Garden lighting allows you to make the most of your outdoor living space. Extending the hours you can spend outside while showcasing your horticultural creations will transform any garden, big or small. Don’t just plonk a few solar lights around the lawn, take a look at these transformational lighting ideas to accentuate a garden’s features and turn your plot into an after-hours alfresco entertainment area.
Light the way with bollard lamps
Welcome visitors into your garden and encourage them to explore it with carefully positioned bollard lights. If you only opt for lighting around the patio near the house or the decking area to the side, your useful space at dusk and dark is vastly reduced. Show off your planting areas, garden structures and feature displays by leading guests along paths with upright to lead the way. As trailing wires aren’t ideal for lights that are a distance away from the mains electricity, choose a solar option.
Create magical hidden corners
Lighting up dark corners gives the effect of visually expanding your garden right out to the otherwise-unseen edges. If you have kids then illuminate corners and recesses with lanterns and strung fairy lights to create magical spaces and imaginative kingdoms slightly hidden from view. If you have tucked away areas a little lighting leading the eye in with illumination in the space will add to a sense of discovery and wonder.
Portable pop up zones
Bring your indoor or daylight activities outdoors or into the night by stocking on a few portable lights so you can see what you’re doing. You might want to exercise in the garden as the daylight fades or have different seating options around the space for assorted dusk-time relaxation spots. Pick a pick-up-and-play a battery powered light with different illumination levels for a most versatile option.
Aim high and low by adding layers
Layering your garden lighting will make a real statement. A selection of Table lights, wall lamps, up lighters and downlighters create a warming all-round ambience. To enhance patio and decking spaces, place lights at different heights to add character and extra safety to illuminate the borders.
Create a glow in and around trees and foliage
Well placed stem lights subtly accentuate trees and foliage. Place a few at the base of trees to create a warm glow that scatters shadows on the bark and shows off its texture. Silhouette foliage in borders by having a few lights that peep out from the leafy cover. The effect will be to highlight standout plants and show their deep, dark greens for a tiny splash of colour as the sunsets.
A good way to get a feel for the effects you can create with garden lights is to take note of the natural lighting as the sun moves through the sky. Watch for which areas that look particularly striking when bathed in sunlight but also where shadows dance as dusk approaches. Subtly is the key when it comes to garden lighting so go otherwise your guests will constantly make comments about “Blackpool illuminations” or to watch out for planes landing!
For more advice on our outdoor lights, please get in touch.