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Garden lighting can transform your outdoor living space in an instant. With the right strategically placed garden lights, you can enhance both the aesthetics and the safety of your garden. In this article, we’ll take a look at various applications of outdoor lighting, as well as some garden lighting ideas to get you started.
Benefits of Good Garden Lighting
Garden light fixtures can be used in a number of ways to enhance your outdoor living space. Some of the key benefits of LED garden lighting include:
- BETTER ILLUMINATION – First and foremost, exterior lighting can provide much needed illumination in your outdoor living space. This makes it better suited for nighttime use, such as grilling out with friends or simply enjoying a peaceful summer evening on your own. You can opt for the lights to be brighter or dimmer depending on the kind of atmosphere you want to set.
- CREATE FOCAL POINTS – If there is a statue, architectural detail or feature of your landscape that you love, you can use outdoor lighting to draw attention to it. Accent lights such as garden wall lights or uplighting ground lights can easily highlight the best parts of the garden.
- INCREASED SAFETY – Pathway lights, post lights and garden spotlights can make the outdoor space safer overall in terms of your ability to navigate the space in the dark and in terms of deterring intruders. If the space is brighter, not only will the visibility increase for navigation, but it will also make it harder for uninvited guests to walk onto your property undetected.
- IMPROVED PROPERTY VALUE – A beautiful garden can positively impact the overall market value of your home. It adds to the overall appearance and comes as a part of the package, making it more appealing to potential buyers.Â
How To Use Wall Lighting in Your GardenÂ
Garden wall lanterns and other garden wall sconce styles are one of the most common ways to incorporate landscape lighting into your outdoor living area. Wall lights can be added in a number of ways, including:
- HIGHLIGHTING ARCHITECTURAL ELEMENTS – Install wall lights near nooks, coves, columns or unique wall textures to draw the eye to them. This will also create some visual depth.
- CREATING AN ATMOSPHERE – If you use indirect lighting such as wall lights, you can give a more atmospheric feel to your outdoor living space. Warm lighting can create a more inviting and cosy atmosphere. Conversely, you can choose brighter, cooler lights to make it more vibrant and modern.
- ILLUMINATING WALKWAYS – WALL lights positioned near pathways can add an extra layer of safety to your outdoor space. These will make it easier to see as you navigate the pathways.
- ADDING ARTISTIC FLAIR – Some wall lights, such as wall washers, are great for adding a decorative touch. By using wall lights with interesting shapes or finishes, you can improve upon the decor of the outdoor space.
- UP AND DOWNLIGHTS – Illuminate shrubs, trees and architectural elements from below with uplighters. Downlighters can shine light down onto the ground below, generating little pools of light.
How Pathway Lighting Can Enhance Your GardenÂ
Pathways are a well-travelled area of the garden and therefore need ample illumination. Well-lit pathways can make it easier for you and your guests to easily navigate the various areas of the garden safely without fear of tripping over anything.
Pathway lights, such as garden spike lights, can also be used to section off various elements of the garden that the pathways run through. This could include dining areas, seating areas, shrubbery sections and beyond.
You can also enhance the garden area visually by choosing interesting bollard lights. Installing underground lights can make the pathways visible while also providing a moodier feel in the garden overall.
How To Use Spotlights and Spike Lights in the Garden
Among your many outdoor lighting options are garden spike lights. These lights get their name from their often spiky shapes and are installed in the ground. They have many potential applications.
- CREATING A FOCAL POINT – Using spike lights, you can create areas of interest by highlighting certain features you particularly like. Doing so can elongate the look of the garden, adding depth.
- USE AS FLOODLIGHTS – If you have wider areas in the garden, you can light them with a spotlight to wash illumination over a more general area.
- ILLUMINATE SHRUBS – Low level plants can be lit up with spike lights or spotlights placed beneath or behind them.
- OUTLINE PATHWAYS – Installing spike lights along walkways can easily show where the paths lead, making them easier to navigate.
- ZONE THE GARDEN – You can use these lights to separate various elements of the garden from one another. This could include seating and dining areas.
How To Use Fairy Lights in a Garden SpaceÂ
Fairy lights are a whimsical form of modern garden lighting that can add personality to your space. They consist of smaller bulbs attached to a string cord that can be installed in a number of ways. Incorporating them is as simple as incorporating any other type of LED outdoor lighting, if not more so.
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- MAKE YOUR OUTDOOR SPACE LOOK LIKE A FAIRY TALE SETTING – Draping fairy lights around pillars, hanging them from walls and wrapping them around pillars can create an enchanted-looking space. You can also hang them from trees in the area to give the space an even more whimsical look.
- MAKE THINGS COSY – If you wind fairy lights around plants, bushes and trees, you can create a cosy mood with indirect lighting.
- FILL MASON JARS – By bunching up some fairy lights inside of jars and placing them on tables and ledges, you can create soft, indirect lighting when casually entertaining guests.
- HANG THEM FROM PARASOLS – Make the most out of your garden parasols by ensuring they are useful at night, too. Hang fairy lights from the bars of the parasols to light up the garden after dark.
- MAKE AN ARTISTIC STATEMENT – By adding several strings of fairy lights around trees or furnishings, you can create eye-catching focal points in seconds.
Ideas on How To Use Deck and Patio Lighting
Weatherproof outdoor lights are especially useful when it comes to lighting your deck and patio areas. By illuminating these outdoor living spaces, you can make it more comfortable with indirect lighting.
- HANG FAIRY LIGHTS – One of the many applications of string lights is to drape them across the seating area, dining space or hot tub on your deck or patio for a gentle glow.
- LOW LEVEL LIGHTS – Installing wall mounted garden lights along the lower portion of a patio wall can generate pleasant indirect lighting while also enhancing the appearance of the space.
- RECESSED LIGHTS – Installing recessed lighting beneath the deck or the deck’s stairs can light up the deck while providing a one of a kind appearance.
- PENDANT LIGHTS – If you have a covered deck or patio, you can hang a couple of statement pendant lights to elevate its look and provide ambient lighting.
- FLOOR LANTERNS – Give the patio or deck a classic look by placing traditional lanterns on the ground near seating areas and entryways.
- LIGHT UP THE PERIMETER – Install strip lighting along the edge of the deck, both on the flooring and on the soffits above it.
Ways to Use Recessed Ground Lighting in a Garden
There are many reasons you should incorporate recessed lighting into your garden. Some of the most common reasons include:
- NAVIGATION AND SAFETY – Ground lights can make it easier to see the pathways you place them near, making it safer for you and guests.
- DECORATIVE FLAIR – If you like modern aesthetics, underground lighting is a great way to accomplish this. They highlight the natural beauty of the garden without being as distracting as above ground fixtures.
- GENERAL AMBIENCE – Ground lights provide a soft, indirect glow, which can make the garden feel warmer and cosier.
- VERSATILITY – You can use ground lights in any area of the garden from pathways to feature sections to seating areas and beyond.
How To Light Up Trees in a Garden as a FeatureÂ
Lighting up the trees can add visual depth and beauty to your garden. These lights will also ensure that light is balanced and spread more easily through the entire garden. Below are a few tips to light up the trees:
- If the tree has a wide spread greater than 10 meters, use two or more uplights to ensure ample lighting.
- If the tree has a 35-45 degree arc, a single medium beam uplight will do the trick.
- If the tree has dark, dense leaves, place the light slightly outside of the canopy for best results.
- Place a medium-sized uplight at the base of the tree trunk to shine up through any open areas in the canopy.
- Wrap fairy lights around the branches of trees, especially in the wintertime when they are bare.
- Hang lanterns in the trees for a fairy tale effect.
- Shine uplights from the base of the trees to provide dramatic flair.
Ideas for Outdoor Garden Lighting
Bring some classic flair to your outdoor space with the LWA706 12 Watt Square Black Outdoor Wall Light. This wall sconce features LED bulbs behind an acrylic diffuser to soften the light. Both bulbs rest within a black aluminium cage that is durable and hard-wearing. The light outputs 1200 lumens of 3000k warm white illumination, making it cosy but easy to see the surroundings. It is weatherproof with its IP65 rating and measures 155 millimeters by 155 millimeters in size.
Add modern appeal to your garden walls with the LWA489 Round 10 Watt Black Exterior LED Wall Light. This minimalistic light features a simple disc shape on a short pedestal. It is built from premium aluminium given a black finish from end to end. Furthering its durability is its IP65 rating to protect it from the elements. The fixture outputs 1000 lumens of 3000k warm white light from behind the acrylic diffuser and measures 146 millimeters in diameter.
Go for a more traditional look with the LWA491 6 Watt Black Outdoor LED Wall Light. This wall light features a classic umbrella-shaped shade above the LED bulb. A total of 500 lumens of 3000k white light shines from the bulb located behind an acrylic diffuser that softens the glow. The fixture is built to last from high quality aluminium that comes in a sleek black finish. It is rated IP65 to protect it from the elements and measures 230 millimeters by 200 millimeters by 232 millimeters.
Enjoy minimalist aesthetics with the ODL701 3 Watt Round Black Recessed Outdoor Wall Light. This wall light recesses into the wall and shines light through horizontal slats, spreading illumination along the ground. It outputs 300 lumens of 3000k warm white light to provide pleasant indirect lighting. The fixture is durable with its aluminium body finished in black and its IP65 rating. It measures 70 millimeters in diameter.
Illuminate pathways and zone areas of the garden with the LFL062 12 Watt 600mm Tall Twin Black Spotlight LED Bollard Light. This bollard light measures 600 millimeters tall and features two light heads at the top. These heads are able to be tilted to provide directional light wherever you please. Together, the two bulbs shine a total of 1000 lumens of 3000k warm white light. The fixture is manufactured out of top quality aluminium and given an IP65 rating to protect it from the elements.
Draw attention to features in the garden with the LSP157 12 Watt LED Black Finish Garden Spike Light. This spotlight shines an ultra bright 1200 lumens of 3000k warm white light from its adjustable head. Move the head up or down to choose the direction of the lighting. It is resistant to weather damage thanks to its IP67 rating and aluminium build. The black finish makes it easy to incorporate into gardens of any style, while its size of 150 millimeters by 78 millimeters allows it to fit virtually anywhere.
Dress up your deck or pathways with the ODL047 1 Watt Round Brass Finish LED Ground or Decking Light. This small light provides bright illumination of 70 lumens. The 3000k warm white colour is gentle on the eyes but still crisp enough to easily see. The light shines at a 30-degree beam angle and can be mounted in decking or concrete. Boasting an IP67 rating to protect it from weather damage, the fixture is finished in a sleek polished brass and measures a compact 38 millimeters in diameter.
Provide plenty of illumination all across the garden with the ODL029 9 Watt 316 Stainless Steel Recessed LED Ground Light. This ground light features a low profile with its circular shape and recessed design. It is built to last using aluminium with a tempered glass front and is finished with a 316 grade stainless steel face plate. The IP67 rating also protects it from potential weather damage from exposure to the elements. Overall, it measures 120 millimeters in diameter.
