SEEING A REVIVAL

June 24, 2012 at 12:00a.m.

By Norman Winter

McClatchy Newspapers

It can be the focal point to your backyard, a garden accent or just an accessory, but the garden bench is seeing a revival in landscapes across the country.

At the Columbus Botanical Garden in Columbus, Ga., visitors have the opportunity to sit on benches surrounded by confederate jasmine not only for relaxing but also for an exhilarating olfactory experience.

In the personal garden, however, most dream of creating that private little retreat or corner of paradise in the landscape where you can sit, relax and visit with the natural surroundings, and the garden bench is a key aspect.

The choices of materials for today’s benches allow you to choose what is just right for you aesthetically and economically.

teak wood

Mention bench and the first thought that comes to mind is teak wood. Teak, mahogany and cedar are all weather resistant and can be kept stained or allowed to naturally age. The price differential is huge, and now, after years of watching, I must say the teak bench is simply unbeatable. The wood bench is heavy and not easily tossed around by wind.

concrete

The heaviest is concrete, and this bench has been around a long time. It is moved to a new location only with great difficulty, so choose your site carefully. What is new, however, is the availability of large stones arranged and stacked to create extraordinary designs. The benches look harmonious with nature.

wrought iron

Wrought iron benches are still popular, heavier than wood and can come in varying degrees of ornateness. The iron is coated and weather resistant, although, at some period, the coating will be damaged or broken allowing rust to develop and requiring repair.

aluminum

You mention aluminum and children of the 50’s first may think of shiny, silver looking benches. But today, the colors and textures have allowed manufacturers to create benches, chairs and tables that are works of art. They are still lightweight, which is easy for the owner to move, but unfortunately, most are easily tossed in storms.

plastic

Plastic is the least expensive and becomes faded and brittle with age. On the other hand, for a temporary use such as a party or a teenager’s gathering, the plastic can allow you to get the seating job done without breaking the pocketbook.

I love benches, especially those I can’t see from the back porch or deck. What I mean is that the backyard has become like the house with three or four rooms.

As you walk the landscape, you notice a path that leads you to a cozy area surrounded by wax myrtles and shade-loving annuals such as impatiens. Here I can unwind after a stressful day.

I love benches in the middle of cottage gardens where I am surrounded by colorful perennials, butterflies, hummingbirds and bees. I love benches by moving water where I can sit, watch and listen.

Without benches, the landscape can seem to be only a place of work with little enjoyment.

A well-placed garden bench, however, makes the landscape an extension of the indoor home.

Norman Winter is executive director of the Columbus Botanical Garden in Columbus Ga., and author of “Captivating Combinations: Color and Style in the Garden.”