Garden Bistro Set: A small table for time outside

Find a place for the whole set

A bistro set can make a courtyard, patio or balcony more useful without filling it with a large dining table. It is still furniture, so a surprise needs more care than a small parcel. Establish that the recipients want it and agree the position before choosing a finish.

Measure more than the tabletop. Both chairs need space to pull back and be used. Leave a clear route past the occupied set and read the requirements for a firm, level surface. A balcony may also have building rules that affect what can be placed there.

Dining chairs and lounge chairs are different gifts

Some sets pair a small dining table with upright folding chairs; others have deep seats and a low coffee table. Compare actual heights, seat width, back support and armrests with furniture they find comfortable. The word bistro does not settle how the set will feel to sit in.

• Read the contents: one table and two chairs, with any cushions or fixings clearly listed.

• Check the exact chair load limits and assembly instructions.

• For a folding set, compare its stored size with the space available over winter.

Make the delivery part easy

Agree access through gates and doors, any lifting and who will put the furniture together. A cover, cushions or assembly tools may be separate purchases. Read the care instructions for the real material and finish rather than assuming weather-resistant means maintenance-free.

An anniversary group gift can work well when one person coordinates the order and the couple approves the choice. Future sunny mornings are a valid reason to give it; there is no need to use it on the anniversary itself. A garden bench suits a sitting spot without a table, while a garden swing seat needs room for movement as well as seating.