Buyer's guide to garden furniture

2. Summer style

‘Metal is popular due to being more weather resistant and hard wearing with less need for protection and re-oiling,’ says garden furniture expert Julie Humphreys of Crocus. The French grey metal Garden Furniture range (£138) from Graham & Green epitomises stylish outdoor living. Plus, the chairs and table collapse for easy winter storage.

3. Set in concrete

Gone are the days when concrete meant ugly. With chic designs in the pipeline, it is the material of choice this season. It's easy to look after, resistant and durable. Check out the Concrete gardening furniture (£549.54) from Made in Design. Plant your favourite blooms (think geraniums, rhododendrons or minimalist bamboo) in the built-in planters for a pretty, personalised back rest.

4. Country charm

‘Benches which are space saving seem to be more popular than an array of chairs around a table,’ says Jon Holloway from outdoor furniture specialists Garden Trading. Ideal for a city garden is this elegant garden bench from Natural Collection (£375). ‘If you cannot store furniture away in the winter I would use classic Teak or Ash,' advises Holloway. 'Good quality Teak will never go out of fashion.'

5. Flexible friends

‘How about having a table that can be used indoors in the winter and then taken outdoors in the summer?’ suggests Holloway. Celebrate the Iron Age with this Parisian Fleur Garden Set (£77.36) from Dibor. The ceramic surface of the wrought iron set is embellished for a decorative French flourish. The fully foldable structure on both chairs and table make them very portable.

6. All-weather rattan

‘Rattan, both natural and ‘man-made’ is definitely the in-vogue furniture,’ says Holloway. Get the look of Rattan with all the advantages of man-made material with this Avery Diner Chair (£119.99) from Raw Garden. The woven synthetic material is fade, UV and weather resistant. Be lazy and leave it out all year – you’ll find it’s fungus and mould resistant too.

7. Dual purpose

‘Wood never goes out of fashion, especially with the traditional gardener,’ explains Humphreys. The attice rustic apex arbour with planters (£349.99) from Argos is a clever combo of functional wooden 2 seater and decorative planters. To preserve wooden furniture, treat it annually with a hardwood furniture oil.

8. Sit down

‘When placing furniture all you need is a flat surface. If it’s going to be used for eating, an umbrella is best, especially if it’s a metal set which will get very hot in the sun,’ says Humphreys. Place an umbrella over this Mosaic Dining Set (£559) from The Cotswold Company. It was £799 and has been reduced by 31% so get in quick!

9. Flower power

For full-blown romance an arch of roses is hard to beat. Climb your favourite creeper over this Westminster Arch (£59.99) from Crocus. Or surround your seat with flowers with the Rustic Arch Garden Furniture Iron Arbour Bench Seat (£129) from Amazon. It's steel frame coloured in antique bronze is weather proofed for year-round glamour.

10. Sustainable elegance

‘If on a budget, it is still wise to buy the best you can afford like a small hardwood set and make sure it’s comfortable,’ says Humphreys. The Hardwood Chelsea Garden Armchair (£44.99) from True Shopping combines elegance with eco-awareness. It is made from Vietnamese hardwood from renewable sources. Sit back, sip on a Pimms cocktail and soak up the rays.

Sorted out the garden furniture? Now sort out the living room too with our guide to Buying a Sofa. Or bringing nature indoors with our article on Nurturing Young Saplings.

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