Photo: Archway into Woodland by Laura Bacon. Image courtesy of the Crafts Council.

With the month of May well and truly behind us, thoughts inevitably float out of the window to freshly cut grass, bright blue skies, barbeques and garden furniture.

And as any old garden centre will tell you, there are plenty of solutions available for the outwardly mobile. But if you're after something a bit different to complement your strawberry planter, the Crafts Council's Summer exhibition is the place to be this season.

Out There - Craft for Exterior Living, at the Crafts Council Gallery in Islington, London until August 3, offers an eclectic collection of designs for even the most discerning gardeners.

Photo: 108 Egos by Yumi Nozaki. Image courtesy of the Crafts Council.

From the purely functional to the downright sculptural, the show displays work designed to dress up anything from a rambling country garden or urban yard to a tiny balcony or sprawling forecourt.

"Out There is a timely exhibition responding to the British passion for the great outdoors," explained Claire West, Director of Artistic Programming and Information.

"This is an ideal opportunity to see some of the most innovative work currently being produced."

Although the work on display in this open submission show can be bought via the gallery shop, it represents the cutting edge of contemporary arts and crafts.

Photo: Fallen Nest by Laura Bacon. Image courtesy of the Crafts Council.

Taking in a range of disciplines, the exhibitors deploy such diverse methods and materials as textiles, metalwork, glass, sculpture, letter carving, lighting and furniture.

Yet despite this all-inclusive approach, the idea behind the show is very much one of using these techniques to produce work that harmonises with external environments, while fulfilling some kind of functional purpose.

Yumi Nozaki's multiple glass vessels are like a series of delicate flowers, while Jim Partridge's wave benches prove that practical requirements can be met by today's contemporary craft.

Photo: Allium by Ruth Moilliet. Image courtesy of the Crafts Council.

At the same time Ruth Moilliet's large-scale metal sculptural globes imitate the natural world and Wolfgang and Heron's spiral lights are a subtle complement to it.

While some of the makers are well-established figures in the crafts world, the exhibition is also a chance to discover new talent with many exhibitors showing at the Crafts Council gallery for the first time.

The works have been selected by a panel of experts including Victoria Farrow, Chief Executive at the Museum of Garden History and Chris Royffe, Assistant Dean and Head of School at The Leeds School of Art, Architecture and Design.