1. Where to site new garden Furniture
When I made my first garden swing seat I'd already decided the specific place in my garden where it was to live. Yet the more I considered the sun's orientation (particularly at the time of year it would be most used) the more I changed my mind. I did in fact move it four times until I found a place that both looked and felt right. So my advice is to purchase the garden furniture and create a permanent place after you've tried it out there.
2. Colours for corners
Now you may not fully embrace the culture of Feng Shui, and may be a little sceptical as I was, yet have you noticed how certain colours seem to work better in certain places? So as a rule of thumb:
North - Natural wood, blue, grey, green
North East - Grey, silver, terracotta, yellow
East - Green, blue, yellow, natural wood
South East - Green, blue, natural wood
South - Red, green, natural wood
South West - Yellow, terracotta, silver, grey
West - Silver, grey, white, terracotta, yellow
North West - Silver, grey, white
In my own garden I've tried to apply these rules to both furniture and plants. Try it - it works.
3. Maintaining the colour of furniture
You may be happy with the faded effect of your hardwood furniture but they will benefit from a springtime rub down and an application of teak or a propriety garden furniture oil. Pine furniture can look great in Cuprinol garden shades and you could even go as far as to consider the above colour wheel. Red in the South I hear you cry, try it, you could be surprised. Oak and chestnut look great with a recoating of Raw (not boiled) linseed oil diluted 50/50 with proper turps. If you have cast iron and timber furniture try Hammerite on the metal and Cuprinol Garden Shades on the wood - it looks great!
4. Buying new furniture
Please do your bit for the environment. And please think long and hard about the origins of some of the hardwoods used or at least look for plantation grown.
5. Finding time to sit
I'm one of those people that enjoy getting up ridiculously early in the morning, so I've sited a swing seat in my garden to catch the first rays of the summer morning sun. Just to sit, think and visualise the day unfolding makes the day feel better for me. And you won't be surprised to learn that I have a swing seat in the east which catches the last of the day's sun rays in which I simply bask, relax and reflect on the day. Do try to find some time to just sit.
Martin and Celia Young make Swing seats in their rural workshop in Lyme Regis www.sittingspiritually.co.uk |