A garden is not only about plants that we cultivate and admire. It is also worth having a place where you can sit down, relax and breathe after the work is done, which is just a rest corner. What to sit on? Here are our ideas for garden benches and seats - comfortable, solid and aesthetic.
Wooden garden bench
Which bench to choose for the garden?
Garden benchescan be made of various materials such as wood, wicker, metal, cast iron or stone. The material from which the bench is made should be adapted to the nature of the garden and other elements of small architecture in the garden.The above-mentioned materials usually blend in well with most garden spaces and harmonize well with the greenery of plants, which cannot be said about benches and other garden furniture made of plastic. Although the latter are usually the cheapest, light and quite practical, they are chosen where garden furniture is often moved, moved or folded.
Among the garden furniture made of natural materials, the most popular arewooden garden benchesThis material also insulates quite well against both cold and heat and is pleasant to the touch. Wooden benches can be made of an openwork structure, made of single rungs, very light and easy to carry, or more solid ones made of wide, thicker boards.
OThe durability of a wooden benchis largely determined by the type of wood it is made of and the way of its maintenance. You can choose cheaper domestic wood (pine, spruce, oak, beech) or more durable but also more expensive exotic wood (teak is the most valued).Above all, however, let's remember not to choose resin boards for the construction of benches, because in summer, at higher temperatures, they can release resin that will destroy our clothes. Depending on the type of wood you choose, you need to choose the right way to protect it - oiling, impregnation or varnishing. In the case of exotic wood, oiling is enough to maintain the natural, pleasant-to-touch structure of wooden surfaces.
Metal garden bench
Another material of natural origin is wicker.Wicker garden benches , just like wooden ones, fit well into the green surroundings of plants. They are also light and easy to carry. However, wicker is not a durable material and it will certainly not serve us for many years. It deteriorates quickly under the influence of weather conditions - exposure to sunlight and moisture. That is why wicker benches work well mainly on covered terraces and where furniture is moved and hidden at night.They are perfect for rustic arrangements and country gardens, where a delicate piece of furniture will complement a stylish plant arrangement.
Romantic gardens fit stylisticallymetal or cast iron benches , preferably decorated. They will look great surrounded by beautifully blooming roses. Just remember that from time to time the metal needs to be cleaned and secured with a suitable paint.
The benches can also be madeof stone or its imitation(prefabricated concrete elements). They are usually heavy and monumental structures. They are extremely durable and blend in nicely with natural garden landscapes. However, it is worth remembering that stone seating surfaces are cold, so they require a blanket or pillow. An interesting solution to this problem is to lay the plank on stone bases, obtaining the seat from a combination of these two materials.
Stone garden bench
Which garden bench will be the most comfortable?
The easiest to make by yourself are benches without backrests, but unfortunately you can't sit on them for too long. Therefore, a bench without a backrest will work only in transitional places. It can also be placed against a wall, against which the person sitting on the bench will be able to lean on. In order for it to be comfortable on such a bench, the seat must be at a height of about 40 cm, and its width should be 25 - 35 cm.
Benches with backs are much more comfortable. When constructing such a bench, we must remember that the width of the seat should be slightly larger, i.e. 35 - 45 cm, and the height of the backrest should reach above the middle of the back.
Where to put the garden bench
For a pleasant sitting on the garden bench , it is worth considering where to place it. First of all, it should be a quiet place, sheltered from wind and excessive sun. It is good if you can observe most of the garden from the bench, so that an interesting view unfolds before our eyes.In turn, the space at the back of the bench should not be empty. Behind the bench there can be dense bushes, a hedge, it can also stand against the wall of a building or gazebo. If there are long paths or alleys leading through the garden, a bench can be placed at the end of such an alley, thanks to which the path will lead to a certain destination.Resting on the bench may be favored by a delicate smell of flowers or the aroma of herbs. However, avoid the vicinity of thorny plants, flowers with too intense and suffocating scent, and trees and shrubs shedding fruit, because the surroundings of the bench and the bench itself can easily get dirty.
Regardless of the material it is made of, eachgarden bench must be stable , in no case should it wobble. Usually, its legs should be fixed permanently, which requires a foundation under the bench. Wooden benches can also be placed on concrete slabs masked with gravel. Thanks to this, the wooden legs of the bench will not sink into the ground and thus will be less exposed to the penetration of moisture and fungi.
