Here are my suggestions for cottage garden seating for whatever kind of garden you have.
Seats, seats and more seats. A garden needs them surely?
Does anyone walk into a room and just stand there in the middle? No. We gravitate towards a seat.
Yet I see gardens with borders round a lawn and nowhere to sit. So all you can do is walk around, stand around or sit on the grass and then go inside again.
Here’s a chair at my front door where I can perch precariously. It’s great for just a quick sit to get outside for a few minutes.
Cottage garden seating
So nice to sit outside the front door for a moment or two anytime
In the middle of the sunken front garden I have a table and chairs where I can sit completely secluded and jump out at people coming down the path.
Colourful cottage garden seating
Cottage garden seating will be bright, light and colourful
Nothing fancy, just a bistro set easily bought online in lots of lovely colours.
Now out the back our garden is one rectangular space, all brick paved with deep borders round the edge. Many years ago I made the focal point a big wooden table, big orange umbrella and brightly coloured chairs which stay outside from March to November.
Colourful garden parasol and chairs
Permanent colour in the garden from the umbrella and chairs
It’s great to have lots of space even though there’s only two of us and the table fits 6/8 chairs if we need them. With small pots at either end, herbs and scented flowers, the table is lovely to look out on.
I put out a cheaper folding chair through the winter so I can have a freezing huddled cup of tea if I want to. It’s vital to have somewhere to sit in the depths of winter for an impromptu cup of tea with my coat on.
Chairs in the garden in winter
Cheap and cheerful chairs can stay outside all year in London because we are sheltered
So please think about placing chairs around your garden. Wooden benches are fine if you are sure that’s where you want to sit and even then you’d need a small table to put your stuff on.
Cottage garden seating, especially small town garden seating probably needs to be light and easy to move. Fabric folding chairs here and there work for me, so I can sit in the shade or sun when I want to. I don’t have room for a lounger since I decided to have so many pots. There isn’t room for everything in a small garden. We each decide our own priorities.
I had a tiny spot on BBC TV last year mentioning furniture which you can read about here.
When in doubt, sit down. That’s my motto.
I noticed a rhus typhina behind you in one of the pictures and was wondering if this is growing in a pot? I love these plants and would love to grow onein a large tub. Do you have any advice?
Which picture Tracey as I don’t have that plant any more? I had a tree of it years ago in the border. I don’t know about a pot but why not? It’s fabulous in the autumn and its only problem is that is makes suckers all around it that you have to pull out so in a pot sounds a good idea.
You’re absolutely right about the classic lawn and borders design with not a seat to be seen! We have a tiny garden with a fixed bench, a couple of chairs to chase the sun or shade and a small table. The old cat sat on or under various chairs depending on the weather. Your tulips look fantastic by the way!
Thankyou Miranda, glad others have noticed those gardens with no seats! Cats do love to sit on sunny chairs don’t they. Those tulips were from a few years ago as this year none have come out yet. Should do any minute now though. Best wishes, Julie
I do have a garden chair ….but it is the most uncomfortable chair I have ever had .I’m on the short side and it is really hard to get out of it. It is one of those plastic???Adirondack type. My late husband made wooden Adirondack chairs years ago but they have all rotted out and I do miss them.
Oh dear. An uncomfortable chair sounds a bit tricky. I find it impossible to sit in a deckchair – I really don’t know how people manage to get in and out of it. And as for recliners, just as you lie down you see something that needs doing so you’re up and down like a yo yo. I do hope you find a nice comfortable chair Beverly, best wishes, Julie
You’re so right about suitable seating! I have a mixture, one small all weather cast metal bench that was a treat last year when the Wyevale garden centres closed (I miss our local one!). Then like you I generally have folding or stacking chairs that can be moved around the garden. I would like a wooden bench for a space by a garage wall one day though! I don’t have any loungers either!
Loungers are so impossible to on and off aren’t they! Folding chairs are so great and of course a lovely old silver weathered wooden bench is a thing of beauty which a plastic chair will never be but as you say, a mixture is perfect and so important. Thanks for commenting and best wishes, Julie
Yes seating does get forgotten sometimes!
Yes, funny isn’t it. People invite you into their garden and you just stand around like you’re at a cocktail party and then go inside again!
What a thought provoking post. Especially at this time when fresh air without breaking social distancing isn’t SO important. Please encourage Beverly to get something comfortable. How can she enjoy her garden when she can’t enjoy sitting. So many studies have shown benefit of sitting in garden and relaxing . Thank you for a great post
I believe studies have shown the benefit of sitting in most locations and situations, at all times of the day and all times of the year. At least that’s so in our house.
You’re right, you need somewhere to sit in the garden – it’s essential. We have a swing seat (usually occupied by pots of seedlings at this time of year) and bench, a table and chairs that get brought out for a spot of lunch outside on a nice day and I acquired a bistro chair for sitting in the shade. Your garden looks great.
Thankyou Graeme, I like your blog too. Glad to hear you have lots of chairs. Best wishes, Julie
In my little garden I have a 3-seater swing seat; I eat my breakfast there in spring and summer, and sit often with a cup of tea – it’s very easy to jump out of when I see something that needs doing. I used to have a table and chairs at the far end but my tiny greenhouse is there now. I have discovered that the side return is a brilliant place to sit in the late afternoon, so that’s my next project 😁
Sounds great. I love the fact that where we want to sit changes all the time with hours of the day and times of the year. I often want to sit in the shade. I used to have a chair under th apple tree but got pooped on all the time so had to move. Thanks for your comment and lovely to hear about your next project. Best wishes, Julie
This is a very informative article!!