Fancy following in the footsteps of DIY queen Linda barker, gardening guru Diarmund Gavin or BBc jounalist Andrew Marr? If you assume this means buying a villa overseas or a palatial country house, think again because these celebrities have joined the garden jet set.

An outdoor workplace is the latest must have for the growing army of those working from home. It is perfect if you want to avoid the mess of converting a bedroom but would prefer to keep away from the hubbub of your house.

If is often a new baby that is the catalyst for people deciding to to work from an office in the garden. These are definitely not sheds. They have got insulation, heating, lighting and are designed for space and light

There are several frims offering garden offices and they start form small structures that offer about 3.5 sq meters of floot space and cost around £9,000

Regulations state that a structure that are not more than 5m from your house and is lower than 4m to the apex does not need planning permission.

The garne office should also take up no more than 50 per cent of your garden. Be aware that tigher planning rules may apply if you live in a conservation area or in a listed building.

There is not reason to worry about a garden office spoiling your garden. Diarmund Gavin's main exhibit at Chelsea Flower Show last year incorporated a white garden office.

There is another perk. Because garden offices are defines by Customs and Revenue as a "self contained relocatable building", their purchase and running costs are, in most cases, tax deductable.

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SHED LIGHT

A well kept garden shed can add five percent to the value of your property, according to the British Institute of Surveys. Research conducted by The Future Laboratory found that 40% of women now regard their garden shed as a space where they can "do their own thing" compared with only 38% of men.