Outside edge

Something old

i Flower stand

English

Sometimes described as “flower fountains” because of the colourful cascade of flowering plants they are designed to display, flower stands were a popular feature in many late 18th- and early 19th-century Georgian gardens. They have also been enjoying a revival in recent years, with many modern examples being inspired by Georgian designs or reproductions. This splendid three-tier example, which would hold three large wicker flower baskets at its centre and additional flowerpots around its rails, is a George III original from around 1800. Made of wrought iron, it features reeded rails and claw feet. $18,000.

www.pookandpook.com

ii Recliner

English

Although this early 20th-century wickerwork reclining garden chair was inspired by contemporary German designs of Richard Riemerschmid, it was made in Leicester by the Dryad cane furniture company. Established in 1907 by Harry Peach and Benjamin Fletcher, Dryad was founded on the arts and crafts principles of traditional methods of craftsmanship – in this case the vernacular basket-weaving enterprises of Leicestershire – and “sound construction and special attention to design for comfortable use”. Woven from springy cane and incorporating an adjustable back, arms with compartments for drinks and reading material, and a pull-out footrest, it is, indeed, exceptionally comfortable. £420.

www.lyonandturnbull.com

iii Pair of seats

Chinese

One of the most engaging qualities of this pair of early 20th-century garden seats is their prescient modernity: although their open-sided, drum-like shape looks highly contemporary, it is actually an old Chinese form. This illusion is accentuated by the gently bowed sides: a shape nowadays most strongly associated with modern and post-modern injection-moulded plastic furniture. These seats, however, are constructed entirely from wood and display all the precision and fluidity of form of traditional Chinese carpentry – qualities enhanced by an equally traditional Oriental decorative finish: multiple layers of silky smooth black lacquer. £950 for the pair.

www.guinevere.co.uk

iv Picnic set

English

Picnic sets do come significantly cheaper than this but it’s highly doubtful if they would be anywhere near as exclusive or stylish. Enclosed in a rectangular case bound with fine-grain black calf leather, this set dates to around the mid-20th century and was made for and retailed by Asprey of Bond Street, London. Exceptionally well appointed for a top-class picnic, it includes four earthenware sandwich plates and a matching butter dish with cover; silver-plated bone-handled cutlery; a wicker-covered glass bottle (for water or, more usually, wine); accompanying drinking glasses, and the all-important corkscrew and bottle-opener. £1,400.

www.lyonandturnbull.com

v Cast-iron benches

American

A pair of mid-to-late 19th century cast-iron garden benches, which are attributed to the Vulcan Iron Works, New Boston, Illinois. Their exaggerated curves and flowing lines of the benches are instantly recognisable as rococo-revival. This design was patented in England in 1846 and became a favourite of many foundries in the US. It is often referred to as the White House pattern as benches of this design are in the rose garden of the presidential mansion. $5,000 for the pair.

www.freemansauctions.com

Judith Miller is the author of annual antiques and collectables guides for Millers

Something new

1 Spun

Thomas Heatherwick

A real crowd pleaser at this year’s Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan was this spinning chair by London-based architect Heatherwick, known for his East Beach Café in Littlehampton, England, and the recently completed UK pavilion at the Shanghai Expo. First developed last year as a limited edition piece in brushed, polished steel and copper, Spun turns from a sculptural seat into a kind of spinning top. The new, more democratic, version from Magis comes in polyethylene, which is suitable for outdoors. A funfair for your garden. €250 plus VAT.

www.magisdesign.com

2 Portable plant pot

Bacsac

These pots are flexible and virtually weightless – an upmarket and more permanent version of the growbag. Bacsac, a French brand established in 2007 that I came across at Maison & Objet in Paris, calls them “nature in a bag”. Made from UV-resistant, permeable double-walled woven and non-woven Geotextile fabric, they are more chic than most fancy planters, which can cost 10 times the price. They come as single units, window boxes and in squares as multiples of four, nine and 16, which can help create an instant garden on your terrace or balcony. €30 for a 25-litre pot.

www.bascac.fr

3 Inout

Paola Navone

Milan-based Navone has an affinity for relaxed contemporary furniture, which is perfect for the outdoors. She has been working with Gervasoni, a family-run manufacturer based in Udine, north-east Italy, since 1998, designing products and acting as art director. Inout is an ample and complete collection for use in the garden, on the terrace or by the pool – as well as for inside. This table, which comes in various heights and sizes, has a top made of irregular slabs of natural ash with a white lacquered aluminium base. It features a slight handmade look and the “charm of the imperfect”. €2,549.

www.gervasoni1882.com

4 Delta shower

Inga Sempé

The work of Paris-based Sempé is featured often on these pages because her current output is worthy of the attention. It is always straightforward, pleasing and usually clever. The Delta shower, produced by Tectona, a French leader in contemporary outdoor furnishings, is proof in point. The stainless steel structure sits over its own teak slatted base so all you need is a flat surface and a garden hose – no plumbing or plumbers required. €1,380 plus VAT.

www.tectona.net

5 Tables

Nicolas Le Moigne

Le Moigne designed these tables for Swiss manufacturer Eternit while still studying at the Ecole cantonale d’art de Lausanne. They are made in a fibre cement that Eternit produces for outdoor furniture and plant pots, as well as other more architectural uses such as roofing and façades. Shown here are a pair of each of the two sizes – the smaller doubles as a stool. Le Moigne’s work forms part of Connectors, a new selling exhibition at Phillips de Pury & Company that opened this week at the Saatchi Gallery in London. £185-£255.

www.phillipsdepury.com

Nick Vinson is special projects director at Wallpaper* magazine