Choosing furniture for your garden

Many people think that the best time to buy garden furniture is at the end of the summer, when there are more discounts, but you also get much less choice then, too.

Not all garden furniture gets discounted and often the discounts are only around 20%, so if you’d rather have a wide range of furniture to choose from, then spring is a good time to buy.

The other factor to consider is whether you’re going to cover it up or have somewhere to store it in winter.

While plastic, metal and stone composite furniture should last a couple of decades, even if exposed to winter weather, wood and rattan is likely to deteriorate faster if not protected.

Garden furniture is often a focal point in the garden – almost as important as an ornament or piece of sculpture – so I would rather not have it covered by a tarpaulin for five months a year.

If you’re choosing seats with cushions, you need somewhere to store the cushions that is easy to reach.

Otherwise, you’ll be rushing in and out every time it rains.

However, outdoor cushions have changed in recent years and you can get a range of cushions that can be left outside in a light shower.

You can also make outdoor cushions or have them made with water-resistant or water-repellent fabrics and foam – there’s now lots of choice.

One good way of choosing garden furniture is to reflect the style of your house – either the interior, the architecture or both.

There’s been a resurgence in mid-century modern chairs, for example, which echo a contemporary interior.

Or a traditional Lutyens bench works well with a Victorian or Edwardian house.