​The Southwold Bench: My Dream Garden Seat

Spring has returned to the garden, working her magic and bringing forth all manner of beautiful blooms. Since I've invested a great deal of time and energy to create this personal haven, there's nothing I enjoy more than sitting quietly and watching the activity of birds and bees. But what's in a garden seat? Should it be well made and sturdy, with high quality materials? Should it be beautiful, drawing the eye and functioning as a part of my garden design? I wanted both.

That's why I selected the Southwold bench from C&T Teak. It fulfills all my ideas about what a garden bench ought to be. While its five-foot length and substantial construction give it a feeling of solidity and permanence, there's something classic and deeply organic about its clean, uncluttered lines. Plus, it's constructed of sustainably sourced teak wood.

The benefits of this are two-fold in my estimation. First, teak possesses a superlative resilience to weathering. The natural oils present in the wood prevent damage due to exposure to the elements and wood-eating pests. Second, the teak that was harvested to craft my favorite garden seat comes from a plantation designed to preserve wild stands of the tree and nurture the environment. Rather than taking from nature, I feel as if I'm giving a bit in return.

I'm looking forward to summer days, counted like a long string of golden beads. After a rigorous morning of weeding or deadheading roses, I'll sit in my sun dappled corner with a cool drink, watching the busy life of my garden. At dusk, I'll find an excuse to enjoy the peace of day's end. There is a wealth of comfort in that notion, as solid as my new teak bench.