THE MODERN MINT BLOG
It is bright and sunny today, still a cold wind, but definitely showing signs of spring outside – so we thought it best to share with you the best garden furniture we have found for 2016.
There are only a few items out there that we really love, that fit the Modern Mint ethos of ‘buy once buy well’ and that also have an element of recycling built into their life cycle.
Top of our list of best garden furniture this year is the same as last year (sorry to bore all of you who have already bought some of these, but as you know best, they are just so damn good. If we were inclined to we could suggest a new ‘hot thing’ for 2016 but, frankly, that would be tedious and led by the marketplace – not by what is actually the best product out there to buy.)
Here it is – the Nordeck chair…
A classic design with a contemporary look. (It sounds silly but we think that phrase sums this chair up beautifully. We also say the same about our copper tools…)
This really is the best furniture you will find. It is made with a selection of wood from European woodlands (pine, birch or oak.) These lengths of wood are held together by three pieces of hemp rope. That is all.
What is so special about this chair, what drew us at Modern Mint to it originally, is that the wood is sourced from managed woodlands that are actually growing in size – by promoting the use of these particular materials from right here on our doorstep we are reducing the market for exotic hardwoods from the tropics.
If there is money to be made by cutting down a mahogany tree, illegal or not loggers will do it. If we begin using the best wood available in Europe, which can do the same job, look just as good and the production of it can be managed in a way that not just replaces but extends the amount of material, why aren’t we using more of it? It worked well enough for years, before we were able to easily buy the exotic wood from abroad.
This is why we think the best garden furniture of 2016 is still the Nordeck chair. A hands down winner.
Read more in Why we Love the Nordeck Chair…
What is the next best item of garden furniture for 2016?
This! A new arrival for Modern Mint…
How colourful!
How useful!
But why do we think these new, colourful rugs are the best?
Because it is an eco-friendly rug. We loved it when we saw it for the brightness of the design, but when we discovered it was made using quality recycled plastic straws (which are recyclable again when you have finished with the rug) we thought – that is so Modern Mint.
The rug is soft-textured and lightweight, can be used indoors and outdoors too – this product and where it can be used has been beautifully thought through, and given UV protection to allow it to sit outside without fading in the sunlight.
Deceptively rugged, it can also be reversed to change the style of your decor. With the funky, modern design, is that enough for you to agree it is the best garden furniture of 2016?
See ALL of our Eco-friendly Rugs…
More features of the garden rug:
We also offer you outdoor cushions made from the same recycled plastic and with all the same fantastic qualities. Take a look at these…
That is our bet picks for garden furniture in 2016 – see more now on the Modern Mint Shop!
Start of the Whitby Topiary Library
I have been offered a space here in the centre of Whitby, south-facing aspect, with some raised beds in, so that I can make a Topiary Library. In my head, a topiary library is a place to showcase the common (and then not so common) shapes you can make out of topiary. With classical topiary plants, as well as some more unusual pieces. This Topiary Library can act as a reference for people to learn more about pruning and clipping. The space is small but the aspect is great and the beds are deep enough to put some plants in. …
Delivery After Dark – From the Makers of The Amelia Project
Last week I spent most nights stood in cold water streams on the moors of North Yorkshire, helping to film a new project called Delivery After Dark from the makers of the Amelia Project. I worked on the Amelia Project back at the end of 2024, lending my terrible vocal talents to a small part in the episode Didius Julianus. But this project is something new – and exciting! – and thankfully only needed me to be filmed, rather than to actually say anything. But not only did I have to stand in cold moving water at midnight, I also …
Modern Topiary (The Book) – Message From Lady Clippers, And Others!
My topiary book – Modern Topiary – has recently been put out as a PDF, which can be read for free. (Have a look here to download and read/share it!) Then last week I received a lovely email from Ann Perkowski of Lady Clippers, who are topiary and pruning specialists in New York (Ann is a brilliant pruning teacher too, who teaches at New York Botanical Garden… check out her work and Lady Clippers website.) Hi Darren, I had to write you how much I love reading your Modern Topiary. I’m not sure I’ll ever be quite done with it because I’m …