But there is another class of garden owner for whom rain, hail or climate change cannot dampen their enthusiasm . . .those who have moved their 'outdoor room' indoors.

When interiors photographer Barbara Egan set about the renovation of her period redbrick in Dublin 7, she wanted to create a sunny garden room that would bring a green, leafy element to the sombre interior. But where to site it?

The entrance hall was originally quite dark and gloomy and not helped by the fact that at the top of the stairs, on the first floor return, were two poky, dimly lit bathrooms.

By opening up these rooms and installing glazed doors and full-height windows, the gaze of visitors on entering the hall is now drawn up to the new, decidedly leafy, garden room.

Blue and white encaustic floor tiles and a profusion of tropical palms and dwarf citrus trees have created a look reminiscent of a Victorian orangerie . . .

perfectly in keeping with the genteel architectural style of the house.

"If 90% of photography is about lighting, so too is design . . . whether it's brightening a hall or creating a garden indoors." says Barbara.

The room is all calm tranquillity . . . which wasn't the case when work started on the initial redesign. When the dividing wall and doors from the return were knocked down and pipes removed, Barbara and the builders noticed there was no lintel over the back door and the brickwork had begun to sag.

"I had to rebuild it again with the same bricks and reroof it . . . while still living in the house. But by gutting the space, I could then install three almost floor-to-ceiling height windows, two Velux and a set of glazed French entrance doors which fold right back to the wall and open up the room fully."

The beautiful encaustic tiled floor also gave initial grief as Barbara had trouble finding a tiler to lay it, chiefly because the tiles are so expensive and the design so difficult to configure. Eventually she found specialist tiler Walter Young from Lisros. "They cost well over 2,000 to lay in the hall and garden room. Myself and Walter had to unpack each tile one by one and work out the design before actually laying them. The end result was perfect, however, as they really do enhance the tropical look of the garden room, as well as being infinitely practical."

The plants, although seemingly exotic, are inexpensive and easily available from most garden outlets, says Barbara.

Clivia, Areca and Cycad Palm, and Calamondin (a dwarf orange tree) are just some of the leafy inhabitants of this garden room which make the space a year-round delight.

Colourful glazed pots and folding furniture keep the mood informal and inviting.

"I love the room and, although the initial work was a bit of nightmare, it's been worth it. I spend a lot of time here relaxing and looking out at the rain. . ."

WHERE TO BUY

>> Lisros Tiling and Flooring 090-662 6013/087 689 2384.Tiling by Walter Young.
>> Fired Earth www.firedearth. com. Stocks a good range of encaustic floor tiles similar to Barbara's.
>> Habitat Suffolk Street, Dublin 1, 01-677 1433. For wooden table and chairs.
>> Orchard Garden Centre Celbridge 01-628 8903. For palms, orange trees and other tropical indoor plants >> B&Q Liffey Valley, 01-629 9499. Good for wooden blinds

THREE TO STEAL

1When planning a garden room, consider the flow of natural light to the room . . . and also how it can bene"t light in adjoining spaces via glazed doors. Velux rooflights flow light down from above while one full wall of glazing ensures plants and people will be happy.

2The right flooring sets the tone in any garden room. Tiles or natural stone look the part as well as being practical for container plants as they can cope with any messy potting and watering.

3Keep it natural (and provide some welcome shade in a very hot room) with wooden blinds to complement the greenery. Light, stackable wooden furniture also gives that outdoors look.

Lightiing is a must to keep the mood serene and soft. Wall-hung sanitaryware and units are the answer. "Rather than taking up floor space, furnishings and fittings should be elevated. Cabinets can be concealed behind mirrored doors."

The move towards greener living is also having an impact, he says. "Many householders are embracing the Gaia philosophy of energy in, recycling out. In design stage, many forget to design-in recycling.

Think through the work flow of food coming into the house, from where it will be stored, then cooked and waste sorted,