Adaptable lighting in your garden not only expands the time you can spend outside, but also enables you to create different moods. From bright, functional lighting for putting the bins out to cosy softness for evening entertaining, the key is to achieve a mix of ambient and task lighting.
Bright, practical and safe
High-traffic areas like pathways and routes to the shed, garage and bin store need to be well lit all year round, and fixed, mains external lighting is the best starting point for any garden lighting plan. Safety is paramount when installing anything electrical outside, so this is a job for a qualified electrician. Motion-sensor security lights, low-level pathway lighting and patio wall lights are all sensible choices for keeping you safe.
Lighting for entertaining
As evening falls, there’s nothing more enticing than flickering candles on an outdoor dining table and having the glow or solar lights surrounding your rattan garden furniture. Add definition to entertaining spaces by hanging strings of fairy lights and create drama with oversized garden flame torches that can be staked in the lawn. Go for warm and gentle lights in your seating and dining areas, and more consistent, fixed lighting in your BBQ and cooking area.
Use lighting to highlight garden features
Provide a focal point deeper into your garden with globe lights in a particularly lovely tree or string lights festooned along the length of a fence. Solar lighting around a water feature can be subtly atmospheric, and don’t forget to light the front of your property with warm lighting in the porch to make your guests feel that they are entering somewhere special.
With the right lighting, any garden can become a magical place once the sun sets.
