Here in Britain we are not having a very good summer this year, we are having a lot of rainfall and many places are flooded. Whilst sitting in the house the other day looking out at the rain (again!) I got to thinking, “wouldn’t it be lovely if houses in this country had those American-style porches all around the house with lots of different kinds of garden furniture?” Unfortunately, this country is not blessed with consistently good weather so we can’t always sit outside, much as we’d love to. With that sort of porch you could shelter from the blazing sun (chance would be a fine thing!) or sit out even when it was raining but still warm.
But what kind of furniture would I have on this imaginary porch and how would I look after it to keep it in good condition? Some outdoor furniture, especially the larger rattan or wicker style, comes with its own plush seat and back cushions. These can often be left on the furniture as they are weather and rot-proof. However, the life of the cushions would be prolonged if they were taken in and stored during really bad weather and winter.
The other kind of garden seating is that that is made from a rigid wooden or metal frame. These can get a bit numbing to the posterior when sitting on them for any length of time so it is advisable to get some fitted cushions to complete the look. Some people are happy to have just a seat cushion, these come in a wide variety of patterns and colours from a plain dyed cushion to gingham, tartan, striped and floral patterns. Teak-coloured furniture looks particularly good with a navy or deep-green plain cushion.
A lot of people (myself included) like a backrest as well, for these you can get an all-in-one seat and backrest-type cushion. Usually all the cushions come in different thicknesses with ties to fasten them to the chair, so that they don’t blow away, or fall off every time you stand up!
For garden benches you can get a long cushion that fits along the full length of the bench to provide comfort for all the sitters. All these types of furniture cushions should be removed and stored after use as they are not weather-resistant. You can even get a zipped bag large enough to take eight cushions to store them away from dust and dirt over the winter.
To own garden furniture means a certain amount of annual maintenance will be involved. Metal furniture will only need a wipe-down now and again as will rattan and wicker; if you have the room you might consider storing this type of furniture under cover during the worst of the British weather. Wooden furniture takes a bit more looking after, as ideally, teak oil should be worked in to the wood annually, some may even require a coat of varnish.
If you do not have the room to store your furniture in your home or garden out-building over the winter then it is a good idea to get a fitted cover. These are usually made from waterproof polypropylene and often come with ties to attach them to your furniture so they don’t blow away. Covers come in all shapes and sizes to accommodate single chairs, steamer chairs, garden benches, garden swing seats, picnic tables and even full table and chair sets. Even if you can store your furniture inside it is still useful to use a cover as well, to prevent knocks and spills ruining your furniture, and to keep out dust and debris.
Of course on my imaginary porch I can have as many different types of seats and tables as I like, just wish I could imagine up some weather!
An outdoor eating experience is just one of the hundreds of interesting things to do at the weekend that can be purchased as a gift or for yourself from My Outdoor Store. Follow the link to discover our vast selection of days out ideas.
Bruno Blackstone is a freelance writer interested in all things to do with the outdoors and helping others get the most from the outdoors. Starting with a psychology degree his early career was as a social worker and family therapist working with families to help them achieve more positive and stable relationships. In his more recent career he has coached many senior executives in both small and large organisations in areas such as strategy, human resources, organisational design and performance improvement. He now continues his work in the business world but he is also co-owner of My Outdoor Store a price comparison site for outdoor enthusiasts.