Most Garden Windows look kind of "cheapo" on the outside. It's too much vinyl and looks like a box hanging off the side of your home. On the other hand they can be nice when viewed from the inside with your plants etc inside.

Speaking of plants - you are asking for all sorts of condensation issues when you do this, and it doesn't matter how much you pay, if you have humidity in the house during heating season (if you have one) those things can become a bit of a science experiment on the inside.

Back to your question, once you get past the big box stores and national lumberyard chains, you will probably be dealing with more of a regional window manufacturer for your Garden Window. Some are better built than others, but when your talking to the salesman and getting all excited - remember your first reaction to the "Cheapo" look 'cause most vinyl units will look the same from the outside.

Some of the bigger (non box store) companies that may be in your area would be Atrium or Simonton or perhaps Sunrise or .... there are so many.
Where are you?
Good Luck - Ed

Kolbe and Kolbe makes one that is a very nice unit, of course it will be more than the vinyl companies but it is a nice unit.

I would leave the casement.
We just remodeled our kitchen, it had a garden window, and I can say I will never again put one in.
It was 5 years old and completely rotted from the inside due to condensation.
It leaked cold air and looked silly from the outside.
Also, they are hard to keep clean.

I am in the Chicago area. My contractor wants to use a Lang window. I looked it up online and the garden window is pretty nice looking.

I am concerned about condensation. I do not have a condensation problem now, but have heard that this can be an issue with garden windows. I suppose that I should be concerned that it may be hard to clean -- but for a more open, airy feel to my small kitchen, I guess that is a price I am willing to pay!

Thx,
Shadey

I found a really nice Garden window for my home and have had no problems with it yet! It looks beautiful!. One of the main things I learned while shopping was that this window was MADE to be a garden window. A lot of other companies I looked at, more or less, built their garden windows from other window parts, making it not as structurally sound, or good looking for that matter.

A company called Vinyl-Lite Window Factory put it in. I don't know where you are located, or if they serve your area, but you can try them at www.vinyl-lite.com

I'll copy some text from the original brochure I have for it:

The vinyl extruded frame sections are reinforced for extra strength. The bottom frame has a drainage system to remove excess moisture and is insulated for energy efficiency. A compression bulb seal in combination with a continuous hinge eliminates air infiltration when closed. The rain gutter system also drains excess moisture.

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Window

Does anyone have experience with garden windows from Harvey Building Products?

Also, should explore options at garden shows, the internet, other ways?

High performance 1" insulating glass with option of Low-E/Argon glazing
Only vinyl garden window on the market today with an AAMA Certified R-50 rating (units 60-1/2" x 60-1/2" and smaller)
Top sloped insulating glass (a constant 35ð pitch) is tempered for improved safety and unit integrity
Twin sealing, fully screened, operating casements with external glazing for improved weather protection
Exterior grade plywood headboard, seatboard and jamb are 1-1/4" for excellent structural and thermal performance; support brackets are not needed
R-50 "Coastal Rating" available

Here is a link that might be useful: Quality Garden Window?

Most manufacturers don't actually make their own garden window. Does Harvey make it in house?

Garden windows are pretty specialized in terms of manufacturing and quite a few folks use the Ventana manufacturer unit.

If that is the case with Harvey (i.e. made and supplied by Ventana), we have used the same Garden unit with success and have not had any issues with the Ventana unit.

I don't know if anyone is still reading this post...but what did you decide to do for a garden window? I have ~37X37 casement window and was looking to replace it with garden window over my sink. To get more light.

I went to Lowes and they have ones from United Window & Door, and Reliabilt. Anyone have any recommendations about these brands for garden windows? I will also check out Harvey.

I am located in the Boston area (ie cold) do I need to worry about condensation?

Any info is appreciated. Thanks

Of those two, the Reliabilt is likely the better unit. They may not be that different at all though.

Often times, manufacturers do not make their own Garden Unit. Ventana makes quite a few of the garden units for manufacturers out there.

Being in Boston, I would be concerned about condensation on the unit and especially on the corner sections where the vinyl is continuous and bridged to the outside.

Be sure to order a unit with foam in the extrusions and an insulated seat board.

I took the advise ,I found on this blog and ordered a new garden window-to replace my old aluminum garden window ,that was cold and had water between the double glass.I found it at vinyl-lite.com .They shipped it to my home and We had our handyman install it.My wife and I love it,its warm,has a glass middle shelf.We were thinking of just putting a regular window in,but now we are glad we went with a new vinyl garden.

How did you find this post Mike. Somewhat of an interesting first post?

Help! We are replacing an Alside garden window. The wooden seatboard is ruined. It builds ice upon it during the winter. It is NOT from condensation within the house, it is because it is so bitter cold on the bottom of an uninsulated seatboard. The sill can be 40 degrees! Our contractor wants to replace with an Atrium brand garden window. Does anyone have any experience with this brand garden window? I love the garden window, but don't want to deal with the ice cold in the winter and the hot of the summer. Is a garden window just a bad idea? I don't want the same problem again.

Does anyone have any experience with garden windows by Wallside Windows ? The sales person talked me out of it.

Nothing about their website impresses me about the quality of their product. Looks to me a little like a middle of the night TV infomercial.

@Mike Bouchery. Mike - how is your garden window holding up? I called Vinyl-lite after seeing these discussions. I have a quote for $3400 for a 40" x 54" garden window uninstalled + $1300 for installation. It sounds very high - is that normal? I live in the Washington, DC area. Thanks!

Is there a supplier for Ventana made garden windows in/near W? Their website offers no distributor information

Where is W? Ventana doesn't sell directly.

Sorry WA Washington

Ventana is in PA. There might be a garden window supplier on your side of the Rockies. I would maybe call Milgard and see who produces theirs or if they do it in house.

vinyl-lite.com ships Garden Windows nation wide.

I had a horrible experience with a Ventana window that is sold under Vytex name in Maryland, who doesn't sell directly - so I had to buy the window from American Siding & Windows. The whole experience was a nightmare. I ordered the window in August, got my incomplete window in October after complaining to the state of Maryland. To this date, I don't have the complete window :( Vytex and American Siding & Windows keep pointing fingers at each other! I should have gone with Vinyl-Lite.

No...you should have gone with us.

Does anyone have any experience with wall side windows. They are based in Michigan and they make garden windows

@NDSA did you end up getting one and if so, was it through Lowe’s? I found this thread as I have been researching a garden window for my kitchen and live near Boston. I went to Lowe’s today and ten years later, United and Reliabilt are their inly two options. My husband and I are going to look into pricing at a local spot. Thank you