Buyer's guide to garden furniture

Garden Furniture Range
Furniture for lazy summer days
© Cotswold Company

Your house is filled with furniture you love – give your garden the same attention. Metal, wood, concrete? Green fingered experts share tips and advice on what to consider when buying garden furniture.

1. Hard case

‘If buying wood, avoid anything that isn’t hardwood,’ advises Humphreys. ‘And always buy wood from a sustainable origin!’ So think ash, teak, oak and walnut. This Amalfi Asthall table (£1199) from The Cotswold Company is made from plantation grown balau hardwood and features a lazy Suzan centre. Sturdy structure, elegant design and guilt free indulgence. Bliss.

  • Gardening table Furniture to garden - Concrete

    2. Summer style

    ‘Metal is popular due to being more weather resistant and hard wearing with less need for protection and re-oiling,’ says garden furniture expert Julie Humphreys of Crocus. The French grey metal Garden Furniture range (£138) from Graham & Green epitomises stylish outdoor living. Plus, the chairs and table collapse for easy winter storage.

  • Elegant Garden Bench in Sustainably-sourced Teak

    3. Set in concrete

    Gone are the days when concrete meant ugly. With chic designs in the pipeline, it is the material of choice this season. It's easy to look after, resistant and durable. Check out the Concrete gardening furniture (£549.54) from Made in Design. Plant your favourite blooms (think geraniums, rhododendrons or minimalist bamboo) in the built-in planters for a pretty, personalised back rest.

  • Parisian Fleur Garden Set

    4. Country charm

    ‘Benches which are space saving seem to be more popular than an array of chairs around a table,’ says Jon Holloway from outdoor furniture specialists Garden Trading. Ideal for a city garden is this elegant garden bench from Natural Collection (£375). ‘If you cannot store furniture away in the winter I would use classic Teak or Ash,' advises Holloway. 'Good quality Teak will never go out of fashion.'

  • Avery Diner Chair - Cappuccino

    5. Flexible friends

    ‘How about having a table that can be used indoors in the winter and then taken outdoors in the summer?’ suggests Holloway. Celebrate the Iron Age with this Parisian Fleur Garden Set (£77.36) from Dibor. The ceramic surface of the wrought iron set is embellished for a decorative French flourish. The fully foldable structure on both chairs and table make them very portable.

  • Planter Seat - Versailles Planter Seat

    6. All-weather rattan

    ‘Rattan, both natural and ‘man-made’ is definitely the in-vogue furniture,’ says Holloway. Get the look of Rattan with all the advantages of man-made material with this Avery Diner Chair (£119.99) from Raw Garden. The woven synthetic material is fade, UV and weather resistant. Be lazy and leave it out all year – you’ll find it’s fungus and mould resistant too.

  • Arch - Westminster Arch Plus

    7. Dual purpose

    ‘Wood never goes out of fashion, especially with the traditional gardener,’ explains Humphreys. The Planter Seat - Versailles Planter Seat (£99.99) from Crocus is a clever combo of functional wooden seat and decorative planters. To preserve wooden furniture, treat it annually with a hardwood furniture oil.

  • Hardwood Garden / Patio Armchair/ Dining Chair in a 'Chelsea' Design

    8. Bright days

    ‘When placing furniture all you need is a flat surface. If it’s going to be used for eating, an umbrella is best, especially if it’s a metal set which will get very hot in the sun,’ says Humphreys. Bring colour to your home with the 6 Piece Seychelles Garden Furniture Set (£288) from Homes and Bargains. The bright orange chairs and umbrella are made of stain resistant, water repellent material while the aluminium elements are powder-coated for a rust-free surface.

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