Lighting adds something extra-special to every garden. Whether it’s making long summer evenings even longer or adding festive cheer to dark winter nights, with a few well-placed garden lights, it’s easy to create the mood you want. With so many different types of garden lighting available, we’ve put together a few ideas on how to use them.
All about solar lighting
The days when your solar garden lights would work for a few months and then give up are over. Solar lighting technology has come on by leaps and bounds in recent years. Most solar garden lights use LED bulbs, which need little power to produce a very respectable amount of light. The bulbs last a long time, and with modern photovoltaic technology, batteries charge well even on cloudy days. Solar lighting systems are flexible and easy to install, letting you redesign your garden lighting to your heart’s content.
How to create effects with garden lighting
There’s no end to the effects you can create with your garden lighting. Here are our top 5 tips to get you started.
1. Highlight structures with fairy lights
Strings of fairy lights are perfect for highlighting a pergola or archway or wrapping around tree branches to create a sparkling night-time silhouette. A patio or seating area strung with fairy lights has an instant party atmosphere.
2. Create atmosphere with bare light bulbs
These are light bulbs with a twist - solar lights in the shape of bare light bulbs, but with a sparkling string of LEDs in place of an element. They’re available with individual solar panels, making them easy to clip or hook on to branches or structures, with no cabling to get in the way. You can also buy strings of bulbs, perfect for recreating the feel of a rustic taverna or beach cottage, evoking memories of special holidays.
3. Light the way with path lights
Path lights have beams that focus downwards, lighting the ground around them. Space individual spike-mounted path lights along a path to light your way, or to guide your guests to where the party is happening!
4. Highlight features with spotlights
Spotlights have a narrow beam, ideal for highlighting a special feature in your garden. For a dramatic effect, use them to light a statue, sculpture or decorative pot from below, or cross-light a feature with a spotlight on either side.
5. Add a gentle glow with accent lights
Accent lights have a wider beam than spotlights, making them good for spreading a glow of light over an area. They’re not as bright as spotlights, but this means they can stay on for longer. Place a few accent lights around a patio or seating area for a warm, welcoming effect, then add a few strings of fairy lights for some extra sparkle.
