You know the feeling: the sun's coming out and you're looking for that perfect spot in the garden to enjoy it. Deck chairs and grass-laying can sometimes do the trick, but nothing's quite as satisfying as having your own space where you can fully relax.
Read on for our selection of the best hammocks to buy. We've also included some hammock frames that you can buy separately, so you can choose a set that's right for you and your garden.
Jump to: How to choose a hammock
Looking to entertain this summer? Check out the best garden bar ideas.
The best hammocks to buy in 2024
Swing hammock with bars
This timeless design offers sweet aesthetics and sustainable construction. It's made from recycled denim and T-shirt fabric and comes with pine wood bars on each end.
Buy this hammock in nautical blue stripe - perfect for coastal gardens - or plain ecru to suit any space.
Contemporary Garden Hammock
With its sophisticated charcoal colouring, this hammock makes a neat alternative to the many lighter toned choices on the market. The wooden bars are also a clever design element; stretching out the fabric at either end, making it easier to climb in and out, and helping it dry more effectively after rain.
Vivere Mimosa Hammock with Wooden Stand
The vibrant tones of this fun hammock are sure to bring a summery feel to your garden. It's made from cotton and comes with a solid pine wood stand, which should mean it stays looking smart for years to come.
Swing hammock chair - chambray
This may be more of a hanging chair than a traditional hammock, but we can't deny it looks incredibly comfy, thanks to its plush cushions made from the same chambray fabric as the main seat. We recommend attaching this design to a sturdy tree branch.
Charles Bentley Extra Large 4M Hammock
With this luxuriously large hammock you can create your very own peaceful spot in the garden. The hammock is big enough for two to share, with the strong wooden frame providing a maximum user capacity of 200kg. It's freestanding too, so you won't need to hook it up to any trees to keep it supported.
Not only is it a comfortable resting zone, but the cream cotton canvas hammock can also create a serene-looking feature in your garden. The larch wood stand has a natural look that can blend in nicely with garden aesthetics, and it's said to be built to withstand the weather.
Freeport Park Natalia Double Hammock
For deeper relaxation, a hammock that can snugly surround your body is a fitting choice. This colourful hammock from Freeport Park uses 100% cotton for a more comforting experience, with a pinewood stand to hold it in place.
Available in a number of colours from 'Blue Lagoon' blue to 'Mimosa' red, you can easily choose a hammock that will match the style of your garden. There are adjustable hooks for you to set how high or low you want to lay.
Potenza Grande Organic Colombian Cotton Hammock
Potenza have been crafting heavy-duty hammocks for over 20 years so their Grande Hammock is bound to be a strong choice for your garden. The fabric used is organic Colombian cotton and the frame is constructed from alloy steel, designed to be weatherproof all year round, regardless of the season.
The frame measures up to 3.7m long which is larger than a lot of other hammock stands. This increased size will likely provide extra comfort, as it allows for better body weight distribution and the opportunity to lay in different positions.
Alpen Home Clemons Cotton Hammock
For something with a bit more simplicity, this single hammock from Alpen Home can be a relaxing spot for one. It has wooden stretcher bars and heavy-duty hanging loops to hold it all in place, as well as connecting ropes to prevent the hammock from swaying too much.
The multicoloured stripes will look radiant in sunlight, so make sure to put this in a bright spot in your garden.
The best hammock stands to buy
Of course, you can always hook up your hammock between two strong, sturdy trees. This can be a more cost-effective way of enjoying your hammock amongst natural shade, but it can depend on whether the trees are the right distance apart for the size of your hammock, which can be tricky.
Hammocks require the right amount of tension so that they're not too loose to hold their shape, but not too tight to comfortably move around. This is done by nailing the appropriate distance for the two hanging points for your hammock, which isn't the easiest thing when dealing with objects as immovable as trees.
If that's not an option, these stands are designed to withstand the weights of hammocks and their users without breaking or swaying.
Amazonas Apollo Hammock Stand
Accommodating hammocks between 2.5m and 3.3m, this stand is made from sustainable, weatherproofed spruce. Galvanised fittings are used to add structural stability while allowing you to adjust the stand to the size of your hammock.
Arcus Hammock Stand
Listed above as part of the California Dream set, this hammock stand's huge 4.37m length will fit large hammocks between the size of 3.4m to 4.2m.
Arc Hammock Stand
Varying in size depending on the hammocks you'll be using, the all-metal Arc Hammock Stand should be a sturdy, weather-resistant choice. It has adjustable chains allowing you to connect different kinds of hammocks to it, so it's a great fit if you have more than one at home.
How do I choose the right hammock?
Hammocks come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Hammocks with flat beds can offer more structure for your body, while looser designs can feel more snug. You can also get hammocks wide enough to share with another person (or for you to really spread out and relax), or you can opt for a single-sized choice to make a compact space that's truly yours.
If you're looking for low maintenance, it can be best to choose a design that's been weatherproofed so you don't have to store it away when it's not in use. However, if you're willing to take it to the shed or invest in a waterproof cover, a non-weatherproof choice could potentially have more luxurious fabrics to add some extra comfort.
Hammock stands (or frames) can be a more guaranteed approach to keeping the space more stable and secure, as they're designed to hold your weight without swaying or breaking.
A hammock stand isn't for everybody though so, whichever one you buy, it's possible to suspend it between two trees if you have the right tools. This will provide some natural shade while being more cost-effective but, as hammocks require a certain amount of tension, it'll depend on having trees that are both strong enough and the appropriate distance apart.
For something similar, why not consider a daybed? These are the most luxurious garden daybeds we've found.
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