Handcrafted garden benches that bring quiet structure to outdoor living
A garden bench is more than a place to sit. It's a pause point, a view-maker, a way of giving the garden a calmer rhythm.
Our garden benches are handcrafted in Britain from prime FSC-sourced European oak, painted Accoya and Western Red Cedar - designed to live outdoors year-round and mellow beautifully as seasons pass. Every bench is made to order in our Devon workshops with marine-grade stainless steel fixings, precision joinery, and the kind of care that only comes from a small team of dedicated makers working with timber they know well.
From the RHS-endorsed Four Seasons Bench to a simple oak chair for a quiet corner, each piece is built for comfort, proportion and longevity. Choose from five distinctive back styles - Fan, Curve, Heart, Slat and Swirl - and personalise with hand-carved inscriptions, embedded ammonites from the Jurassic Coast, or bespoke design details that make it entirely yours.
Available as single chairs, two, three and four seater benches. Nationwide delivery and optional professional assembly included as standard on mainland UK orders.
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Our Bench Collection
We make six distinct bench designs, each with its own character and purpose. Whether you're looking for a heritage garden seat with Arts and Crafts lines, a contemporary centrepiece, or a gentle rocking bench for a smaller space, there's something here that will feel right for your garden.
The RHS Four Seasons Bench
Inspired by our RHS Centenary Bench, the Four Seasons is a three-seater oak bench with four hand-carved seasonal inserts - a daffodil for spring, a rose for summer, oak leaves for autumn and a snowdrop for winter. Strongly influenced by the Arts and Crafts Movement, it's licensed and endorsed by the Royal Horticultural Society and sits in several of their gardens. An heirloom bench that celebrates the turning of the year.
The RHS Knole Garden Bench
A modern take on the 17th-century Knole Settee, with adjustable sides that fold down for back support or extend outward to hold a drink and a book. Available as a two or three seater in FSC oak, with rope-tied finials and a generous seat depth. It's the kind of bench that invites you to settle in properly.
The Swirl Bench
A contemporary three-seater in solid oak with flowing, asymmetrical lines that feel more like sculpture than furniture. Currently displayed at RHS Garden Wisley in the Hilltop Garden. If your taste runs more modern than traditional, this is the bench.
The Rockabye
A rocking bench with the mechanism built into the base - no frame or structure needed. Designed specifically for smaller gardens, verandas and roof terraces where a swing frame wouldn't fit, but you still want that gentle motion. Available in one, two and three seater sizes with all five back styles.
The Floating Bench
Made in textured, scorched and natural solid oak, the Floating Bench is crafted so the backrest and arms appear to hover. Available as a one, two or three seater, it's a striking piece that catches the eye from across the garden.
Classic Benches & Chairs
Our core range of garden benches, available in Tranquillity Oak or painted Affinity Accoya, in sizes from a single garden chair up to a generous four-seater bench. Choose from all five back styles and add cushions, armrest options and inscriptions to make it your own. These are designed to match our swing seat ranges, so you can build a coordinated collection across your garden.
Why Oak - and Why It Matters
We work primarily with FSC-sourced prime European oak - a timber with a long history in British furniture making. Oak is dense, naturally durable, and resistant to the worst of what the British weather can deliver. Left untreated, it slowly mellows from warm honey tones to a soft silver-grey over the years. It won't rot, warp or split the way softer timbers do, and with basic seasonal care a well-made oak bench will last fifteen years or more.
For our painted ranges, we use Accoya - a modified softwood with exceptional dimensional stability and a 25-year manufacturer warranty. It holds paint beautifully through a five-coat process (stain block, primer, undercoat and two top coats) and doesn't swell, shrink or crack between seasons. It's the material of choice when you want a colour that lasts.
We also work with Western Red Cedar for selected pieces in our RHS Serenity range - lighter in weight with a warm, aromatic character.
Every bench is finished with marine-grade stainless steel fixings throughout. No mild steel, no plating, no rusting bolt heads after the first winter.
Image: A finished RHS Four Seasons Bench photographed on the makers workbench.
"Worth every penny"
We wanted to select a very special bench in memory of my husband's sudden passing. From our very first interaction, we were warmly guided through the selection and design process and were able to add personalised detailing to our gorgeous autumnal bench. The craftsmanship is outstanding and the generous, comfortable design of our bench has made it an attractive centrepiece in the garden as well as a fitting space to reflect.
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Garden Bench Expert Advice
Expert guidance and garden design advice for our stunning range of handmade garden benches.
Personalised Memorial Garden Benches
A bench often marks something that matters - a life, a place, a milestone. We take particular care with these commissions.
Our inscriptions are hand-carved by our team, with characters individually cut into the timber. You might choose a name and dates, a line from a poem, a family motto, or something known only to you. We can also carve decorative elements - a favourite tree, a flower, a bird - or set a Jurassic Coast ammonite into the arm or back of the bench for something entirely distinctive.
For memorial benches specifically, we guide you through the process from first conversation to delivery. Many of our customers have told us this experience - choosing the wood, the style, the words - becomes part of the tribute itself.
Our Birth Flower carvings offer twelve designs, one for each month of the year, giving a personalised touch that connects the bench to a particular person or time.
If you have something specific in mind, we'd welcome the conversation. We've been making bespoke commemorative benches for over twenty years, and there's very little we can't accommodate.
How It Works - From First Enquiry To Your Garden
Every bench is made to order. There's no warehouse, no flatpack, no off-the-shelf - just a team of makers in our Devon workshop building your bench from the timber up.
When you get in touch, we'll talk through what you're looking for: the setting, the size, the back style, any personalisation. If you're local, you're welcome to visit our show garden at Forde Abbey and try our benches in person - it's the best way to feel the difference. For everyone else, our brochure gives a thorough overview, and we're always on the phone.
From there, we confirm your commission, and your bench goes into production. Typical lead times are four to six weeks, though we can sometimes work faster if timing is tight. We send progress photographs along the way, so you can see your bench take shape.
When it's ready, our delivery team brings it to you fully assembled - placed exactly where you want it in the garden. No self-assembly, no leftover fixings, no guesswork.
Living Outdoors: Care and the Beauty of Weathering
Our benches are built to stay outside all year. Oak doesn't need to be brought in for winter or wrapped in covers (though we do make waterproof pull-over covers for customers who prefer them).
Over the first year or two, untreated oak will gradually lose its golden colour and settle into a soft silver-grey patina. This is natural, desirable, and one of the things that makes oak furniture look more at home in a garden over time rather than less.
To keep your bench in good condition, the main thing is to clean it periodically to prevent algae build-up - warm water and a soft brush are all you need. If you'd like to maintain the original honey tones, an annual feed with a quality teak or garden furniture oil will do the job. We supply aftercare kits with everything included.
Accoya painted benches need less attention still. The five-coat paint system is designed to hold its colour and resist peeling. An occasional wipe-down is usually all that's required.
All our benches carry a five-year guarantee. With proper care, you should expect fifteen years or more of use - and if your bench does eventually need attention, our refurbishment service will collect it, restore it in our workshop, and return it looking as good as the day it arrived.
FAQ
What timber are your garden benches made from?
We primarily use FSC-sourced prime European oak - a dense, naturally durable hardwood that weathers beautifully outdoors. Our painted ranges use Accoya, a modified softwood with a 25-year manufacturer warranty and exceptional paint-holding properties. Selected pieces are also available in Western Red Cedar.
How long will an oak garden bench last?
With basic seasonal care, our oak benches are built to last fifteen years or more. Oak is inherently weather-resistant and will gradually develop a silver-grey patina over time. We offer a five-year guarantee as standard, and our refurbishment service can extend the life of a bench well beyond that.
Can I personalise a garden bench?
Yes. We offer hand-carved inscriptions (names, dates, quotes, poems), decorative carvings (flowers, trees, birds), Birth Flower carvings for each month of the year, and embedded Jurassic Coast ammonites. Memorial benches with bespoke inscriptions are an important part of what we do.
Can I see your benches before ordering?
Yes. You can visit our show garden in Lyme Regis by appointment, or see our benches at RHS Garden Wisley, RHS Rosemoor, RHS Harlow Carr, RHS Bridgewater, Stourhead Gardens and Forde Abbey.
What back styles are available?
Every bench is available with a choice of five back designs: Fan (traditional, symmetrical), Curve (soft, organic arc), Heart (subtle central motif, RHS-branded), Slat (clean vertical lines) and Swirl (flowing, asymmetrical). We're happy to help you choose the right style for your garden.
How long does a garden bench take to make?
Typical lead times are four to six weeks from commission. Every bench is made to order in our Devon workshops, and we send progress photographs along the way. If you have a specific deadline, let us know - we can sometimes accommodate tighter timescales.
Do you deliver and assemble garden benches?
Yes. We deliver nationwide across mainland UK and place your bench exactly where you want it in the garden, fully assembled. International delivery is available on request.
Are your benches suitable for leaving outdoors all year?
Absolutely. Our benches are designed to live outside permanently. Oak is naturally weather-resistant, and every piece is built with marine-grade stainless steel fixings. We also make waterproof pull-over covers for customers who prefer additional protection.
Do you make memorial benches?
We do, and we take particular care with these commissions. We'll guide you through selecting the timber, back style, size and inscription, and many customers find the process of creating a memorial bench becomes a meaningful part of the tribute itself.
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