That fancy flower house in our neighborhood? ‘It’s my happy place.’

Entrance to the glasshouse inside Mike’s garden.

Mike M. has created his paradise. It is a bespoke British glasshouse tucked away in the back corner of the side yard of his home at a spot near West Lafayette Ave. and Eutaw Place.

Here, Mike (he wants to use only his first name: “Never know when a ‘crazy’ might read it.”) spends time every day, repotting plants, planting seeds, watering, and tending to his succulents. In fact, this year Mike grew all his annuals and vegetable plants from seeds started in the glasshouse. “I spend at least one hour there every evening. The glasshouse is my happy place.”

Mike, 58, and partner Lavell L. moved to Bolton Hill from New Jersey in April 2019 to be near a financial services client. “We wanted to live in the city and looked at multiple homes in Baltimore, but we couldn’t find anything with a yard. We were going to compromise and be in the suburbs so I could have a yard. I was here in a hotel and Lavell was in Jersey, and luckily, he saw a “coming soon” listing of a city home which sat on a double lot. I walked in the next day, which was its first day on the market, and we bought the house that day (without Lavell even seeing it in person)!”

This was Mike’s 23rd home and he has now lived in Bolton Hill longer than anywhere else. Staying in one place for multiple years has allowed him to realize his dream – not only of intensive gardening in the side yard of his large home, but of installing a glasshouse where he can garden all year round.

The glasshouse was fabricated by the British company Alitex, one of only two companies allowed to exhibit them at the renowned Chelsea Flower Show in London. Mike placed the order for his custom glasshouse a year and a half in advance and worked with company representatives who visited the site three times to make measurements and finalize the design.

Mike was responsible for the sitework and the installation of the foundation, which took three months and was completed in April. Finally, the glasshouse, in 3000 parts and pieces, arrived at the Port of Baltimore. It was delivered to Eutaw Place and stored in their residence garage, filling it to the brim. Two workers from England spent seven days erecting the glass panels and aluminum framing and connections. Completed in early May, the glasshouse is equipped with running water and heaters and fans to provide year-round climate control.

Is there a difference between a greenhouse and a glasshouse?  Dictionary.com says the terms overlap, but Mike’s elegant structure has little in common with the ordinary growing shed, often assembled from plastic panels and aluminum tubes.

Mike’s garden and glasshouse were recently showcased at Bolton Hill Garden Club’s Fall Garden Walk in September. He describes the garden as a series of outdoor rooms, including shade, rose, herb and perennial gardens. Raised beds were one of the first garden elements to be installed, using six tons of Corten steel panels embedded into the ground.

“Neighbors were taking bets on what I was going to build when the Corten steel panels were delivered,” said Mike. As seen on the garden walk, apple trees and tomato plants were espaliered on iron frames and roses, herbs, perennials and annuals were in profusion. This year Mike was even able to grow his chrysanthemums from seeds that he started in his new glasshouse.

Asked if his partner is a gardener as well, Mike quickly pointed out that Lavell was responsible for the complete renovation inside the house, and that is his realm. Mike’s domain is the garden. “I am thrilled with the glasshouse. My only regret is that it isn’t bigger!”

–Sallye Perrin