As much as I like working in my garden, what I really love is watching others work—squirrels furtively ferrying nuts to hideouts, bees on a tight schedule in the lemon tree, ants with plans. A comfortable garden bench is key to my surveillance efforts. Here are 10 wood garden benches (with deep seats and armrests) to keep you in the garden all afternoon:
Above: From designer Piet Hein Eek, each Wooden Garden Bench made from recycled materials is one-of-a-kind. At 44 inches long and 20 inches deep, the bench is a versatile two-seater for a small balcony or terrace; $859 from The Future Perfect.
Above: From Solpuri, a 59-inch-long slatted teak Liberty Bench With Back is 27 inches deep and has an angular design that complements the soft wood material; for information and pricing, see Solpuri.
Above: A Swedish Landscape Bench inspired by a Gustavian antique is made of untreated teak and will weather to a silvery patina (unless you oil it). The bench measures 77.5 inches long and 24 inches deep and is $1,498 from Terrain.
Above: Made in Italy by Ethimo, a teak Notting Hill Garden Bench is €765 from Howbart and Mays. For more information and US distributors, see Ethimo.
Above: An untreated teak Falsterbo Sofa by Skargaarden is 65.75 inches long and approximately 35.5 inches deep; upholstered cushions are available separately; the two-seater sofa is $2,652 from All Modern.
Above: From Scandinavian designer Skagerak, a teak Drachmann Bench with a cross-back design is available in two sizes (shown is the larger, 65-inch-long bench); depending on size, prices range from $1,299 to $1,499 from Horne.
Above: From Danish designer Povl Eskildsen, a Kingston Teak Bench is 52.5 inches long and 24.5 inches deep; for more information and pricing, see Gloster.
Above: With simple, modern lines, a Monaco Teak Outdoor Garden Seat from British designer Barlow Tyrie measures 47.25 inches long and is $1,929 from Didrik's.
Above: A teak Block Island Garden Bench is available in three lengths, from 48 to 72 inches long; a 48-inch bench is $679.99 from Wayfair.
Above: At 58.5 inches long, a preserved teak Garden Bench can be used indoors or out; $798 from Terrain.
Above: An acacia wood Applaro two-seat bench is 48 1/8 inches long; available in brown or white from Ikea for $90.
For more reasons to lounge around outdoors, see:
- World's Best Outdoor/Indoor Teak Furniture.
- The Gardenista 100: Outdoor Sofas.
- 10 Easy Pieces: Nap-Worthy Hammocks.
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