Garden lighting ideas should strike a balance between practical and decorative purposes. For example, solar-powered crackle glass orbs that double as a wind chime provide ambience while helping to illuminate pathways and keep after-dark visitors safe from tripping hazards.
A well-placed light can dramatically alter the appearance of a plant, object or feature. Lighting from front, side and back can wash them with a soft glow, define shape or cast dramatic shadows.
Upcycled Lanterns
Clever lighting can transform your garden into a sociable gathering space well after the sun goes down. Discreet up-lighting can enhance the shape of trees and planting, throwing their silhouettes into relief and transforming fountains into dynamic sparkling features.
Use lights to mark pathways, preventing them from becoming trip hazards when it’s dark. Then you can move around with confidence and enjoy your garden after hours.
Make your own backyard lanterns from repurposed household items like milk cartons and paper party lanterns. With a bit of paint you can transform them into festive designs to suit any holiday. Mason jars also work well as light fixtures. Simply fill them with fairy lights (they’re low voltage and battery powered so you don’t need an electrician), screw on the lid, and hang them from tree limbs or on yard stakes using shepherd’s hooks. This DIY from Inspired by Charm is simple to follow and creates a really pretty effect.
Mason Jar Lanterns
Lights placed under or around an object can highlight its shape, texture and color. This can be done by highlighting a tree or shrub with uplighting; adding a wash of light with a lantern or string lights; and using lighting to define the edge of a path or water feature. (Just be careful not to point any light directly into a garden pond as it will highlight weeds and roots.)
Use a combination of outdoor lighting ideas to brighten up your space for evening parties, dinners with friends or quiet retreats. You can also add a more permanent element by building lighting into pathways or features like this corten steel fire pit by Yardzen.
Hanging lanterns on your porch or patio is an easy and fun way to illuminate a cozy dining or cocktail lounge. These creative cracked glass textured solar powered lanterns by Yardzen would look great hanging on trees or fence limbs in your backyard, or on a table at an alfresco dinner party.
Solar Lights
The right lighting will transform your garden into a sociable, relaxing space for entertaining. You can choose to highlight a specific garden feature with uplighters or, as in this sheltered courtyard by Osada Design and John Cullen Lighting, light the entire area for a more atmospheric effect.
For paths you could use path lights – often called deck lights – which are recessed and help to prevent tripping. Or you can add spotlights or pillar lights to the side of a pathway for visibility and drama.
Another idea is to use fairy lights – which you can hang in the branches of trees and other areas – to create an enchanting nighttime atmosphere. You can also find battery operated options that don’t need an electrical outlet. These are great for lighting pathways or putting in jars. They come in a range of colours including Cool White which is like daylight and Warm Yellowish which has a subtle glow.
Table Candles
Great garden lighting does many things: it creates a sense of depth and dimension, highlights the shape and texture of plants, and creates drama with shadows. It also illuminates areas for play or dining, and it can help deter tripping hazards or keep wandering feet out of flower beds.
Small stake lights are a good choice for lighting pathways, and they can be solar or battery powered. They’re particularly effective in dark corners or along the edges of a raised vegetable bed, where they cast subtle light into and around the plantings.
Colored lanterns or string lights can inject a bit of whimsy into a night garden, though they should be used sparingly to avoid overpowering the overall design. For a more permanent solution, try installing wall sconces, like these from Yardzen, that reflect the light from the inside and can even be programmed to change colors. You can also use LED flameless candles, which are a safe and convenient option that are virtually indistinguishable from their real-life counterparts.