Tips on choosing seating for your garden is a ‘how to’ blog including a check list of what to consider in the garden itself as well as other essentials such as your budget. But we also consider why you might want to have seating in the garden at all, especially if space is tight. Oh and a few planting and general garden design ideas thrown in for good measure.
Generally speaking, the prime times for planning your seating are firstly, when you’re having part or all of the garden redesigned. But also in the early autumn, when you can easily remember summer and where you found yourself wanting to sit in the garden. And, conveniently, when retailers are reducing their prices to make space for winter seasonal items and next year’s new stock.
Tips on Choosing Seating for Your Garden
Why do you need or want seating? In a smaller garden, surely it’s easier to just bring out a chair to sit on when it’s needed? Very possibly that’s the right solution for you – which is why we’ll go through the reasons so you can make that informed choice. Remember to bear in mind that the requirements for a purely seating area, possibly with a small table to take a cup of coffee, are not exactly the same as those for a dining area.
- how big is your garden
- where are the sunny and shady spots where you’d like to sit
- will you have inside–outside space too, for example, summerhouse, arbour
- do you, a family member or frequent visitor, have mobility requirements
- how many people do you need to seat
- is there already a space for your seating area or will you need to make space, add a path, etc
- is there a set timescale to accomplish this garden task or project
- what is your budget
- do you already have a style of furniture in mind
Let’s consider these points in a bit more detail to help inspire and focus your thoughts.
How Big is Your Garden?
And how is it laid out? For example, even small gardens often have room for two seating areas. One may be an intimate space for two and the other doubles up as a sunny lounging area and entertainment space with folding chairs for dining / guests.
And when you do only have room for one seating spot, you need to get it right, so planning is key. Do you like to see all the garden all the time? Or do you have a more secret area? If the whole garden is visible from the house, especially in the winter, the seating may become a focal point that draws your eye to it.
In medium sized gardens with a young family, why not add a comfy bench and sand pit combo? In later years the sandpit could metamorphose into a decorative herb bed. This would be as well as bistro-type seating near the house for a quick cuppa, an adults chill space in the sun and a dining area. And before you start thinking that’s a lot of seats, remember you probably move around the garden during the day, heading for sun or shade, keeping an eye on the children or having lunch in the garden as a break from homeworking.
Larger gardens are sometimes trickier to design well. How you use, or want to use, the garden is key. For example, would you like a vast lawn with seating scattered around under trees, in a summerhouse, on the patio and in the kitchen garden? Or is a mix of open space and secluded areas more your style?
Sun or Shade?
Whether you prefer sun or shade to sit in is personal preference. If you have a shady garden there may not be much you can do to change it. Sunny gardens can have shade added to them, with trees, parasols, and garden structures such as arbours.
The time of year may also affect how shady you garden is and this may help you to decide where to put your main seating area. (see blog link below)
Tips on Choosing Seating for Your Garden for Inside–Outside Spaces
The main question is this: is the space more inside than outside? If it’s more inside, then you have many more types of seating to choose from, as you can include (some) interior furniture items. I’m thinking of fully enclosed summer houses, obviously, where you may also have some form of heating for the winter too.
Other types of the inside-outside garden structures include little arbours with an integral seat; gazebos with a roof but open sides; temporary pavilions, like large tents with fabric sides that can be open or closed. There’s also the covered porch, verandah and the loggia all of which are attached to the house.
Temporary summer structures need temporary seating and somewhere to store it all over winter, but if you have the room are a great addition to a garden. Permanent structures give you the benefits of wandering outside with a cup of coffee even in the winter (although you may need a coat!)
Mobility Requirements
Choosing garden seating that is easy to get into and out of from a wheelchair may be important. As may having plenty of accessible seats around the garden. Remember access to the seating is important, wider paths with a stable surface such as brick are easier for someone with a walking stick or wheelchair. Those with poor eyesight will appreciate clear delineations between the seating area and the flower border. Large pots with pale leaved evergreens or brightly coloured blooms are attractive for everyone and are easily seen.
Tips on choosing seating for your garden – how many people do you need to seat?
We probably all of us do it: when asked how many people we need to seat at a dining table, we think of Christmas and summer family gatherings, so reply with “about 15” or some other number which is not relevant for 90% of the time!
Having admitted that, lets break the question into two parts. Firstly, how many people will normally or regularly use the space. Secondly how often do you have larger numbers of people and roughly how many bums on seats then.
Once you’ve got those numbers, you’ll be able to work out if you really need that 12 seater patio set. Or whether a 6 seater set plus some comfortable, folding chairs would be a more usable solution for both day-to-day use and special occasions.
Size Matters or How to make sure the furniture fits into the space
It may sound obvious, but the seating has to physically fit into the space you have available, For example, you’ll need elbow room either side or you’ll find you won’t be comfortable using it.
Do you need regular seating for 1, 2 or more? And if you have more than one seating area, would the same number apply in each or are some a more intimate setting?
When you know where the seating is going to go, but before you buy it, it’s a good idea to mark it out. Use bamboo sticks and perhaps a tall plant pot for the corners. Is there room to walk around? Even if people won’t be walking behind, you may need to get to an adjacent flower border to do weeding and having to move furniture to do so is a real effort. And, for those who unlike myself are more than 5 foot tall, is there room to stretch your legs out?
Timescale to accomplish finding your new garden seating
Probably most relevant if you will need to build paths, patio, terrace; create new flower beds to go next to the seating or build a permanent structure for shade. But you may want to purchase your new seating before a family celebration. Bear in mind that there may be a longer lead time than you were expecting on some items. For example, if you want matching bench and chairs, the bench may be in stock but you have to wait 4 weeks for the chairs.
What is your budget
Every purchase requires a budget, whether that’s the weekly family shop or buying a new house. When choosing your garden seating, I recommend a budget plus a contingency amount, which allows for you to spend more if you want to, or because there’s a delivery charge.
Do a bit of homework to get an idea of prices, but also think about how long you want this furniture to last. For seats that only need to last a couple of years look for second-hand items and end of line bargains. If this is a longer term purchase, go for quality so it still looks good in 8 – 10 years’ time. And if your style or needs change in that time, you’ll still have garden seating that you can sell.
Tips on Choosing Seating for Your Garden – Style
You may already have a style in mind that suits how the rest of your garden is set out. But if not, imagine sitting in your ideal garden – what are you sitting on? That may make the decision for you!
Or you could find inspiration from gardens and shows you’ve visited over the summer. This is how my daughter chose her new garden furniture. Having seen and sat on a colourful metal bench, she tracked down the same style of bench, plus two chairs and a low table in a colour that was perfect for her own garden.
A few examples –
- A combination of seats and bench in the same material, same wood (as they may weather differently) or same colour gives cohesion of style even when the design of the furniture is different.
- The same style and colour of seating adds formality but may be ‘boring’ or ‘overpowering’ depending on the colour. Add contrast with pots, planting and cushions.
- Matching cushions when the style of the seating is different will pull the group together as whole.
- Similar but complementary styles create an informal look without looking ‘busy’. Keep cushions to a limited palette with just a couple of quirky designs.
- Bespoke or colourful furniture can also become a focal point to which a winding path leads.
Types of Garden Seating
There is a huge range of both types of seating and materials from which they’re made, so just in case you haven’t started looking in earnest yet, here are (most) of the possibilities open to you.
- arbour seat
- armless seat
- bench
- bistro set (small table and 2 chairs)
- chair with arms
- companion seat / bench with integral table
- day bed
- garden cushions
- garden sofa
- hammock (although more for lying in)
- hanging seat, on frame or from a tree
- lounger
- rocker, may be chair, stool, lounger
- stool, individual or to seat two or more
- swing seat for one or more
And pictures of some of them …
Materials include: –
- bamboo
- metal
- plastic of various sorts
- recycled composite material
- wicker and cane
- wood, softwood and hardwood
The amount of time you’re prepared to spend on maintenance should be taken into account when you’re choosing your garden furniture. Some materials need more than others, softwood for example. Others may need to be taken under cover when it rains and overwinter so you’d need storage space.
And finally
What’s your favourite occupation in the garden? Weeding? Or sitting on a beautiful wooden garden bench chatting with your friend whilst drinking tea? If it’s the latter, then that is what your garden should reflect, and the right garden seating will help you do that.
If you would like help with choosing the right seating for your garden, with planting and whether you need a pergola, do get in touch. We can help you with suitable plants, somewhere to sit and reflect, a space for entertaining, depending on your needs, budget and garden.
And for further gardening advice and inspiration, check out Plews Potting Shed blogs, including the selection below and our monthly Tipsheet – You could come and find us on Instagram Pinterest and Facebook too.
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