Have you been looking up at the sky thinking it will soon be time to put the garden furniture back in the shed? But on the other hand there are still sunny days to relax and enjoy the garden and you don't want to drag it all out again.

Garden furniture has come a long way since the reliable white plastic patio table and chair sets or the old cloth beach deck chairs and hammocks. Gone have the days when you had to wait for the sun to shine so you could drag your garden furniture out or worry if it has faded, gone rusty or has that green mould covering it.

With today's manufacturing techniques and the modern materials used you can have stylish, comfortable, and relatively maintenance free all weather furniture that you can leave out all year round and know that with a simple clean up it will be good as new.

Even the ever popular wicker furniture is slowly being replaced with synthetic rattan equivalents that allow manufacturers to produce more intricate designs and offers the ease of maintenance that our busy life style demands.

Synthetic Rattan furniture is made of a synthetic resin compound of plastic materials from organic origin and materials deriving from minerals. The result of this is a synthetic resin that can be moulded in many forms and is extremely resistant to weather and atmospheric agents. Colourants are added during the process to give a natural look and feel. The moulded resin is then woven over an aluminium frame to produce stylish and durable furniture that is UV resistant and doesn't fade or rust.

Modern garden furniture is no longer designed just for somewhere to stand that plastic beaker, these days there are so many options and it is so versatile that it has more uses than it has ever had. Patio furniture or a Bistro set is ideal for small spaces or that well earned coffee break. Conservatory furniture is so stylish and comfortable that it wouldn't be out of place in a 5* hotel and dining room furniture gives the freedom of alfresco dining without the worry of a water mark if it rains.

Cloth furniture has also seen technological advancements in the materials they are made from. Some Deck Chairs and Hammocks are now made from Elltex Fabric, a material made from a mix of polyester and cotton that is waterproof and sun proof, it hardly fades and remains tear resistant even after repeatedly getting wet. The material is also UV resistant.

With modern materials you can say goodbye to having to put your garden furniture away each night or even at the end of the summer, now you can leave it out all year round knowing that with a simple wipe down and it will be good as new next time the sun comes out.

With all the design options available, what should be a fairly easy decision becomes hard as there are so many choices. Do you choose metal, half metal and wood, all wood, wrought iron or aluminium, bamboo or resin? Decisions, decisions...

Garden furniture has now become an important part of the garden and depending on the space there is always a piece of furniture that will fit and can bring the outside and inside together. From a hammock or deck chair to a 6 seat dining table, whether you want to relax or entertain there is something that will make a focal point in your garden.