Your garden deserves to be enjoyed at any time of the day or night, so make sure you light it right with beautiful garden lighting.
With so much variety out there, it can be difficult to know where to begin with outdoor lighting, so we’re here to help. The first thing to know is that all outdoor light fittings come with an IP rating which shows how sturdy they are for life outdoors. The minimum rating you want for a garden light is IP44, guaranteed to be safe in the rain, or up to IP65 for particularly exposed areas or even IP67 if you'd like some underwater lights for a pond.
Now that you know the basics, let’s take a look at the different types of light fitting you can get your hands on. They’re all suitable for different jobs, so read on to discover how to make your garden glow!
Exterior house lighting
Adding lighting to the external walls of your house is one of the easiest ways to make your home look cosy and inviting even in the depths of the coldest winter night. Wall lights can be used to illuminate doors, paths running around the house, and even patios and terraces. Choose downward-facing spotlights or antique-style wall lanterns to create a welcoming ambiance, or opt for more powerful floodlights if you need bigger and brighter coverage.
If you have a covered terrace, you can take it a step further with an outdoor pendant light. These fittings typically come in a classic lantern style, and can be suspended from patio and terrace roofs to provide overhead lighting for your seating area - perfect for an evening soirée!
Path lighting
Light up your garden paths and driveway to make them safer, especially if you’ll be using them after dark, and to make them look prettier too! The key to path lighting is to make sure that it is low to the ground and evenly spread so that no part of your path goes unlit.
There are plenty of options for illuminating paths. If your path is edged by a wall, you can set mini guide lights into the wall at regular intervals to throw light across the path. If you don’t have an edging, try placing post and pedestal lights along your path. These bollard-shaped lights cast their light downwards and come in many stylish, decorative designs.
Step lighting
Even more essential for night-time safety is lighting for your garden steps. Step lighting should be bright enough to illuminate the edge of each step, and it should also be shielded or feature an ‘eyelid’ fitting so that the light is only cast down to avoid glare. If your steps are edged by a wall you can inset brick lights or guide lights into this, or you can add small, flush fittings to the steps themselves - just make sure you put them at the sides so there’s no danger of tripping.
To light steps that aren’t edged by walls, you could also try post lighting. Post lights are shielded so that they cast their light downwards, and they can easily be placed at regular intervals alongside your steps.
Deck lighting
By far the simplest way to light a deck is with recessed decking lights. These mini fittings sit almost flush against the wood of the deck, and have bevelled edges so that you can walk over them without tripping. Deck lights usually require a higher IP rating than other outdoor lights (preferably IPX5 or above), in case you ever jet-clean your deck.
To properly light your deck you’ll want to place the lights along the edges. First, add lights to the corners, and then, if your deck is surrounded by a railing, put them near every upright post. If this doesn’t give you enough coverage, or you don’t have a railing, fill in the gaps with extra lights every 60-80cm. You can even place different coloured lights across your deck to mark out a walkway - the possibilities are endless!
Security lighting
Outdoor lighting isn’t just about decoration and safety - it can also be used for home security. Floodlights are fantastic if you want bright, widespread lighting outside your home, such as by the front door, so you can feel more secure (and see what you’re doing!) when you’re fumbling around for your keys.
Motion-activated lighting is also excellent for security. Most sensor lights are fitted to walls, especially near doors, decks and porches, and they can act as an excellent deterrent to keep your home safe and secure.
Feature lighting
If you have a feature in your garden that deserves to be enjoyed day and night, such as a pretty water fountain or a beautiful tree, you can literally turn the spotlight on it with handy spike lights! These lights are fixed to spikes which can be driven into the ground, so they’re easy to install, and their adjustable heads mean you can point them right where you want them.
For larger features, you can achieve a similar effect with floodlights. Just place them below whatever feature you want to show off, point them upwards and let them illuminate your garden’s best beauty spots!
Find all the garden lighting you need at First Choice Lighting - your first choice for beautiful lighting products.
