in-law then transported the greenhouse to Angelsey. Imagine my delight when it came into my possession in 1983 . . . The foundations for this engineering masterpiece were again laid in Southport and then in the garden of my present home. And on every occasion the greenhouse remained watertight and to this day some 52 years later - still looks as good as new. However leaks have developed, obviously due to hardening of the sealing struts. Can you supply me with a replacement set??”
Charles Meredith. Church Stretton, Shropshire.
“. . .I bought a twenty two foot greenhouse from you approximately 37 years ago and I thought I would write and tell you it is still in excellent condition . . . I am now 70 and am expecting it tooutlast me!!”
Norman Greenwell. Ramsbottom, Bury.
“. . . On first sight I am very impressed with the construction of the greenhouse compared to the similar greenhouse which my father bought in Lancashire about 47 years ago! . . . They were most courteous and friendly . . . Tools were collected and cleaned etc - when others might have 'headed home' as darkness fell.”
Dr Bruce Rigby. Roebuck, York.
“. . .Having been a long standing customer of Hartley Greenhouses - this being my third - the first in 1948 I had no hesitation and looked at no other greenhouse when ordering this one”
Allerton, Bradford.
“Dear Sirs, I see from your latest advert in the gardening press that louvered windows are available on your current models. I have a 'Hartley 7' Lean To greenhouse, which dates back to 1966 (and never a penny spent on it since) and I am wondering whether these louvres are available for such an ancient model.”
K. A. Foster. Belper, Derbyshire.
