Finding a Good Seat: How to Use Garden Seating Effectively
Garden Club London has been in the business for over a decade. In that time, we have travelled far and wide, providing first-class garden design services to those who need them. You can see our award-winning design work for yourself all over the country, or on our website. We believe gardens should be more than just a lawn or patio. They are a special place where you can collect your thoughts or commune with nature. And if there’s one thing every garden needs, it’s a place to sit. Join us today as we explore how to use garden seating to break the mould.
Take Advantage of Myriad Possibilities
Garden seating should fulfila functional role as well as an aesthetic one. Benches, chairs, swings, even bean bags, can all act as focal points to build around or towards. By making your seating a destination, this encourages you to explore. Moreover, hidden seating provides a serendipitous pleasure to would-be wanderers. A secret stone bench before a statue, a hidden pair of throne-like wooden chairs overlooking a pond, a secluded tree swing. The possibilities are endless.
Furthermore, for more open seating options, like picnic tables or outdoor dining sets, you’ll need a flat surface. This could be wooden decking, a paved patio, or a gravelled courtyard. But don’t back yourself into a corner. Squares and rectangles are excellent, but circular and oblong spaces can provide unexpected opportunities for planting, as well as seating.
Benches
What greater satisfaction is there than in enjoying the fruits of your labours, of a job well done? Renovating a garden or building one from the ground up takes time and effort but the payoff is huge. We find that a traditional garden bench is often the best place to drink in your hard work. It is a thing of beauty, after all. Hardwood or metal, both can work under the right circumstances. It doesn’t have to be expensive either. For a more pastoral-looking garden, why not leave it unpainted, to let it blend into the surroundings? If you’re looking for something brighter and more colourful, a lick of paint can breathe new life into the most worn-out bench. Surround it with hedging or a wooden pergola for a secluded seating area. Similarly, stone or wrought-iron benches will contrast beautifully with wilder, meadow-like gardens.
Box Loungers
For the more green-fingered gardeners, there are lots of ways to make your garden stand out. Why not try your hand at installing specialty hedges to trim into all-natural box loungers? It’s easier than you’d think and looks stunning when done right. All you need is a flat surface where you can replant existing hedges, preferably surrounded by gravel. They should be about 6-feet in length if replanting, or you can grow new ones there, though this may take a while. Two side-by-side looks great, though you could go for more if you have space. Then whip out the hedge trimmers to cut them into shape and voila! A cushion on each and a parasol will complete the look.
When it comes to seating, it’s your garden, and it’s your choice, but our valuable expertise has helped us design many award-winning gardens all over the UK. To view our portfolio, visit us at www.gardenclublondon.co.uk.