The most popular furniture piece in any garden is a bench, it can be found literally in every space. If you need a bench for your garden and are trying to figure out what it should look like, what functions it can fulfill besides being a bench and where to place it, here’s your guide for taking a right decision.
Garden Bench Materials
Wood
The most frequently chosen solution here is wood as it’s quite easy to build of it but it’s not durable, it can rot, it will weather with time and loose its color. Still, you may use stains and sealers to avoid that. A wooden bench is usually lightweight and can be moved anywhere and anytime, and it won’t get too hot in the sun. Wooden benches ca be styled very differently, from vintage designs to modern slab ones, so you will easily find your perfect one or even make it if you want.
A beautiful space with pink climbing roses on the wall, a vintage white bench, blooms and greenery around.
A modern whitewashed built-in bench attached to the raised garden bed with blooms and greenery and a firewood storage unit.
A modern tropical garden with a living wall, trees, lush greenery and groundcovers, stained wooden slab benches.
A cozy and lovely blooming space done with gravel, with blooms around and a stained wooden bench.
A sophisticated garden with a green lawn, topiaries and blooms, a vintage wood and metal bench with lanterns.
A red vintage bench, a side table, some beehive decor and bright blooms for a lovely cottage-inspired space.
A white bench with a tall back placed un the apple tree is a lovely solution for a garden, you can enjoy fresh apples here.
A pretty and sweet cottage garden with trees, shrubs and a green lawn, with a white bench and pillows and some potted blooms.
A modern terrace with raised garden beds and a built-in stained bench, with blooms and greenery.
A large curved weathered wood bench around the tree is a cool idea to merge with nature.
A weathered bent wood bench is a pretty idea for a cottage garden, it looks very natured and aged.
Metal
Metal and forged benches are very long-lasting, and though metal can heat up a lot in the sun, it can still withstand harsh weather conditions and all that you should do is just repaint it from time to time. There are metal benches of all designs and they can be rocked in any styles.
An airy metal bench placed right in the blooms won't change the landscape and will let you sit comfortably right in the meadow.
A white metal bench placed under the tree is a cool idea for any space, from modern to vintage, it's comfy for sitting and can be moved to any other tree if needed.
A sophisticated forged black metal bench is a stylish solution for a more formal garden with blooms.
A beautiful white refined forged bench with floral bedding, a chest as a table placed right in the blooms creates a lovely and cute space.
A contemporary garden with a metal and weathered wood bench and lush greenery and blooms right at the back of the bench.
Concrete
Concrete is a great modern material for creating benches and it will perfectly fit a minimalist or modern space. They are often built-in, which creates a sleek look and saves a lot of space. Concrete is quite durable and though it’s prone to staining and can heat up, it’s still a very durable idea for outdoors and it won’t break the bank.
A concrete bench with grey upholstery to make it softer and more comfortable to sit on is a perfect match for a minimalist or contemporary terrace.
An L-shaped built-in brick bench with striped upholstery and pillows is a cool idea for a terrace, it's comfortable for relaxing.
A brick bench with a concrete seat is a cool idea for a modern space, it looks laconic, and concrete won't get hot too much.
A cottage rustic space with lush greenery and blooms, wooden logs and a concrete and wood bench that was DIYed for the space.
Stone
Stone is the most durable material for outdoors and it doesn’t require any maintenance, building such a bench of rocks is quite easy and you can do it yourself. It’s a very natural idea, and you don’t have to buy any rocks, just use what you have at hand. Stones are very long-lasting and you can reassemble the bench and assemble it in another part of your garden anytime.
A lush green garden with greenery, ferns and trees and a rough stone bench that matches the path.
A garden with greenery, grass and blooms, with a rough stone bench that seems to be made in just a couple of minutes from large stones.
How To Use Garden Benches?
Besides sitting on the bench, you can get a functional piece that will do more. First of all, you can DIY a storage bench with a space inside, where you will hide pillows, blankets and other stuff. Second, there are concrete benches with a cavity that can be used to store firewood. Third, you may use your garden bench to save a tree from being eaten by bunnies – just place it around the tree, this is a smart way to style this space. There are also benches with planters to enliven the space, and if you can’t find them, here are some DIYs. Go for a trellis bench to cover the top of it with blooming or greenery vines.
A minimalist concrete terrace with a built-in pre-cast bench with lights, greenery and some trees.
A bench around the tree with a pillow is a cool idea for a garden, this is a nice way to style the tree space.
A bench with a roof in cottage style is a cool solution if you live in a rainy climate or want sun protection.
A stained built-in bench with pillows and greenery all around: under the bench, next to it and even in the corner.
A contemporary terrace with raised garden beds and a built-in dark-stained bench with pillows surrounded with lush greenery.
A beautiful blooming corner with a whitewashed bench, lots of potted blooms in lilac and fuchsia, a stone and pebble path.
A modern space with a built-in bench made of stone and wood slabs is a cohesive part of the brick clad.
A modern terrace with a hedge, greenery, a concrete L-shaped bench with lights and firewood for the firepit here.
A vintage green bench with floral print pillows is a cool idea for a terrace with a vintage feel, it looks sweet and cute.
A modern terrace with a raised brick garden bed with greenery and blooms and a grey L-shaped bench that finishes the space.
This airy metal bench styles the space around the tree and is located right in the blooms without disturbing them.
A beautiful dark metal round bench is placed around the tree and is styled with pillows is a cool idea for any garden.
A modern white terrace with walls, a built-in and pre-cast bench with matching planters, with striped upholstery and topiaries.
Where To Place Garden Benches?
Most homeowners prefer to place them in the terrace or on the deck but you may also create a hide away in some tousle, in blooms and bushes. You can surround a tree with a bench creating a cozy nook in the shade, or go for a sitting arbor with a bench to hide from the sun and rain. Consider built-ins if you don’t have much space at your disposal and attach garden benches to raised garden beds adding waterfalls on the sides to create a whole combo in one that will become a focal point in your garden.
A tree with a stained wooden bench with a back is a cool way to have a seat in the shade and save the tree from bunnies eating bark.
A tree with a semi-circle stained bench is a cool idea for a garden, you can sit here enjoying fresh air and shade.
A grey bench with a sloped roof and some greenery and blooms in pots around is like a mini terrace for one.
A stained garden bench around the tree is a cool idea for a garden, you will save the tree from bunnies and will sit comfortably in the shade.
A terrace with a built-in stained wooden bench with storage and matching raised garden beds with greenery.
A bench with a trellis and climbing blooms and greenery is a cool decoration for a garden.
A meadow garden with greenery and blooms, a bench under a blooming tree is amazing.
A raised garden bed with blooms, a weathered wood garden bench that allows to sit next to the flowers.
A garden with greenery and potted blooms, a white bench with upholstery that is great for sitting being surrounded with blooms.
A refined white metal bench with upholstery and pillows will be a nice fit for a chic and refined garden with a more formal feel.
This comfortable stained seat with a back can be built around a tree, so you will get shade and will feel cooler sitting there.
A modern terrace with lush greenery and a stained L-shaped garden bench with storage space inside is a very smart solution.
A built-in wooden bench with a whole combination of waterfalls and garden beds is a unique feature for any modern garden.