All-weather seating that sets the benchmark

Consider a garden bench as essential as your living room sofa. Find the best bench for you and you’ll always have somewhere to soak up the sun, gather with friends and family and take a moments respite from life’s hustle and bustle.

A bench can be a boon in any garden – big or small, front or back. It can be place to escape to at the bottom of a long lawn. Part of a dining area on a patio. Or somewhere to sit and chat with neighbours near your doorstep.

Also see these8 of the best outdoor chairs

Teak wood designs are always a safe bet, not just for their all-weather durability and long-lasting appeal, but for a timeless quality that makes them true investment pieces. Look to Carl Hansen & Søn for design-led Danish offerings and The Conran Shop for folding, more minimal pieces that are practical for a smaller space.

(Image credit: Paul Massey)

Is sustainability important to you in your furniture choices? Then a bamboo bench is worth consideration. Tine K Home has a fabulous piece that's also lightweight and easy to reposition.

If impact is higher up on the agenda, Fermob is unmissable for the range of its finishes and the intensity of its colour options. Think modern, playful pieces in tones spanning Ice Mint to Nutmeg and Lagoon Blue.

If you have limited areas for planting, a bench like this can offer the pop of colour you would otherwise get with flowers. And it can deliver when your blooms die back in winter.

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If you’re looking to create an outdoors ‘room’, consider whether the brand offers loungers, armchairs and tables in the same design. For this, check out Tribu, whose sophisticated pieces in warm, neutral tones are designed to mix and match harmoniously together.

So pick wisely, pull up a seat and reap the sunny rewards.

There’s a timeless quality to this piece from Scandinavian powerhouse Carl Hansen & Son thanks to its teak body and sleek proportions.

You can count on The Conran Shop for pieces that will stand the test of the time. Try its folding teak bench for a design that will blend into any setting.

Fermob are the go-to brand for statement colours that range from Honey to Pink Praline, Frosted Lemon to Chilli.

First designed by Verner Panton, one of Denmark’s most influential 20th-century furniture and interior designers, in 1955, this curvy piece is made from chrome-plated steel wire.

Consult Tine K Home for on-trend bamboo furniture. This lightweight piece is suitable for indoor and outdoor use.

Designed by Canadian firm Yabu Pushelberg, this modern piece features a frame made from natural teak and hand-woven Tricord rope.

Plump cushions and a padded base seat bring a tactile, indoors-y feel to this neat design.