It's that time of year when most of us start thinking what we can do outdoors. How we can make our backyards a place to relax like we do in our homes. Many people think you have to have a large yard to have a comfortable setting but the size doesn't matter when comes to your yard. Even the very small yard can be a paradise at home.

With the Spring bulbs once again starting to poke through our garden's previously frozen soil, we are now entering that time of year when many of us gardeners start getting very busy indeed. May is always the time of year when those garden chores like the pruning back certain varieties of roses and fruit trees, sowing grass seed and preparing raised beds for their summer and autumn harvests well and truly gets underway.

However, for many people, it's also the time of year when they can again start considering their extra room to their house. I am of course referring to their 'outdoor living' area where many a warm sunny evening will no doubt be wiled away with a cool drink or summer Barbecue.

The term 'Inside/Outside Living' started being touted on many of televisions home and garden shows. For some, the idea of Inside/Outside living really refers to a decked area and a table and chairs, and where opportunity (and weather!) permits, using this area to eat, drink and socialize.

Garden architecture design has definitely changed over recent years though, in so much as some people have taken the concept of Inside/Outside living a step further...literally. Instead of simply having an area of garden reserved for table and chairs, some have actually designed their garden so it actually meets the home. This is very often through the use of patio doors or large glass windows butting right up to the garden's deck area without stepping up, or down. The advent of the increasingly popular 'glass curtain' has meant some lucky homeowners can literally peel back the physical boundary between property and garden.

While many readers of this article might think that those most likely to benefit from taking this more adventurous, planned approach would be owners of sprawling country properties with acres of rolling grounds, you'd be very mistaken indeed. Some of the best examples of real Indoor/outdoor Living can be seen in urban environments. The larger terrace houses that grace many large cities for example, often have rear extensions bolted on. Simply changing the rear facing wall of the extension so it features more glass (we've seen examples of 'all glass' walls) can help bring the garden into the home, on even the gloomiest of days. At best, the smells and joys of the garden can be encouraged to waft into the property when the weather feels warm enough to peel back the glass facade.

Other suggestions to help create a perfect Inside/Outside living area include:

Sound: Perhaps you can create sounds that could be heard inside the main living area from outdoors? Perhaps the sound of relaxing trickling water? Wind chimes always work well.

Wildlife: Encourage birds to feed on feeders near to the back of the property. Grow shrubs and plants, which will encourage pollinating insects. One of the cheapest and most common of bedding plants, the Marigold, is perfect for attracting the likes of bees and ladybugs, which in turn actually help defend your garden from common pests like aphids (greenfly, cabbage and carrot fly etc).

Lighting: The seasons in some areas unfortunately make it near impossible to enjoy an all year outdoor living area without some serious heating solutions. But by using lighting wisely, the garden can at least be seen, and indeed feel, like part of the rest of the property all year round. Why not try solar powered lighting on decked areas and let the sun neutralize your electricity bill a little? Sunken deck lights work well and actually look better in the colder months. And don't forget low level colored spotlights - a throw of light across a flowerbed near the rear of your property not only aids security but also looks like an outside version of the indoor Standard Lamp.

If like many, you are an avid Barbecue enthusiast, why not build a custom outdoor cooking area? Spanish architecture brick Barbecues are becoming increasingly popular and literally give you an outdoor kitchen area. Plant wisely and you can go from plot to plate in minutes (ever tried growing your own Peas or Asparagus and serving them straight away?) Your outdoor plots are capable of producing a constant churn of 'cut and come again' produce.

So, if like many you start to feel claustrophobic at this time of year after enduring winter, you can now start considering your outdoor living area. Don't let the rain stop you either - invest in a decent umbrella and a wood burning fireplace and you to will have a garden of edan in your yard.