Recycled and re-purposed,…into benches for the garden!

Here are a few great ideas for fun flea market style benches for season after season of cozy contemplation in your garden.

A garden bench holds some recycled treasures

Carol McLaughlin‎’s rustic rose arbor shelters a bench

Above: Playing with lines and spaces makes bench design fun in winter, especially with recycled metals. Three fanciful chairs joined by a smooth wooden seat, bring interest to a stark winter garden scene, designed by Dedra Kirchener. This easy project could be assembled with no nails or screws if you use a great cement or glue!

An old wooden bench set against a tree is the ‘stage’ for cuteness!

Bright paint on an old bench warms a corner of a colorful garden on Joan Baccoli-Gromatski’s bench

Above: As warm weather unfolds, Joan Baccoli-Gromatski adds containers, herbs, birdhouses, and lots of decorations around her inviting yellow bench.  A restful and creative area all in one, this corner features lots of cheerful folk art objects that are entertaining and interesting—a great area for gardeners who love to pinch and groom their plants and herbs within close reach. You can paint a bench in an afternoon, it usually requires very little paint. Seal with varnish, or let Mother Nature add details and natural weathering as the seasons go by.

Valerie Haws classy rocker bench from a bedframe

Quaint benches by Sandra Hogan and Barbara Vengalli

Left:  A work of art from carved wood and reclaimed kitchen chairs by Sandra Hogan. The skirt of the bench is recycled molding painted in folk art colors, adding both texture and beauty. Right: A bench in a sheltered area is the perfect place to display colorful patterned or vintage cushions, photographed by Barbara Vengalli.

We’re looking forward to even more bench ideas this year. Visit our Flea Market Gardening Facebook page for more fun ideas in garden seating.

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More posts you might like to read:

How to make a bench and planter from old bed frames

How to build simple garden benches for free