GLOBAL TRAVEL SERVES AS INSPIRATION FOR DRAB BACKYARDS IN HGTV'S 'THE OUTDOOR ROOM WITH JAMIE DURIE'

Knoxville, Tenn. [For Immediate Release--December 1, 2009] World-renowned environmentalist and landscape architect Jamie Durie brings his "Outdoor Room" concept from his native Australia to the United States in HGTV's The Outdoor Room with Jamie Durie. During the new weekly series, premiering Friday, January 1, at 10 p.m. ET/PT and airing regularly on Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET/PT beginning January 2, Jamie, known for his visionary design aesthetic, travels the world in search of inspiration for lackluster backyards. Armed with intriguing shapes, colors and textures from his journeys, he helps homeowners create the ultimate outdoor oasis.

"Whether Jamie is repurposing discarded items to enhance a landscape or building an outdoor space that is perfect for entertaining, he demonstrates that our backyards have amazing potential," said Freddy James, senior vice president, program development & production, HGTV. "With the right information, these spaces are blank canvases that can be transformed into expressive extensions of our homes."

In the premiere episode, homeowners Glenn and Amie want to transform the unused courtyard area of their mid-century Pasadena, Calif. home. The couple, who enjoys yoga and meditation, envisions a serene space where they can relax. Jamie immediately thinks of Bali, a place where flowing water, wood and lush tropical plants are used in design to create a tranquil atmosphere.

The design plan begins with the team removing the courtyard's old, uneven concrete and painting the walls a soothing, earthy green. A 10-inch deep infinity pool, complete with traditional stepping stones carved from white marble and several varieties of floating plants, creates a quintessential Balinese-style mediation area. In addition, Jamie includes plenty of traditional dark wood d�cor in a new outdoor dining area.

In future episodes, Jamie will find inspiration in U.S. cities such as Palm Springs, Sonoma and Key West as well as in global destinations including Japan, Mexico, Italy and Thailand.

About Jamie Durie

Jamie Durie, an award-winning landscape designer, television host and founder of the internationally recognized Australian company PATIO Landscape Architecture and Design, is an advocate for preserving our natural surroundings and environmental future. Jamie trained with former Vice President Al Gore as a Climate Change Ambassador and regularly participates in environmental lectures around the world.

Born in northern Sydney, Jamie spent most of his childhood in the mining town of Tom Price in north Western Australia. Like most Australians, he loves the outdoors and his deep connection with nature guides him in creating the ultimate outdoor living spaces. His inspiration comes from the vast natural beauty of the Australian landscape, extensive international travel and a passion for Eastern culture and lifestyle through his Sri Lankan heritage. He successfully combines these elements to create his own unique style and approach to landscape design.

About HGTV

HGTV, America's leader in home and lifestyle programming, is distributed to more than 97 million U.S. households and is one of cable's top-rated networks. HGTV's website, HGTV.com, is the nation's leading online home-and-garden destination, which attracts an average of 5 million unique visitors per month.