Over the past six or seven years, Hearth & Home has invited architects, designers and landscape architects to subscribe to the magazine. We believed then – still do now – that developing a relationship with the greater community of designers would be beneficial to our base of manufacturers and retailers.

What is an Outdoor Room? To some it is a grand pavilion with an imposing fireplace, an appliance-packed, custom-masonry outdoor kitchen, distinct areas for dining, entertaining and relaxing, TVs, sound systems and other entertainment amenities, and a fabulous swimming pool or water feature all set against a stunningly landscaped and hardscaped backdrop.

In early July, Hearth & Home faxed a survey to 2,412 specialty retailers of hearth, barbecue and patio products, asking them to compare June 2014 sales to June 2013. The accompanying charts and selected comments are from the 2,322 useable returns.

The Green Lady – she’s but one of the attractions at the Eden Project in the county of Cornwall, UK. Eden is a top garden tourist attraction at the southwestern tip of the country.