Wherever you are in the world the right garden furniture can really create a special design feature in any garden. Whether you are considering a beautiful wooden bench nestled under a tree, a wrought iron bistro set carefully placed on a smaller patio or a much larger table and chairs where the whole family can come together to eat on those gloriously balmy summer evenings you are sure to be spoilt for choice.

There is a huge range of garden furniture on the market which offers something to suit every style of garden and of course every budget. The only problem you might have is working out exactly what is the best solution for your garden.

The weather

It goes without saying that the weather is likely to be a huge factor in your decision on what garden furniture to purchase, particularly if you live like Scotland where the weather isn’t always as kind as it could be. Due to its northerly location, the weather in Scotland is a little colder than it is in England with summer temperatures tending to be an average of around 15–17 °C. It can also be a little windier. This does not however deter the hardy Scots people from their enjoyment of the wonderful outdoors, in fact far from it. Gardening is an incredibly popular pastime with people of all ages and there are some particularly beautiful flowers that grow very well in Scottish soil.

When considering your purchase of furniture for your garden you will probably want to think about how much time you are prepared to dedicate each year to maintaining your garden furniture. Whilst some materials may only require a wash with soapy water at the beginning of each season, others will require a little more effort to get them looking their best. Wooden furniture, for example, can become a little rough as a result of the elements and if you want to keep it looking as good as possible then it will benefit from a gentle sanding at the beginning of each season. This should be followed by at least one coat of some form of wood treatment – what you use will depend on the type of wood that your furniture is made from. This can be time consuming as you will need to leave plenty of time for it to dry thoroughly between coats. You will also need to ensure that it is dry before you can start the work – if you don’t have a garage or workroom that you can use you will need to wait for a dry spell in the weather.

Wrought iron garden furniture is stunning but can also need some attention on a regular basis, rust spots can develop over time and if these are not treated, they can increase in size, so this is worth considering as well. Metal patio furniture sets are a good alternative that need much less maintenance before they are ready to use, giving you more time to spend relaxing in your garden.

Location

Something else you might want to consider is where you will be placing your garden furniture. If you only have a small patio then a larger table, whilst very impressive, simply might not fit. A bistro set is a particularly good choice for a smaller garden or even a courtyard garden, where it can offer you the perfect seating solution for that early morning cup of tea whilst you listen to the radio or read your paper.