Last summer I finally decided to replace our cheap and shabby looking plastic garden furniture for something a little more classey. The plastic stuff had done us well but had cracked in the hot sun and was really discoloured. I really couldn't face another summer of getting and giving electric shocks from the static build up either!

Having persuaded my husband that we definitely needed new garden furniture which would last, and reminding him of the pleasures of sitting in the evening sun with a glass of red wine in hand, I took off to see what deals were on offer at our local garden centre. I was shocked at the prices of the kind of thing I had in mind -some 6-place suits cost in excess of 2,000 pounds! That?s a lot of bottles of wine! I looked on the net but found that everything I really liked was way out of my price range. The helpful staff at my local frosts garden centre suggested that I might be interested in the Westminster range as this was of excellent quality and they had a special deal consisting of a table, 6 chairs with cushions, and a parasol all for £999.

The suit in question is called the London range and is made of teak. The rectangle table is a good size (150-100) which easily seats 6.The chairs are really comfortable and have arm rests too (unlike some I looked at) The seat pads come in a choice of colours either green or (for those without children) cream and are fully washable. At 3 metres the parasol is HUGE and looks really classey. The set can be left out all year (ALTHOUGH NOT THE PARASOL OR SEAT PADS)

Westminster teak are based in Sussex and have a good web site.site. They can be contacted on 01825-764222.They make a large range of garden furniture and accessories, so if you are interested I suggest you go to their site or give them a call and ask for their brochure.

The set was delivered free and only the table needed to be put together, I managed to do this with the help of a friend so believ
e me it was easy! We used the furniture all summer and it is lovely to sit on-really comfortable. The parasol goes up with ease and gives all the shade you need. The quality is superb.

If you decide to leave the furniture out all year and want it to remain its original teak colour then you will need to invest in protective oil. I used the one recommended by Westminster and made by them (what a surprise). It cost me a whopping £20!! But should be good for several applications. It is recommended you protect the wood twice a year. If you prefer to leave the furniture unprotected then it will turn a silver grey colour but will not effect the quality of the wood.

Westminster claim to only use timber from ecologically managed plantations in Asia and South America. The furniture is hand finished. I forget to say that the suit is also available with 4 chairs and a round table for around £700