Seaside Garden

I am sailing...

If ever there was a garden look that cried out for sailcloth, it's a seaside one. We all need shelter from the sun when sitting outside, but umbrellas are liable to topple over in the windy conditions found by the coast. So instead, build a wooden pergola like this one from Archadeck and make a cover for it out of canvas sailcloth. Russell & Chapple, (020) 7836 7521, sell emulsion-proofed or acrylic canvas from £5.50 per metre; it comes in a variety of plain colours and stripes. They also offer a make-up service.

At ground level, shingle and gravel are the obvious choices, and you could add shells for decoration too. Source these from Steve Massam, tel: (01704) 840 265. Another option that would work well in a seaside situation is decking. Archadeck are leading decking specialists. Call them on (01427) 616400 or visit their website.

Drifting away

For garden furniture, ideally choose something made of driftwood. Driftwood furniture is getting increasingly fashionable, reflecting our newly acquired passion for recycling. This garden chair is made by Ross Edbroke at Driftwood Design in Bristol, tel (0117) 962 5788, but he's just one of many craftsmen joiners who trawl Britain's beaches for pieces of driftwood to transform into unique pieces of furniture. Another one to try is driftwood furniture-maker Simon Farnell at Driftwood Art in Cornwall, tel (01209) 219630. Expect to pay somewhere in the region of £150 - £500.

Wavy days

Another furniture look for a seaside garden could be this wavy bench designed by garden designer Anthony Paul, tel (01306) 233805. It's made from green oak, and measures 2170mm (7ft) by 380mm (14in) high and 330mm (12in) wide; it costs £650 + VAT plus £30 delivery.