5 top tips for choosing beautiful stone benches to compliment your garden design

No matter how compact or spacious your garden is, you want a place to sit and enjoy the view. Adding a bench to your garden creates a focal point as well as a place to relax and admire the planting.  Choosing a stone bench is an investment and unlike wooden benches, it won’t rot. Cast stone is a more cost effective alternative to carved stone and it weathers in much the same way. Both materials blend naturally into the garden, encouraging  moss and lichen growth. Better still, our full range of garden benches is on offer this week with 20% discount. Here are our top five tips for choosing a bench that’s right for you.

Leg work

Legs don’t just support the bench structure, they set the style. From simple straight lines to ornate lion masks the legs can create a real impact in your garden. Pair things back with a sleek, smooth bench or go full renaissance pomp with intricate acanthus leaf patterns. You can mix and match many leg designs with most of Chilstone’s bench seats. If you want a period theme or a contemporary look our range has something to offer that will fit with your home and garden design.

Chilstone’s Lion Bench Seat with a straight top.

We also make really fancy legs, unique for our Portelli Table (which is also on offer this week only) if you really want a statement piece!

Fresh from our workshop, a pair or legs for our striking Portelli table.

Beautifully curved

If the best spot in your garden is around a pond or tucked into a sunny corner a curved bench might be the answer.  Single or double length  benches can circle around the space you want to fill. They add charm and make a feature of planted beds and can transform an ordinary corner into a wonderful reading nook.

Chilstone Italian Curved Bench Seat to add drama to a planted bed in winter.

If you want the ultimate combination of statement style and decadence, why not try our Jubilee Curved bench with a high backed seat and arm rests? Fill it with opulent cushions to match your colour scheme and create a comfy place to relax! Perfect with a cool drink on a summer’s day or grab a cocoa and light the chiminea or fire pit  for cosy autumn evenings.

Chilstone’s Curved Jubilee Bench Seat has a high back and arm rests.  Perfect filled with cushions on a sunny day.

Straight up

Simple styles often make the greatest statements. Traditional straight sided benches are so versatile, these classics never go out of style. Investing in a stone bench with elegant lines will add effortless chic to most garden designs for years to come.

A classic stone bench works well in small spaces but can also look impressive in pairs in larger gardens and even at historical sites! Here are a pair of our benches at Runnymede to commemorate the signing of the Magna Carta.

Chilstone benches were installed at Runnymede to commemorate the anniversary of the signing of the Magna Carta.

Colour Your Way

Cast stone benches can be ordered in a range of tones from light bath stone to light grey Portland, to match in with the existing stone work around your property. It also weathers to a beautiful patina as nature reclaims it, allowing the growth of moss and lichen as you can see in the pictures below. This Chilstone bench was engraved in April 2018 by our talented Nigel Hartfield, for children’s author, Lauren Child.

A new bench seat was engraved in spring 2018.

The bench has already developed a darker patina in 18 months. Autumn leaves have helped the process, with natural leaf tannin adding to the coloration and weathering process. Unlike wooden benches that can flake and rot over time, cast stone can increase in value as it ages. It can also be painted for those who want to maintain a new look and match painted pillars and porticos.

In 18 months the same bench has started to develop a rich patina as it weathers.

Engrave Your Memories*

To make a bench truly unique you can of course add an engraving. We have a very talented on site engraver, Nigel Hartfield,  who’s work has featured on BBC 1’s Countryfile. This comes with and additional cost*, but it makes your garden bench extra special. We have a number of options to choose from and we also accept bespoke commissions.

This bench was engraved as a wedding gift. The words are the lyrics of the Bride and Groom’s first dance.

Over the years we have helped so many of our customers to remember loved ones and important events in their lives. We are proud to offer friendly advice to help you choose the right garden ornament for your home.

Chilstone stone bench engraved for our award winning RHS Chelsea Flower Show stand.

Whatever your garden style or size there is a wide range of options to choose from. Be quick, to receive 20% discount on benches and garden furniture this week only! Keep your eye on our sale page next week when our Sundial Plinths will be on offer!

*Please note that there are additional costs for engraving and bespoke items. Please contact our team for more information.