Garden lighting is often an afterthought, but it’s the key to creating atmosphere and adding a touch of decorative style and drama to your outdoor space, big or small.
Every garden needs a focal point, and with proper lighting, you can accentuate certain parts of the garden, give it character and ambience, mark out paths and boundaries.For best results, combine different garden lights to accentuate the texture, depth and drama of walls, fences, steps, patio edges, foliage, trees and water.
Work from scratch, then add wall lighting and spotlights to create a layered look, but don’t over-light it.For example, keep the wall design on the patio.You can create a better atmosphere with lanterns, candles and tea lights.
Darren Staniforth, a technologist at regulator NICEIC (National Electrical Installation Contracting Inspection Council), warns: “Don’t shine the light on what’s in front of you.” To help you plan your options, Darren recommends highlighting the most attractive features and delivering them where you need them Task lighting, such as above dining tables or near entrances and exits in different areas of the garden.
Uplighting works well on the far end of the garden, where you can direct light onto a fence to make the space appear larger, while downlighting can be used to pick out features like trees, or placed above a table to provide light for a meal or to relax.
Simple Garden Lighting Ideas: Create shadows by placing a light in front of sculptural plants or objects for a dramatic look.
Award-winning garden designer Charlotte Rowe recommends that if you’re landscaping your garden, you should plan your lighting design early in your garden project, as all wiring typically needs to be done under hard landscaping and planting.
And don’t forget borders – drawing attention to them can create a comprehensive scheme for your modern garden.You can create this effect by installing a waterproof LED rope light bar on the bottom edge of the bezel.It’s also a great statement for any patio, deck or terraced area.
Finally, choose LED garden lights over halogen lights, as they are very energy efficient and the lights last longer.We recommend that you choose warm white over cool white as it brings a softer glow to your outdoor space.
A solar light is a great option for garden lighting because it can be used as both a function and a decoration.Not only are they more energy efficient, which can save you money in the long run, but they’re also easy to install and can sit for long periods of time.
While solar garden lights don’t require outdoor electricity, they do rely on a steady supply of strong sunlight, so you can’t always rely on them.Some outdoor solar lights can take up to eight hours a day to fully charge, so solar lights with battery backup or USB rechargeable solar lights are perfect for the darker winter months.If the weather gets wet and windy, it’s a good idea to turn off solar lighting until conditions improve, as fragile wires can easily snap.
Garden Lighting Ideas: Solar lights are suitable for almost all types of lighting designs, including fairy lights, garland lights, stake lights, lanterns, path lights, and wall lights.Place them where you’ll be spending your summer evenings and hang solar lights so you can see them from inside the house – they’ll glow by themselves when it’s too cold to go outside.
Garden fairy lights and flower lights, also known as garden string lights, are a key feature in making your garden space more charming.For outdoor fairy lights, the power source can be battery, plug-in or solar.If you want to liven up some plants, choose a battery powered light with a timer (make sure it’s in a shaded position) or a solar string light.Flexible wires mean you can easily design and shape them.If you use an extendable string of lights, you can add lengths to cover hundreds of meters for magical effects, and plug-ins are the best option.
Garden Lighting Ideas: Whether it’s winter or summer, a garden full of twinkling lights is a magical sight.Garden fairy lights are very decorative and colorful, so you can use them to really enhance your garden.They light up any space perfectly, not with a strong and bright light, but with a soft and warm glow.For the most effective effect, thread fairy lights through plantings, but you can also wrap string lights around trees or hang along fences.Another idea is to string colored lights back and forth in the lounge area to create your own starry sky.
Practical and functional outdoor wall sconces will accentuate the area around your house, garden or balcony or even your shed.Garden wall lights are powered by solar or mains electricity.Mains power ensures that lighting is guaranteed, but solar power may be a good option.PIR motion sensor lights are a popular choice – often used at the front of the house, the sensor welcomes visitors and is good for security and lighting paths or gates.
Use low-level lighting to draw attention to the texture of the ground.Combine functional uplights and downlights, and use bar LEDs to define paths and boundaries.Floor lamps (especially flat round lamps) are great for decor and can easily be placed around decorative areas, steps, paths and patios for instant appeal and ambience.
Garden stakes or spikes also make great floor lights—they’re easy to install and a great decorative feature, especially when in flower beds or between foliage.You may also want a floor spotlight to accentuate a path or illuminate a corner, a post or lamp post is ideal for illuminating an entire garden.
Keep in mind that some floor lights, especially recessed floor lights (in decks or paving), will require wiring and cable connections must be waterproof.If you are considering this for your garden, make sure it is installed by a qualified and licensed electrician.
All wired garden lighting must be installed by a certified and qualified electrician.Make sure the cables are well protected from rodents, squirrels and foxes.
Electricians will usually recommend getting lighting power directly from the house, and may also recommend installing a new outdoor outlet.External receptacles should be installed in sheltered locations – they must have a weatherproof enclosure to provide protection and an appropriate IP (ingress protection) rating.
Charlotte Rowe recommends looking for high-quality, compact, water-resistant lamps with an IP67 or 68 rating.
For safety, all external sockets must have RCD (Residual Current Device) protection.RCDs work by shutting off the current when a cable or flex cable is cut.To create the circuit, armored cables were run around the garden, and “spurs” provided sockets for individual lights.
Underground cables must be buried deep enough in trenches to avoid damage to garden tools, pets, and wildlife.You should always buy outdoor lighting from a reputable retailer and make sure it’s certified waterproof, especially for water features.Unless clearly marked as waterproof, lights that plug into an outdoor outlet are not designed to stay outside year-round, so they should be brought indoors once summer is over.And, importantly, always use a registered electrician, you can find one at NICEIC.
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Post time: Jan-12-2022
