Hands up if you have a garden that is a central lawn surrounded by garden beds? I see it in so many gardens I visit all around the country, it’s a basic layout loved by so many. It seems like an obvious choice; a lawn for good access and to allow the plants breathing space and then ample space to display your beloved plants around the outside. My issue with this is it doesn’t draw you out into the space to really get close with the garden and enjoy the smells, sounds and feel of the plants. Of course, as a lover of gardens you head out to tend your plants, but do you ever sit and really take the whole experience in? To fix this a simple seating area can completely transform the way you use and benefit from your outdoor space.
First is selecting the right spot and the good answer is there is no wrong place but be aware of what you are trying to achieve. Do you want a spot in the sun? is that summer sun or winter sun? perhaps you are looking for a shaded spot or a protected spot out of any prevailing wind? Take the time to think about how you want to use the garden and at what time of day and plan accordingly. I have various spots in my garden for various times of the day and also times of the year – one for a morning coffee in the sun in winter as well as a different shady spot away from the westerly summer sun for a refreshing drink in the afternoon.
Creating a simple spot to sit and relax can be easy and inexpensive and can be done in day with just a little bit of work. Start with a piece of furniture, it may be a bench seat or a small café style table and chairs making sure it’s comfortable and in keeping with the rest of the style of the garden. Take it to your allocated spot and mark out where you want it to sit, it’s important to have it on a sturdy base so it doesn’t rock and to keep it away from constant contact with the soil as this could age the product quicker than necessary.
Good cheap examples of flooring might be treated pine timber sleepers (ensure they are rated to an H4 level so they do not rot when in contact with the ground), recycled bricks or even gravel. Dig out your garden bed or lawn to allow for these to be placed in the ground level with their surrounds, for loose product such as gravel you may need to install a timber edge to contain the flooring and stop it from blending with the surrounds.
If you fancy splashing out a bit more on your area, tie in paving from other areas of the garden or consider a raised timber deck. The bigger the space the more you can adorn it with pots and plants to make it feel more of a feature.
What you surround your small seating area with will only make it more of a pleasurable space to sit and relax. Perfumed flowers will only add to the sensation of enjoying the area so select those that flower at the time of year you will be using the space the most – if it’s that spot for an early morning coffee in spring or summer then Philadelphus, the mock orange or native Boronia will provide beautiful perfume for you to enjoy. If you are looking for a fragrant winter flower plant the native Iberis work well as a ground cover surrounding the legs of your seat in a sea of blooms in white, pinks and purples. Ground cover herbs work in a myriad of different spaces as they are always fragrant, chamomile, thyme and oregano are perfect surrounding small seating areas as when they are crushed by feet the smell really resonates upwards helping to relax and clam.
To finish your new little spot off think about some lighting, this will help draw you out into the space and create ambience. If you can hang festoon lights from some trees or even a few small path lights to lead the way to your spot you will have somewhere to enjoy both day and night.
