THE garden bench or seat is synonymous with the traditional cottage garden, writes TOM ATTWOOD. But equally, next time you watch coverage of the Chelsea Flower Show, see how many of the gardens do not have a seat or bench of some kind. I was fortunate enough to go last year and off the top of my head I can think of only one or two where this was the case. Garden benches are frequently integral to a gardens design, sometimes with the entire layout hinging around them whether your garden is modern and minimal or a wild haven for wildlife that you negotiate through narrow serpentine paths.

The variety in design is enormous and for me what I love is seeing the many different interpretations of a bench or seat. This range means that every budget can be catered for. The mass made traditional garden bench began with the Victorians and was accelerated by the Edwardians and these 'classic' designs with metal sides and timber slats were extremely varied in their size, detail and ultimately cost. These have remained as popular since and are in many people’s minds (including my own) the quintessential element for many gardens.

Beyond the traditional, the world is your oyster; timber, metal, stone, plastic and everything in between. As with everything in gardening there is a time and a place for some designs and in my book the question of scale and proportion is as important as the design itself. A small bench in a small garden can emphasise the lack of space but a large bold seat can actually make the area appear larger.

I like to use a seat as a focal point that draws the eye and where possible to flank the seat (or bench) with a planted pot on either side. It’s a simple arrangement but works every time.

The final consideration is siting your bench, sometimes you don’t have much choice but wherever possible try to locate its position to maximise early morning sun or the warmest rays at the end of the day.

Next week: violas for now