The 'Are you cold enough yet' bench

To celebrate the start of the snow outside, an ice cream bench.

Treebench

Many more marvellous examples from TreeNovation.

(Thanks to Mark Diacono at Otter Farm for the link.)

Not such a quiet sit down...

BENCHES IN FLORENCE

A guest post from Mary Atkinson, who says "These two bronze benches are in the grounds of the Palazzo Pitti in Florence, with amazing views over the city. They are by Betty Woodman who is a 70 year ceramics artist who has a studio in a small village just outside Florence. She puts a new twist on traditional ceramics and these benches look just like her clay slab work. I think you would like her work if you don't already know it."

Because twinkly lights are not just for Christmas

(Also found in Brighton, England)

But it doesn't sell benches.... (found in Brighton)

Mini bench

Winnie the Pooh Bench

Outside the Winnie the Pooh shop in Hartfield, Kent - on the very edge of 100 acre wood.

London tube benches

The Russian Poet's bench... an explanation

I didn't describe the bench in the post below well, so here is a better explanation about the pun on the Make Love bench. My thanks to Michael for this...


Voznesensky’s bench

In the big 1992 Videomy volume I showed you, there is a copy of the bench picture large enough to pick out all the words.

Up the left-hand side of the picture are the words:

Скамейка. 1992 г.
A Bench. Cardboard, gouache, one Rouble note*.

To the left of the green channel as we look at it:

СКАМЕЙКА SKAMEIKA BENCH
МЕККА MEKKA MECCA
КАМЕЯ KAMEYA CAMEO

МЕЙКЛАВКА MEIKLAVKA [speaks for itself!]
MAKE LOVE MAKE LOVE [ ,, ]


ВОДОПАД VODOPAD WATERFALL

To the right of the green channel as we look at it (words in vertical column):

ДЕРЕВЯННАЯ ВОДА DEREVYANNAYA VODA WOODEN WATER

…………………………………………………………………………………………

On the opposite page to the bench picture there is an enlarged copy of the bottom right-hand corner of the picture. Down the LH side is the word ВОДА. To the right of that is a half-smoked cigarette with “Mar[borough - presumably]” upside-down on the white part. The leaf in the top RH corner has a photo of part of a one-rouble note (*).

Bottom RH corner, scratched in white block capitals: ЛАРИСА Х LARISA X

At the bottom, in the middle, is a poem. I will work on the translation, and send it to you – some time!

MP

The Russian Poet's bench...

Recently we had a Russian poet staying with us. Actually, as it turned out Michael was neither Russian or had ever claimed he was a poet, but he did know a lot about Andrey Voznesensky, and, as if we didn't like him enough already, in the course of the lecture he was here to give about Voznesensky, he showed a slide of this bench, made by the poet.



And here's a link to an interview with Voznesensky which takes place, appropriately, on a park bench.

A perfect gentleman's bench

Don't know what makes me happier - the description of a perfect gentleman or the fact that his name was Joy. Perhaps both together?

Aptucxet Trading Post bench

Taken in Cape Cod, here

Brush bench

The Scrub Together bench by Jason Taylor (found by Alex at shedworking)

St Katharine Dock at dusk

Today's guest bench is from Nick Peplow. Hard to believe this is London.

Lime and Yew bench...

This almost perfect bench, and also perfectly placed bench, comes courtesy of gardening writer, James Alexander-Sinclair. It's in the Vale of Evesham and the view behind is of the Cotswolds.

Another guest bench

This lovely peaceful bench from the queen of this particularly good blog.

Reflecting bench

Of course, benches are the best place to sit on and reflect, but this one in Maine is actually placed on the edge of a reflecting pool.

Labyrinth bench

Found (and sat on) at the Heritage Museums and Gardens in Sandwich, Cape Cod.

A pocket of meditation

Artists, Shane and Leah Odom from Maryland, have sent me this photograph of the beautiful bench Shane built at their home:



This is what Shane says about it:

"I like to build benches. There is something about providing a simple place to sit. I have built many that were movable and several that were set into the ground on posts.I have left a permanently fixed bench at all the places I have lived, even building a couple clandestinely in wooded places. I like to think of them as still out there, like little pockets of meditation I have left in the world. There is something about a bench. It provides a destination, a place to go to and...sit. This is the literally meaning of zen. Zazen. To Sit. To be in one place.

This spot needed a bench. I built it. It overlooks our home and gardens."

I love this. I'm hoping this blog will hear more from Shane and Leah in the future. He blogs here.

Golf course bench

The crazy golf course in Sandwich, Cape Cod, (written about here) really was perfect. It even had this bench...

Now, a bench golf hole. That would be something to see.

Presidential bench

Prime sightseeing bench at Kennebunkport; people were sitting here with binoculars to watch the Bush family compound (the building you can see in the background).

Stone benches

Following my earlier post on stone benches from France, I've been looking at them more closely. Here are some from America (more to come). I wasn't convinced to begin with, but now I like the simplicity more and more. There's something casually thrown together about them.

Living willow bench covering

A simple bench at the Centre for Alternative Technology

Bench at Bodiam Castle

Nothing gives me more pleasure than receiving an email with a photograph attached and the note, 'Saw this bench and thought of you'. This beauty today comes courtesy of the writer, Vanessa Gebbie.

French benches

Beautiful simple stone benches from a farmhouse in Brittany, sent by a friend. You can almost feel the welcome coolness of the stone on a hot day.

New York Benches

Glad to see the Junior Bench Correspondent has got her priorities right, coming back from a holiday to New York with some stunning images of benches. Unfortunately she was photographed sitting on some of them which rather spoilt the lines, but she won't make that mistake again.

Skystation

Situated on London's south bank, as part of a project to place them all round London. Loving the inscription, 'In Loving Memory Of Those Yet To Be Born'.

(thanks to Michelle for this one)

Sunlit

This feels like a red carpet for benches somehow.

Pencil Bench

It's made of 1600 pencils - all individually sprung. Each one can be taken out and used - would be good in a meeting, but maybe get a little uncomfortable! More information here.

This bench was found for me (via Twitter) by http://www.verygoodservice.com/, a very good website, and I thank them very much!

Conflict Chair

The conflict chair, found on weburbanist. This is what it says about it...

Made by Israeli designer Aviad Gil, the Conflict Chair is crafted from olive wood (just like the branch that universally symbolizes peace) and its design conveys a variety of messages - not the least being that for two sides to be able to sit down, there must always be a compromise.

Bodnant Benches

I honestly think Bodnant Garden in Wales might be one of the most beautiful gardens I've seen. Here are just some of the benches I spotted at the weekend there...

This was incorporated into the bridge so you sat over the river, very clever design.



Can you spot the bench hiding in the jungle?



I have to say some of the benches were just a little too grand for me ...



...but there were plenty of these simple ones dotted around.



But speaking of grand, I wonder if my staff would like to give me a bench?



There was plenty of water around, and benches from which to admire it.



And the perfect circle round the perfect tree. I do like these circular benches.



I wondered if these stone benches incorporated into the front of the house were what gave the inspiration for the bridge bench above. And if you look further up the terrace you can see the family benches and table - let me tell you there were similar seating arrangements on the other side of the house too, so you can catch the sun rise and set. These people are clever at making their lives beautiful - I think that's what makes the garden such a success.



And what is it about an arch that makes a bench look cheeky?



Finally, there was a newly hewn tunnel under the road to get in and out. I liked these benches which seemed to fit in with the stone completely, even if they don't seem all that welcoming.

Bench on guard...

Seen at Ightham Mote.

Some benches at my allotments...

I like to think this tank is full of beer, and the owner just sits there at the end of a hard day digging, but it looks a little too unsavoury for that!



This is my ideal allotment. S/he's obviously made this bench, there's a hen house and a very ditzy shaped greenhouse too.



OK, not exactly a bench, more a chair but it looks so welcoming. I might have to write here.



The most 'serious' bench I could find. One day I will be this organised.