Amen. Following the latest trend and "keeping up with the Jones'" never rang my bell.

Can't keep the glare off the big screen either.

Tom

I like garden rooms. I love sitting in my garden too. The one great things that garden rooms can do is make a small space look bigger. I know that sounds weird, but it does give the illusion of more space. Although my garden has not been stellar the last few years, I still like to take time to sit in the garden when it is warm, and relax. Time enough for being indoors during the dark time of the year.

Please don't hate me.

Seems to me that garden rooms have their place. Just not in my garden.

How do you dust? How do you vaccum? And isn't polishing those mirrored balls a challenge?

Just joshing, of course. I use my hose for dusting and my leaf blower for cleaning my shop. Doesn't everyone???

Tom

If you have the space, some vistas and at least one little cozy area to sit in is kind of nice, I think.

My front yard is mostly used for going to and from the house, but it has a nice bench in it under a tree so that looking at it you have the sense of a place that you could be in. And I designed it so it would be a nice view from the dining room. My husband spends most of his waking hours at the dining room table when he is home, reading, writing or eating.

The backyard has a small shade garden and sitting area at the base of the deck stairs, and I go back and forth between the covered deck and the shade garden depending on the weather, on the rare occasions I sit by myself out there. There is a big planting bed where most of the cutting flowers and vegetables are growing, and it is designed to look good from up on the deck and as you walk through it.

Also the lower backyard is planted to be seen both from a distance and up close. It is lawn surrounded by trees and shrub borders, with littler things tucked in between.

You should plant what you like and arrange it how you (and the plants) like, and not worry about terminology. Some perfectly good gardens get junked up with trendy language. Make it your own to enjoy, whatever that may mean to you. It is not a fashion contest; it is a relationship between you and the out-of-doors.

Originally posted by tommyb One more thing...I've been watching a new subdivision slowly build out a block from us. Houses that used to be $500k are now $300k...and the only garden they might have would have to be a garden "closet" at 14 by 14 feet.

That's one design trend I'll never understand. People are different I suppose and many people don't like "yard work". But I would feel so clostraphobic in a small yard, much more so than in a small house.

I have a 1950's typical suburban lot. Just right for me, small enough that the back yard is one large "room" and that's the way I like it.

With all of the green dense trees along the highways and roads,one could reasonably consider them as hallways to the home garden rooms. Large or small.

Tommy, I like the idea of a garden glade or copse instead a "garden room". Good term there.

I agree with Deb. I sit in my gardens all the time. I really like secret gardens and stroll gardens where you can travel along a path and come to secret hiding places to sit and enjoy the critters and the plants. Nothing better than enjoying an early morning in the garden with a cup of coffee.

I find that having a covered sitting area with paths made out of stone or gravel that allow you to traverse the garden in the rain goes along way to spending more time in the garden, just sitting or strolling. Grass paths definitely are not as nice to travel on in the rain.

Yeah, SE, I just don't get why people want to live on these dinky 25X100 ft. lots with these huge houses that loom over a tiny little plot of grass....

I've got vistas and I've got garden rooms. Love both. Although I do tire at times of doing the 1/4 acre of lawn but it IS a good workout and the robins love to forage on the open grass and violet green swallows need that open space as well. Both are nesting close by. Can't use power equipment due to the vibration so it's all done with a push mower and domestic geese. That's when I take a break with a book in the little garden off the back patio surrounded by wood fencing. Bordered with Epimediums, Japanese maples, fuschias and miniature roses. Potted bulbs running up the stairs to the upper deck. Hummingbirds visiting (new this week!!). Juncos popping in and out of the potted lilacs and katsuras waiting to go in the ground 'somewhere'. Lots of baby juncos this year. I wouldn't notice if I didn't have a small, intimate garden space where I relax and study what's what.

I'm with you on the comfy chair, add a spot of tea and I'm in heaven.