From benches to swing seats and from sofas to stools, Chelsea Flower Show is a great place to pick up some inspiration for your garden furniture needs.
In 2025, highlights include contoured wooden seating, repurposed roadwork blocks and all shapes and sizes of garden chairs.
All the best furniture inspiration from RHS Chelsea Flower Show
Rented roadwork blocks
The clever design and colourful planting in the Avanade Intelligent Garden proves there's no need to invest in expensive new seating to create a stylish resting spot. Designers Tom Massey and Je Ahn repurposed elements like these blocks, usually used to control traffic for roadworks and rented for the week for just £5.
The upturned tree stump beside them also makes a handy perch.
A flat-pack chair
Hanging cocoon chairs are a popular choice for terraces and small gardens, but this one in the Room to Breathe Hospital Garden caught our attention for its practical design. It folds completely flat for easy storage over winter.
You can buy the Hive Hanging Chair for your own garden or balcony.
SQUIRREL_13211788
Sculptural seating
Nigel Dunnett's coastal planting on dune-like mounds in his Hospitalfield Arts Garden was much discussed this year, and its sculptural seating echoes the sandy banks and their rust-coloured fins. These striking benches were crafted by hand using slices of waney Cedar of Lebanon timber, and work well both as useful seating and a decorative element.
Daybed
You might think a daybed is the wrong choice for a balcony, but this luxurious set-up in the ME+EM City Garden shows there's no reason to dismiss larger pieces if you plan carefully. The lounger fits snugly amongst containers of plants that thrive in afternoon sun, and sits beneath a pergola draped with climbing plants.
This lounger is made bespoke but there are plenty of beautiful garden daybeds you can browse online.
Fallen tree bench
This sleek bench in Allon Hoskin and Robert Beaudin's Pathway Garden is crafted with reclaimed wood from a naturally fallen tree, making good use of materials that might otherwise go to waste.
Another option to make use of large logs is to simply cut a flat surface into one side, leaving the rest in its natural form; as shown in Matthew Butler and Joshua Parker's Garden of the Future.
Rustic bench
Monty Don's much-discussed dog garden featured a pleasingly aged wooden bench on one side, with a selection of neutral and colourful cushions for comfort. While some of the seating on show in other Chelsea gardens is hard to reproduce, this is one option anyone could recreate on a small budget.
Side stool
Peek inside the Fettercairn Wilderness Retreat and you'll spot this little stool hidden amongst the planters. It works well here as a spot to store towels for the balcony garden's copper bath, but it would also come in handy as extra seating. You can find a similar stool at Garden Trading, made with reclaimed teak.
Contoured benches
Thanks to their organic shape and sandy colouring, these steam-bent wooden benches almost seem to be part of the landscape in Tom Hoblyn's Garden of Compassion. They're designed to emulate a flowing stream and celebrate the healing power of nature.
Plush sofa
This sofa might just be the comfiest-looking seating option at Chelsea this year. Not only does it have plush cushions to stretch out on during lazy afternoons in the garden, but there's also room to drop your book and a drink at the end, thanks to the wooden base that extends beyond the seat pads.
You can buy this sofa in a range of neutral tones at mohd.
Armchairs
From balconies and courtyards to larger decking areas and terraces, individual armchairs like these work well in a range of spaces. We liked the neutral tones and elegant sloping design of these chairs in the Freedom to Flourish garden.
To recreate the look in your own garden, you can buy the Ethnicraft Jack Lounge Chair at mohd.
A bench with a message
Manoj Malde's Tackle HIV Challenging Stima garden featured many references to those living with the virus, from the hexagonal wall and paving elements referencing the chemical structure found in many HIV medications, to the inspirational words etched into a wooden bench. This message is a nod to the empowerment effective treatment can give.
The design of the bench also provides plenty of inspiration for our own gardens. The geometric shapes would be a striking choice for more modern seating areas, while the storage sections underneath make an interesting design detail.
You may also like