Gardens have always been a sanctuary, but within the past year, the need for a calm place to sit and escape from it all has never been more required, and whether you’re furnishing a compact city balcony or a sprawling country retreat in the anticipation of welcoming friends and family back into your garden, your furniture outside should be every bit as stylish as that inside.
Comfort, beauty and quality are important considerations, something that is present in each piece of the elegant Southwold Collection by Harrod Horticultural that is beautifully hand crafted, hot dip galvanised and hand etched to give a distinctive antique appearance that continues to improve with age. The popular furniture range has been extended this season, and with it the introduction of a number of delightful complementary garden pieces which enable the handsome silvery grey patina of the Southwold Collection to be flowed throughout the garden.
Create a timeless outdoor living area with the beautifully engineered pergola, complete with retractable awning for sunshade and shower protection or a wire roof to create a fragrant living canopy with climbers and ramblers. Together with the furniture set, it makes for a stunning backdrop that will enhance rather than dominate the natural beauty of your garden, the perfect centrepiece for small or larger gatherings. Borders and walls can be brought to life too with favourite climbers and ramblers intertwining with the decorative handcrafted framework of obelisks, plant supports and trellis. An enduring look that will provide support for years to come.
So, what’s the story behind the charming Southwold Collection? Well, in the case of the furniture, the designs are something that have been inspired by traditional English blacksmith furniture which became popular at the start of the industrial revolution over 200 years ago. Many of the shapes and forms quote directly from this heritage. Yet there is a big distinction between traditional English blacksmith furniture and this stunning collection whereby a greater depth of study and care has been taken by Harrod Horticultural to ensure that the furniture is as much comfortable as beautiful.
Much thought has gone into the ergonomics of the seat design and careful selection of the material sections used to ensure just the right amount of ‘give’ is coupled with the required structural strength. The chair design for example is tapered front to back and the back rest has a curved form which combined improves aesthetics and comfort. The legs use 8mm thick strip steel for strength and rigidity whereas the seat base uses 3mm thick strip to give comfort and spring. Cushions can be ordered with your furniture for ultimate comfort, but Harrod Horticultural are confident through customer feedback that even without padding, the chairs are definitely kind to a behind.
The handcrafted production is very telling in the high quality of the Southwold Collection. All pieces are handmade by skilled technicians and finished in Harrod Horticultural’s workshops in Suffolk where manufacturing has been going on for over 65 years. Due to the handmade nature of the products all pieces are unique. Parts are cut, rolled, hand assembled and then precision welded to form the whole – no customer assembly is required in the case of furniture. Before final finishing, all of the products are hot dipped in a bath of molten zinc which envelops the steel in a blanket of sacrificial rust protection. Each piece of the Southwold Collection is therefore extremely tough and durable, and with a substantial weight, so will withstand the most extreme British weather.
The hand-etched finish is something to really admire. Each piece is chemically ‘etched’ by hand after the zinc coating is applied leaving an antique patina which improves as the product weathers. The magic of this finish is that the unique character of each piece only improves with age, the more seasons pass the more the appearance is enhanced. All of the furniture receives a beeswax-based coating too which further protects and seals the surface. With so much attention to detail and a high level of manufacturing and materials, it might not come as a surprise that the collection is all structurally guaranteed for 25 years which truly befits its outstanding quality.
In light of this, it is no wonder the Southwold Collection by Harrod Horticultural has launched so successfully. You can view it today online harrodhorticultural.com/southwoldcollection or request our brochure by either calling 0333 400 1500 or emailing enquiries@harrod.uk.com.
