Great Ways To Light a Rooftop Garden

Rooftop garden lighting makes your beautiful urban garden pop to life. Lighting a rooftop garden enhances the greenery amidst a sea of skyscrapers and concrete, turning your space into an oasis of sorts. In this article, we’ll explore rooftop lighting ideas, as well as how to best implement them.

 

What Are the Benefits of Lighting a Rooftop Garden? 

One of the primary draws of outdoor lighting for rooftop garden areas is the atmospheric look it provides. With the right illumination, you can create a whimsical garden area that stands out among the urban jungle.

While roof terrace lighting can improve upon the aesthetics of your outdoor living space, there are practical benefits to doing so as well. With a well-lit rooftop garden, you can enjoy the spacelong  after dark. Whether you need rooftop entertaining area lighting or just enough light to relax by alone after work, illuminating the rooftop well is key.

It, by result, makes the garden safer at all points during the day and night. More light will help you navigate the garden, helping you see potential hazards like edges, steps or uneven areas. It may also deter intruders who might otherwise try to sneak around in the shadows.

 

 

What to Consider When Lighting a Rooftop Garden

To ensure the best results when lighting rooftop gardens, it’ll require a bit of thought and planning. Consider the following when shopping for your rooftop light fixtures:

 

Durability and Weather Resistance

Since your rooftop patio lights will be exposed to the elements constantly, it’s important to have fixtures that can withstand the weather. Choose lights made of durable materials like aluminium or stainless steel with substantial IP ratings, like IP65 and above.

 

Wiring and Power

You’ll need to think about how you will power the lights. Choosing hardwired lighting systems will provide you with consistent and reliable illumination. However, if you cannot connect to the mains power, rechargeable battery-powered or solar lights can work instead.

 

Light Pollution

While lighting your rooftop garden, be mindful of the area around you. If you don’t want to contribute to the city’s light pollution, you can take care not to over-light the garden. Limiting the number of fixtures and the lumen counts can both help reduce the excess light.

 

Functionality and Purpose

Think about the primary use case of your lights. If you mostly need security lighting, you may want cool colour temperatures with a more focused beam of light. Conversely, cosier rooftops will look their best with warm, diffused lighting instead.

How to Use Low Level Lighting and Stair Lighting in a Rooftop Space

Stair and low level outdoor lighting play an important role both in terms of atmosphere and safety alike. Low level exterior wall lighting casts a soft spread of light low to the ground, providing task lighting when walking and soft mood lighting when relaxing.

LED outdoor step lighting can highlight the stairs and pathways, giving the garden space some definition. Of course, stair lighting also makes it safer for you to navigate the steps themselves. This is especially important on rooftops where you are so high up and may lose your balance or stumble if not paying attention.

Wall lights are a popular way to light up stairs and paths, but there are standalone lights you can use as well. Spike lighting fixtures and post bollard lights can be placed independently throughout the garden, letting you fill in any shadowy gaps.

When you combine both low level outdoor wall lighting and step lighting, you seamlessly create both atmosphere and a safer entertainment space. By turning off all other lights except those, you can enjoy soft mood lighting without glare, making for a more comfortable environment.

 

Design Ideas for Rooftop Garden Lighting 

There are many creative ways to light a rooftop garden to help you create an atmospheric place you’ll love to be. Below are a few ideas to get you started.

 

• LAYERING LIGHTS. Any well-lit space will need layered lighting to accomplish this. Layering your lights involves incorporating ambient, accent and task lighting.

 

Begin with ambient light, or the general illumination layer, by adding overhead lights or bright recessed outdoor wall lights. From there, you can supplement with task lighting in functional areas, such as outdoor dining and patio spaces. Finally, enhance the architectural features or your favorite plants with accent lighting.

 

• CREATE A FOCAL POINT. With so many beautiful plants, garden sculptures and architectural details to work with, you can easily pick an element of the rooftop garden to highlight. Using sculptural lighting, accent lighting, statement fixtures or wall washing lights will help you single out a feature and make the garden more memorable.

 

• STRING LIGHTS. One of the most popular ways to light a rooftop terrance is with string lights. Fairy lights, Edison bulbs and other such accessories create a whimsical, romantic atmosphere that can elevate your space above the rest.

 

• TAKE ADVANTAGE OF UPLIGHTING. Rooftop gardens have vertical space that stretches on forever, with limited horizontal space to match. Using uplighters on walls or in front of vertical gardens will draw the eye upwards and make the terrace feel even more open and breezy.

 

Safety Advice When Installing and Using Roof Terrace Lighting 

What are considered the best lights for a rooftop garden will vary from person to person based on individual tastes. One thing connects them all, though: the need for proper installation. If you do not install the lights well, or choose fixtures incompatible with outdoor use, you may find yourself replacing them more often than necessary.

Avoid this by first and foremost choosing durably built lights fashioned from weather resistant materials, like aluminium and stainless steel. Be sure you are mindful of the IP rating as well. IP ratings of IP65 and above will protect it from rain, wind and debris, letting you enjoy their full intended lifespan.

Once you have the appropriate lights, installing them safely and correctly is crucial. It is recommended that you hire a qualified electrician to handle this part for you, as any mistake may result in an injury. Beyond that, a professional will be able to ensure the lights are up to code.

Even with quality fixtures and proper installation, you will still need to maintain your lights from time to time. Do a walk about and check for dirty fixtures that need cleaned, cracked housing, loose wiring or flickering bulbs. Taking care of these issues as soon as possible will improve the function and longevity of your fixtures.

 

How to Create Ambiance When Planning a Roof Terrace Lighting Scheme 

If you’re wondering how to light a rooftop garden in a way that really makes it shine, you’ll want to focus on ambiance and mood lighting above all.

One way to ensure this is to choose warm colour temperatures first and foremost. Soft, diffused, warm light creates a cosier, more inviting atmosphere that you’ll love to relax in at night.

The warmth sets the stage for a comfortable and easy ambiance, while the diffusion prevents any glares from forming. You can incorporate such illumination in any number of ways, from modern outdoor wall lighting to ground lights and everything in between.

Accent lighting is also key in crafting a nice atmosphere. You can employ outdoor wall lighting to graze textured walls or shine on focal points. Doing so will not only create visual interest and depth, but will help set a nice tone as well. You will be able to let the indirect illumination serve as mood lighting as well.

 

 

How to Choose the Right Lighting for Your Roof Terrace Style  

To make the most out of your rooftop lighting, you should first get acquainted with the details of it. Survey the area and see if it is more traditional or modern, and expand from there. Contemporary aesthetics benefit from minimalist light fixtures, while traditional styles benefit from natural materials like stone and wood.

The intended use of the lights will also influence what fixtures you should have. For example, if you do a lot of outdoor dining, having direct task lights in the entertainment area is a must. If you head to the roof to enjoy a quiet moment after work, soft, low level lighting may be enough. Security lighting for your CCTV requires brighter light, and may benefit from cool illumination.

Different areas of the garden may also call for different fixture types.

 

• Seating areas use soft, diffused lighting like string lights, recessed floor lights and lanterns.
• Dining and entertainment areas work well with brighter, more focused illumination.
• Stairs and pathways need ample low level lighting to shine on the pathways, ensuring easier illumination.

As mentioned, it is critical that you choose lights durable enough to withstand the weather. Opt for durable lights made from steel or aluminium, with water-resistant or waterproof ratings of IP65 or above.

 

How to Highlight Features in Your Rooftop Garden With Lighting 

Lighting can be a potent tool for enhancing the visual appeal of your rooftop garden. By highlighting certain elements and drawing attention to them, you create focal points that provides visual depth and intrigue with ease.

Uplighting can be employed on vertical features, such as accent walls, columns or sculptures. This will create a sense of height while also drawing the eye upwards. Trees and larger plants may also benefit from spotlights on the ground shining up them.

Spotlights attached to the walls can provide more focused illumination on certain features. They can also be used to “moonlight” your trees, which is the process of lighting the canopy from above for rich visuals.

Your outdoor dining and entertainment areas can be set apart from the rest of the garden by using more direct, focused task lighting there. Pendant lights and fairy lights work particularly well for hanging over dining tables and seating areas.

 

Conclusion

The right lighting can take your rooftop garden to new heights. In this article, we’ve explored the ways rooftop lights can enhance your outdoor living space, as well as advice for implementation.

 

Urban Garden Lighting Ideas

 

Light up your rooftop garden from the ground up with ODL701 3 Watt Round Black Recessed Outdoor Wall Light. This low level light generates 300 lumens of 3000K warm white light that shines at an angle, spreading across the ground below. It measures only 83 millimeters in diameter and can be installed with ease anywhere. This durable fixture is fashioned out of black-finished aluminium and rated IP65.

 

 

Enhance the style of your garden with the LWA385 4 Watt Round Black Outdoor LED Wall Light. This circular wall sconce features an acrylic diffuser ring around the edge from which 400 lumens of 3000K warm white light shines. It is durably built from high quality aluminium and given an IP65 rating to protect it from the elements. Overall, this black fixture measures 102 millimeters in diameter.

 

 

Modernise your rooftop garden with the LWA382 Round 4 Watt Outdoor LED Wall Light. These circular sconces feature an opal acrylic diffuser front that softens the 400 lumens of 3000K warm white light. It is built to withstand the weather, thanks to its durable aluminium construction and IP65 rating. It measures 102 millimeters in diameter.

 

 

Show off feature walls and other vertical elements of your rooftop garden with the LWA369 3 Watt Brass Finish Outdoor LED Wall Light. This cylindrical light is fashioned out of sleek and stylish brass that gives a warm touch to your garden. Compact in size, it measures 90 millimeters in height by 44 millimeters in width, allowing you to easily install it on any garden wall. It generates 300 lumens of 3000K warm white light at a focused, 20 degree beam angle.