A Gorgeous Greenhouse Heals a Family
Last Updated: Mar 17, 2025Plants are something we are naturally drawn to one recent study revealed that about half of all Americans have gardened within the past year. While only a few people actually own a greenhouse, building a small greenhouse or hoop house is a simple DIY project that almost any homeowner can do. RISE recently sat down to talk with Megan Vaughan (once part of the 50 percent who did not garden) to learn about her process of dreaming, planning, building, and now using their absolutely gorgeous greenhouse—and how it fulfilled a very personal need.
Background
Megan and Mitch Vaughan run a family business called Vaughan House, an umbrella company for several different business ventures they partake in as a husband and wife team, including wedding photography and videography. Recently, they hand-built a beautiful 14 by the 22-foot greenhouse in their backyard that has allowed Megan to cultivate and mature her love for plants. The greenhouse has 9.5-foot walls and the glass roof peaks at about 14 feet high, making for a magical indoor space that the Vaughans intend to rent out for weddings, receptions, and photoshoots. It has the ability to seat about 20 people, making it an ideal size for people looking for a natural setting for small events.
Table of Contents
- The Benefits of a Greenhouse
- The Interview
Part of the enchantment of the picturesque greenhouse is that it is a perfect example of biophilic architecture, allowing an enclosed living space to open up to the surrounding natural world. The construction was built over a period of seven months by Mitch, using cedar beams and old, white, wooden windows. The flooring is natural grass, which allows the greenhouse to blend into the surrounding landscape of the Vaughan’s yard. While not yet winterized, the Vaughans have incorporated a wide array of beautiful flowers and houseplants that keep the space covered in greenery through much of the year.
I woke up one morning at the beginning of June 2017 with this thought in my head. Greenhouse. I want to build a greenhouse. I pitched the idea to Mitch and after a little convincing, he was on board.
I like to believe the baby we lost sent me this idea, so in some way, it serves as a memorial. Its sentimental value is so much more than what people see. They just see a pretty structure, but when we look at it, we see everything we went through—the good, the bad, and all the miracles that happened. It’s such a beautiful reminder of God’s love and His promises.
What would you say is the greatest benefit of having the greenhouse in your yard?
The peace it brings us. I love looking out the window and seeing it. It’s the perfect getaway spot right in our backyard.
Have you had weddings or other events in the greenhouse?
We’ve had several proposals! Photographers rent it out for sessions. We’re hoping to host a couple of weddings this year. We’ve received several inquiries and have tours scheduled!
Can you share a story of a special moment that you and your family shared in the greenhouse (either during construction or after completion)?
Wow, so many! Two incredibly special moments come to mind. After an entire year of trying and getting negative tests, on the exact day construction was completed, we found out we were pregnant with our rainbow baby.
So technically, on the day the greenhouse was done, the idea and dream that was born from our loss is the day we found out. I joke with Mitch and tell him all he had to do for us to get pregnant was to finish the greenhouse! All the planning, every set back with the building, every good weather day, every bad weather day, every minute that was spent outside, every piece of material that had to be saved up for, ordered, get to our house and installed…it all added up and was timed perfectly for us to find out on THAT day.
Our daughter’s name is Marigold, named after the plants that brought us so much healing.
More pictures and videos of Megan and Mitch’s stunning greenhouse are available here.
Tobias Roberts
Tobias runs an agroecology farm and a natural building collective in the mountains of El Salvador. He specializes in earthen construction methods and uses permaculture design methods to integrate structures into the sustainability of the landscape.
