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Talkback: Garden seating areas
I've got two seats in my back garden. One I have had for a long time and is nice and secluded and the other one, my husband got it at a car boot sale, it looks lovely outside my back door just where the sun shines. Even this early in the year I have sat out there in the winter sunshine with a cup of tea thinking of all the gardening jobs I will have to do.
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I really like James Alexander Sinclair for his posh charm and unassuming expertise in gardening matters, but I'm not sure what I think of his warning to avoid pink patios. I had one years ago (crumbs! 35 years ago!) and I was extremely proud of it. I thought it was very posh indeed. You don't keep a pink patio long tho - it soon fades to beige. Since then, I've started off with boring beige. We have a large one, now, laid by a friend who rushed it and did a terrible job. It has big gaps between the uneven slabs and they are arranged in wonky lines. We're learning to live with it! Good hard landscaping is very important and really, he has ruined an important [part of the garden. (We kept our mouths shut, somehow, and are still on good terms with him).
I have a smallish garden but a couple of seating areas: An east facing bench which is ideal for an early morning cuppa (weather permitting). Am currently growing a scented rose against the fence behind (David Austin's Gertrude Jekyll), a small decked area with a chair where the hubby sunbathes (if there are not too many pots on there) and a small metal cafe table and two chairs facing west to catch the evening sun (ideal for a glass of something cold!).
The cat has also sussed the route around the garden to follow the sun. Spring is definately on its way as she has been out in the garden just for a wander TWICE over the weekend! - shes a cat that really dislikes the wet and cold (well, she is about 17).
Daughter made one last year by the house which catches the afternoon sun and in her Uni break will be making another at the end of the garden which catches the evening sun. She uses a mold and last year had to hand mix all the concrete - shes only a tiny woman - so this year I will hire a concrete mixer. Hopefully now my back has improved I will help more - pity her 6ft teenage brothers dont help much. Shes chopped a whole load of 20ft olive saplings down and is using them to build a pergola for a white garden with wisteria and roses over it.
My back garden is like a Doctor Who's Tardis.
There's a small patio which has a shed and bike shed to store stuff in, either end. Without them the area would be quite large but the space which is left is big enough for a round table, four chairs and bar-be-cue, conveniently, the size of a gazebo for those rainy days when entertaining, and wide enough not to knock over pots. This furniture all folds down and can by stored in the bike shed but it is hard wood and usually stay's out for the duration of the summer where you could breakfast, lunch and tea, if the weathers was fine, and look out into the garden.
I've then an asortment of fold aways seats which come out if numbers exceed four when entertaining and pots are moved to the path, and I've a sun lounger if I'm feeling really decandent to catch the summer rays.
The patio and main path is tarmac with in laid stones, not everyone's first choice but friends children can chalk on them, draw pictures, play hop scotch and notes and crosses when they visit, and the rain washes the chalk away when they've gone. The patio area is also large enough for a paddling pool once furniture is stored away.
I'm loving this thread! It realy reflects people's joy in their gardens and the homeliness of having one's own patch of earth to do with as one will. Our garden is not large but we have an open-fronted summerhouse with a gazebo over aforementioned awful patio and three benches in different parts of the garden where we can vegetate and just enjoy the view. Our garden is enclosed by equally hideous breeze-block walls, which my husband has clothed in wooden fencing. It is sunny and sheltered. To defeat the Welsh rain, we have put a plastic roof on the gazebo which leaks a bit but helps a lot and we are slowly clothing it with roses, jasmine and honeysuckle. I'm doing as much vertical gardening as I can to maximise the space we have. OH and i are both hindered by lack of real expertise, but we are slowly creating a beautiful space. Mond you, I'd give a lot for the services of a good garden designer (if I could).
At the moment I'm lacking in seating , I have a double seat/bench on deck and a table and chairs. When OH gets time we will extend pergola to create a seat possibly a swing seat to face west (back garden is south west so sunsets are lovely) , could do will creating a seat/bench from some old wood to mingle into gravel fern ,hellebore , spring area in front of shed as has early morning sun and lovely with a cuppa
Could do with a seat near greenhouse ...obviously for a break and a cuppa
....and finally something at the front of house when I'm helping (chatting) to OH working . They're so expensive some seats though ...may need to utilise these pallets we get and chunks of wood .
I agree with you about the cost of garden seating. It was my 40th last year and anyone who asked about what I would like as a present was told National Garden Vouchers. I have enough to look at a nice bench now. My cafe table and chairs were a christmas present from my mum in a lovely powder blue colour. They sit outside our conservatory and (as mentioned above) catch the evening sun in the summer. I have let next door's honeysuckle grow over our fence and through our forsythia so it smells lovely in the evening.
My brother had some really nice 'Royal Garden' table and chair sets, basically impervious to everything the elements can throw at it, yet stylish as well. I was very impressed, so I went on the internet and had a look for a rectangular table and 6 chairs.. not a lot of change from 7-800 quid!! I'll be booking the overtime now lol