Benches at Sissinghurst

Sissinghurst Gardens in Kent is famous as the former home (and garden) of the poet Vita Sackville-West. It was beautifully sunny there on Saturday, perfect bench sitting weather. Here are some, more to follow..

This bench was made to the design of Edward Lutyens - I believe this one is original:



Although there are new copies being made currently. I found it fascinating how more attractive the benches get when they are allowed to weather:



This bench got me all excited. The seat is being grown from chamomile, and though it wasn't ready to sit on just yet, I imagine when you do, the scent will be quite beautiful:



And here's a beautiful stone bench, proving that simple can work well too:



and indeed you don't get much more simple (or welcoming) than this:

Spaghetti benches

Very beautiful benches here but I'm not sure how comfortable I'd feel sitting on one. I'd be worried one of those tendrils would tap me on the shoulder and gobble me up!

Fence benches

(from here.)

The Big Red Bench

A bench as a fashion accessory...






I'm liking this carefully colour-coordinated bench placed outside the new Cath Kidston shop in Tunbridge Wells at the moment, but hope it doesn't look too garish once we're all used to it. It's certainly not a 'quiet' sit down, plus it has to come in every night, probably to avoid being sat on by the party goers from the nightclub opposite ....!

Bench photographs

A nice social bench idea - a camera left tied to a park bench with the instruction to take a photograph and it would be retrieved at the end of the day. To see the results, click here.

Shadows and the Bench

On the Garden History Girl's blogspot, there's this beautiful photograph:



It's of a design for a bench to go in a park in Brussels, and is designed to be moved around according to where the sun is shining:

"Through the dematerialisation of the object, the idea is to achieve the effect of vibration of shadows. The material (steel sheet) and the process used (laser cutting) enhance the idea of a floating image. The surface offered and the height chosen are an invitation to take a break, sit down or lie down, and enjoy a picnic. Accordingly, Déjeuner sur l’Ombre is not a bench but a surface on which to rest a while."

Thanks to The Garden Monkey for the original link.

A dog bench in Harrods pet department