By the looks of the weather today, you would hardly know it, but warmer weather and clear skies are on their way with the end of spring and the arrival of summer. This month's theme is all about your tips, resources and inspirations that blur the lines between indoor and outdoor living. My Great Outdoors will focus on reader submissions that highlight the big and small efforts that bring the comforts and options of indoor living outside. Join us this month as we help bring style, comfort and entertainment outdoors...

Starting this Wednesday we'll be calling out to you our readers to submit your outdoor space solutions, whether it's an apartment balcony you've transformed into a miniature garden, a backyard deck retreat you've decorated for maximum relaxation, a treehouse for the kids you built and designed, a side yard pottery water garden...any project that has taken the potential of outdoor space into a beautiful realm for entertaining and relaxation. Apartment Therapy is even throwing in a "thank you" gift to all submissions chosen to share throughout the month, so you've got greater incentive to participate! We'll have a submission form up on Wednesday, so take a step outside, snap some photos and get ready for My Great Outdoors!
Photos (from top left to right): Maria's “Oh So You” Bungalow, Stacy's Updated Heirlooms , Kevin and Greg's Sugar Shack, and Laura and Jason's Comfortable, Colorful Casa.

Z2 iPod Dock and Wi...
I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with! I love this month! I would love solutions for my outdoor gazebo that are inexpensive... some of that sunbrella material can get a bit costly.
Oooo I have balcony envy!
I LOVE THIS MONTH. Sorry for the all caps. That's how much passion I have for this month.
:)
I'm excited by all your excitement! Hope all of you enter.
This is excited!!! Are we going to have The Greenest Thumb contest this year??? please bring it back!!!! but you should divide in to categorys Tiny ,Small,Medium and Large or what ever and get a winner out of each category...
Ohh finally the hard work pays of... just needs to finish paiting the fence this coming weekend, and then you can all have a look... So excited...
*sigh*
My problem is, how to prevent anything I put on the balcony from getting filthy.
I have a big balcony, but I live in an apartment on the first floor, and basically cars driving by on the three sides (road on the front side, driveway leading to the garages on the other two sides). I spent last weekend cleaning, scrubbing, and trying everything to make this space look decent, and on Friday there was a lot of wind and everything looks filthy again. It's really hard to make it a place to relax when you either have to scrub it in order to be able to sit down, or to put away everything every time :(