Accoya wood has been chosen for the seating within the new Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Garden at Regent’s Park, where durability, low maintenance and long-term outdoor performance are central to the design.
Accsys has confirmed that Accoya wood will be used for the benches within the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Garden at London’s Regent’s Park, a £5 million project honouring the life of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and her deep personal appreciation of the outdoors.
The scheme will include a central circular bench and six linear benches, providing seating for up to 75 people. Accoya has been specified for the seating due to its stability, resistance to decay and ability to perform in exposed outdoor environments with limited maintenance.
With a proven above-ground lifespan of 50 years, the material is intended to support the long-term character of the memorial, where the benches will need to withstand heavy public use and changing weather conditions while retaining their appearance over time.
The memorial garden has been designed by Millimetre, the designer and manufacturer working closely with HTA Design and The Royal Parks to develop, manufacture and install the seating. Millimetre has previous experience with Accoya, having crafted Accoya seating for the Strand in London, and is also working on Accoya structures for the Parkinson’s UK garden at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2026.
The choice of material reflects the wider aims of the garden, which is being designed around a balance of public accessibility, longevity and sustainability. For a prominent public memorial in one of London’s best-known parks, the specification places emphasis not only on appearance, but on how the seating will age and perform over decades of use.
Karn Sandilands, Director at Millimetre, said, “For a memorial like this, longevity is essential, it’s about creating something that will endure as a lasting tribute to HM the Queen’s life and legacy. Accoya allows us to make design choices with confidence, knowing the material will perform over the long term while retaining a timeless, natural quality that feels entirely appropriate to the setting.”
Accoya is already used across a range of landscaping and public realm applications, where timber must combine visual quality with predictable performance. In this case, the material’s low-maintenance credentials are particularly important, helping ensure the benches can remain in use and continue to weather gracefully.
Laura Keily, Head of Marketing at Accsys, added, “It’s an honour for Accoya to be part of the Queen Elizabeth II Memorial Garden. We’re seeing good traction for Accoya in landscaping applications, its performance in busy public spaces makes it particularly well suited to environments where quality, comfort and durability must be maintained year after year.”
For more info visit www.accsysplc.com
Read more in the latest Timber Trader magazine here
