A garden summer house, what a vision of peace and relaxation those words conjure up making you think of long hot afternoons, iced lemonade and the bees buzzing softly around whilst you relax in comfort and contemplate your beautiful garden. Yet it抯 fair to say that garden summer houses can make an ideal addition to almost every home throughout the year. Indeed a garden summerhouse can provide useful accommodation and protection in all weathers and in all seasons. Which is why before setting out to look for garden summerhouses, why not take a moment or two to consider how you might best use yours, both immediately and in the future, because your needs will change as the family grows.

One of the main reasons for choosing garden summer houses is appearance and style, because in many homes the garden summer house will be used to make an attractive feature; either boldly displayed in full view of the house or nestling in a quiet corner. As such, the garden summerhouse should be considered as an essential design element and all the associated planting of shrubs and flowers planned around it to make an eye catching display throughout the year. So next time you visit a flower show, or watch one on television, make sure you check to see how many garden summerhouses are being used to create the centrepiece of some designer抯 perfect garden setting. But that won抰 necessarily suit your garden so when considering style, remember to choose something that is appropriate whether modern or traditional.

Given the aesthetic importance of your garden summer house, it抯 fair to say that you will want it to last many years so it抯 important to choose a good quality product made in durable materials. Most garden summer houses are manufactured in timber although you may find the odd metal or plastic one. So when choosing a timber garden summerhouse, don抰 forget environmental considerations and look for one made from FSC-approved timber from renewable forestry sources. Look also for garden summerhouses with pre-dipped or treated finishes that will protect them from rot and deterioration in all weathers. Many will also be vermin proofed which is an important consideration wherever food may be consumed.

You can choose a garden summer house with glazed doors and opening windows, covered deck areas with balustrades and features like internal bench seating and storage shelves, in most cases it comes down to your budget and your likely uses. And remember that many people use garden summer houses as places to work, practice a musical instrument or even rehearse a part in a play so they抮e not always a place to just sit and take it easy. It抯 also worth considering buying the largest garden summerhouse that will fit into your chosen location as many people regret having chosen one too small. Whatever you choose though, you抣l find that garden summerhouses repay their investment many times over, both in terms of their usable practicality and your enhanced quality of life.