The chaise longue of garden furniture, a well-placed bench is always an enticing invitation to sit, rest a while and contemplate. Any trip to a park, heritage site or country village is made better by the discovery of a lovely place to sit, and there’s no reason why you can’t reproduce that appealing atmosphere in your own garden.
A bench with a view
Patios, decks and dining areas tend to be next to the house and invite you to look out at the garden. A bench placed in a corner looking towards the house, or placed to take advantage of the best view available, can provide you a refreshingly different perspective. Whether you choose a rustic style in wood, or a more traditional cast iron bench, with the addition of some colourful plant pots, a few comfortable cushions and a softly woven throw, you’ll have created a new go-to space in your garden. If you’re feeling ambitious, a pergola can be an attractive addition and offers the chance to cultivate the space vertically, with climbers like clematis, honeysuckle and jasmine, which look and smell beautiful.
Bench seating for dining
Benches can be especially useful, as they’re easy to move, offer additional seating for guests and take up less space than chairs. A four-seater bench, for example, can sit easily along one side of a dining table, allowing you to double up the chairs on both ends. Softening your bench with cushions means that guests will feel pampered and ready to settle in for a long lunch or a sociable evening. Many of the modular ranges of rattan garden furniture offer a bench option, which gives you the flexibility to include the bench in your lounge and dining area, but also to place the bench elsewhere in the garden if required.
Benches around a firepit
Add a bench or two to your firepit area to create a campfire vibe. Place any seating at a sensible distance from the firepit – the recommended distance is at least three metres away from the direct heat source. Your guests can enjoy the warmth and ambience of the flames in absolute safety, and sitting side by side will encourage camaraderie and good cheer.
Front garden benches
After a year of lockdown walks around our neighbouring streets, many of us have set our minds to sprucing up our front gardens. We may still be wearing leisure wear, but we want our gardens to look great. An attractive bench placed to get the best of the sun – either close to your front door facing the street, or elsewhere – makes your garden look more curated and designed. If you love peoplewatching and socialising with your neighbours, why not enjoy early evening drinks on your new front garden bench once the warmer weather is here?
Whether it’s for reading a book, chatting to friends or simply enjoying some welcome peace and quiet, your garden bench may well prove to be your new favourite spot in the garden.
