The RHS Rockabye Bench

Due to the handcrafted nature of our products the final footprint can vary slightly from seat to seat, measurements provided are for the largest expected dimensions. If you are intending to set a slab under each leg we suggest not doing so until you have taken delivery. 

Each of our five back styles was conceived to offer a distinct character while preserving the same comfort, proportion and craftsmanship that define our seats. Though the structure remains consistent, the silhouette subtly changes the mood of the piece - allowing it to sit naturally within different gardens and personal tastes.

The Fan Back is perhaps the most traditional, its radiating lines echoing classic garden furniture and lending a gentle, heritage feel. The Slat Back is simpler and more architectural - clean, balanced and quietly contemporary, suited to both modern and period settings. The Curve Back softens the outline, introducing a flowing, ergonomic shape that feels embracing and refined. The Swirl Back carries a touch of whimsy, its gentle scrollwork adding lightness and movement - a design that feels at home among roses and rambling borders. Finally, the Heart Back offers a subtle note of romance, originally inspired by commissions marking anniversaries and weddings, and now a much-loved signature within the collection.

Each back style is crafted with the same care, available across our sizes, and chosen not simply for appearance but for the feeling it brings - from understated elegance to quiet charm.

Begin by configuring your seat online. Choose your collection, size and back style, select your timber or painted finish, and add any details that make it distinctly yours. Our website allows you to shape the piece around your garden and the way you live.

Nothing is set in stone at this stage. Once your order is placed, our team will be in touch personally to confirm every detail - from placement and access to finishing touches. We then confirm the full specification before your commission moves into the workshop. As your seat nears completion, we will send you a photograph from the workshop so you can see it being prepared ahead of delivery. This is a considered, unhurried process - crafted with care from first enquiry to final installation.

Delivery and optional assembly are confirmed separately, ensuring timings work for you. Accessories such as cushions, covers or additional touches can be selected later should you wish; many clients prefer to live with their seat first before choosing soft furnishings.

If you would rather speak to us directly, we are always pleased to help. Call 01297 443084 or email info@sittingspiritually.co.uk and we will guide you through the process personally.

Your finished seat is delivered with the same care with which it was made. We work with Richard and Kevin of Saturn Removals, a trusted specialist team who our customers speak of immensely highly. They understand our products, our standards and the importance of a calm, unhurried experience on the day.

Ahead of delivery, you will be contacted directly to confirm a convenient date and time slot. This conversation also allows us to discuss access in detail - from driveways and garden paths to positioning - so everything runs smoothly on the day.

On arrival, your seat is carefully carried into your garden and installed in the exact position you have chosen. The team will assemble and set it up on site, ensuring it sits level and swings freely. Before they leave, you are warmly invited to take a seat and gently sway - making sure it feels exactly as it should. Only when you are completely happy do we consider the installation complete.

It is a considered service, designed to make the final step of the journey as reassuring as the first.

For our oak swing seats and day beds we select Prime Grade air-dried oak from Hewins Timber - a timber chosen for its exceptional quality, clarity and suitability for fine outdoor joinery. This makes it a superb choice for visible surfaces and refined furniture applications where visual consistency and structural integrity are essential.

Oak is a natural material with a rich character - the grain, subtle tonal variation and occasional small features are intrinsic to its beauty. Air drying allows the timber to season gently and thoroughly, enhancing stability and reducing internal stresses so that the finished piece stands resilient outdoors. Over time, if left untreated, oak will mellow from warm honey tones to a soft, silver-grey patina that sits harmoniously within a garden setting.

We value oak for both its performance and its story. It is strong and durable by nature, capable of withstanding the cycles of sun, rain and frost, and — with simple seasonal care — a well-made oak seat should give years of enjoyment. Our standard guarantee is five years, yet with thoughtful upkeep and a calm, unhurried life in the garden, it is entirely reasonable for such a piece to endure and gently age for a decade and beyond - an object of quiet presence and enduring appeal that only deepens with time.

For our painted ranges, including the Affinity collection, we use Accoya - a high-performance modified timber renowned for its exceptional stability and longevity. Crafted from sustainably sourced wood and enhanced through an advanced acetylation process, Accoya is engineered at a molecular level to resist swelling, shrinking and distortion, even in challenging outdoor conditions.

The result is a timber that holds paint beautifully. Its dimensional stability allows our five-coat spray process - stain block, primer, undercoat and two top coats - to achieve a refined, enduring finish with remarkable colour retention. Where traditional timbers can move with seasonal changes, Accoya remains reassuringly stable, preserving both the integrity of the joinery and the elegance of the painted surface.

Though technologically advanced, Accoya retains the warmth and tactile qualities of natural wood. It is rot resistant, low maintenance and supplied with a 25-year timber warranty from the manufacturer (15 years when used in ground contact). In practice, when thoughtfully cared for, an Accoya swing seat is designed to live outdoors year-round with quiet resilience - offering lasting beauty with minimal intervention.

It is a considered choice: the refinement of paint, underpinned by modern durability, allowing you to enjoy colour in the garden without compromise.

Our relationship with the Royal Horticultural Society is a source of quiet pride. To be RHS endorsed reflects a shared commitment to quality, longevity and the enjoyment of gardens as places of restoration and beauty. The Heart Back holds particular significance within this partnership.

Its gentle motif - refined rather than ornate - speaks to the emotional connection people feel towards their gardens and those they share them with. Over time, it has become one of our most recognisable designs, often chosen for commemorative pieces and milestone gifts. Crafted in prime oak and made to live outdoors year-round, the Heart Back embodies both the romance and the rigour that underpin our RHS collaboration: enduring materials, British craftsmanship, and a design that feels entirely at home among borders, lawns and quiet garden rooms.