Adirondack and Adirondack-inspired chairs at Chanticleer Garden.
Ode to the Adirondack Chair
Today’s collection of photos that I’ve tagged for various garden elements all showcase chairs, with lots of my all-time favorite – the Adirondack. Wiki describes it as “an outdoor lounge chair with wide armrests, a tall slatted back, and a seat that is higher in the front than the back. Its name references the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate New York.”
These chairs were invented in 1903 and I’ll add that not only are they comfortable; their flat armrests obviate the need for a side table. The designer thought of everything!
My first Adirondack was made of pine, so it didn’t last long. (Wooden versions start at about $60.) Next, I stepped up to recycled plastic (or Polywood) which costs about $270-300 these days and they’re worth every penny.
Above left, my recycled plastic Adirondacks in my former back yard, circa 2010. Now they sit in my current back garden, looking as good as new.
At the Scott Arboretum in Swarthmore, PA, I couldn’t resist this photo-op with my fellow Ranters Marianne Willborn and Scott Beuerlein.
Upper right is a chair I found in a public garden somewhere (sorry!) that I love, but wouldn’t want to sit on for long.
During a 2014 Gardenblogger Fling in Portland, Oregon I got to see these stunning small gardens with chairs used to colorful effect. On the left, the blue and purple together are perfect! And noticing the same colors outlining the window, we know it was the homeowner who painted the chairs (or had them painted). Either way, kudos!
On the right, the Adirondacks are also multi-colored (note the orange and teal supports) in the front yard of former NPR-reporter Ketzel Levine. She had visited me in Maryland and invited me to tour her Portland garden even though she was out of town.
And here are two public gardens with notable chairs. On the left, the Bartoldi Garden at the U.S. Botanic Garden (the conservatory of which is in the rear in this photo). The chair on the right, at River Farm in Alexandria, VA, is more for viewing than sitting, I imagine, but I appreciate its aesthetic contribution to the garden.
I’ll close with this image from a 2019 Garden Writers conference in Salt Lake City. It’s certainly furnished for comfort, but I was curious whether the structure over and around this little outdoor room actually does any good – by providing shelter from rain or the sun. I’d never seen anything like this back home in the much-wetter East.
MORE Garden Features
These photo collections started when I learned (from GardenRanter Ben) that I could search for tags just using Windows Explorer – no extra software! So began a fun winter project – scrolling through thousands of photos taken over at least 20 years, and tagging the hell out of them. For my enjoyment and yours. The others are:
I think our equivalent is the Lutyens bench, but I get fed up with seeing it everywhere. But never in such great colours!
That would liven it up.
Great post! I love chairs in the garden. Chanticleer I’ve been to just once but the memories I have of that day stick with me. I have two pairs of Adirondack chairs, one that I got at an estate sale years ago that are so dilapidated and covered with beautiful moss that I can’t use them or bear to toss them. The other pair is very functional (and beautiful) placed where we often sit in the warm weather with a beer and enjoy the woods behind us. I’ve investigated the polywood and find them beautiful too but too pricy at my old age!
Here in Ontario, we call them ‘muskoka chairs’; Muskoka is a well-known lake/cottage area north of Toronto.
Even when I was young, spry, and skinny, I had a hell of a time getting out of them.
I have a new blank-slate garden to begin this spring. I was wondering how to get some color before flowers start blooming. These fabulous chairs are the perfect answer to my questions! I’m so inspired!
I have Adirondack chairs made out of local wine barrels for around the fire pit, which have a cut out for a wine stem to rest. V convenient. My garden chairs are more usually benches — a place to perch, as sadly I never sit long! — MW
The wide armrests are good, but if you are the slightest bit mobility-impaired (or even short) adironack chairs are VERY difficult to get out of! Love the colors, though.