☀️ Designed for the Winter Sun

The Petal is carefully designed to capture and hold onto as much winter sunlight and warmth as possible.

The greenhouse is oriented east to west, maximizing exposure to the sun throughout the day. Its steep south-facing glazed wall is designed to capture the low-angle winter sun, allowing precious sunlight to reach deep into the greenhouse during Manitoba’s short winter days.

The north wall and roof are heavily insulated and opaque, helping protect the warm interior from Manitoba's cold northern winds and reducing heat loss.

🌎 Storing the Sun’s Heat

One of the special features of The Petal is its use of thermal mass to store heat.

During sunny winter days, Solar vacuum tubes (also called evacuated tube solar collectors) are high-efficiency renewable thermal devices used to capture sunlight and heat fluids that is circulated down beneath the greenhouse floor. This underground thermal mass acts like a giant natural heat battery, absorbing and storing the day's warmth. When the sun goes down and the outside temperature drops, that stored heat is slowly released back into the greenhouse, helping moderate the temperature through the night.

🌴 A Little Tropical Escape

Inside The Petal, winter feels a little different.

Surrounded by lush tropical plants, guests can escape the cold, curl up with a good book, play a board game, or simply listen to the finches while enjoying the warmth and greenery around them.

The greenhouse is home to a variety of tropical plants, including papaya, bananas, monstera, elephant ears, hibiscus, bird of paradise, and more.

It is a place where winter meets summer — where snow may be falling outside, but inside you can enjoy the feeling of a tropical garden.

♻️ Growing With Nature

The Petal reflects our commitment to living more sustainably and working with nature rather than against it. By taking advantage of passive solar energy, thermal storage, insulation, and natural growing methods, we are able to extend the growing season and create a unique environment even through Manitoba's deep winter.

Come experience The Petal — a warm, green oasis in the middle of winter.