Our outdoor spaces come into their own over the warmer summer months when we can continue enjoying our gardens long after dusk. Many of the best cosy garden ideas involve soft, ambient outdoor lights to help define specific spaces in your garden, creating a warm inviting glow for relaxing or entertaining.

When planning a garden lighting scheme, it helps to think of the garden in layers rather than trying to flood the entire space with light. Good outdoor lighting should guide the eye to defined areas and create depth. Read on to discover out top tips for creating great garden lighting ideas.

1. Start by identifying key areas you use most often, such as patios, seating areas, garden paths and entrances. Then consider which features you would like to highlight, such as trees, flower beds, sculptures or textured walls.

2. Path lighting is one of the most practical additions to any garden. Low-level bollard lights or recessed pathway lights improve safety while creating a welcoming appearance. Decking lights fitted into steps or timber edges can also reduce trip hazards and add a contemporary look.

3. Consider lighting around patios, pergolas and entertaining areas. Hanging an outdoor lantern such as our Tilbury Outdoor Pendant, above an outdoor dining table will give you plenty of ambient light to eat by as well as focal point during the day. Wall lights and festoon lighting will also create warmth and atmosphere without overpowering this space.

4. Accent lighting is another effective technique. Spotlights positioned at the base of trees can create dramatic shadows and structure in the garden at night. Use uplighting to highlight architectural areas, and downlighting from pergolas or walls for softer, more natural illumination.

5. Avoid placing lights directly at eye level where possible, as this can create uncomfortable glare.

6. Consider the IP Rating. Make sure your choice of light has the right IP rating for where you wish to fit it. Most outdoor lights need a minimum rating if IP44 (spash proof) but if your garden is exposed to high winds, an IP rating of IP65 might be better. 

For more information, see our Ultimate Guide to Outdoor Lights 
And our IP Ratings Explained - Outdoors

The key to great outdoor lighting is layering - particularly in areas of the garden we want to use for entertaining or relaxing. Similar to indoors, use a mix of outdoor pendant lights, wall lights, fairy or festoon lights to provide different levels of light that make for a cosy atmosphere and help to define the space.

Choose decorative wall lights that produce soft, ambient light for alfresco dining as it creates warmth, comfort and atmosphere. You don’t want lights that are too harsh on the eye when you are outside because our eyes take a while to adjust to different levels of light at night and work much better when lighting is at similar levels. Harsh lights also make the dark seem darker!

Choosing fluted glass like our Putney Outdoor Wall Light is ideal for outdoors because the ribbed glass hides the glare of the bulb and diffuses light to give a soft, comforting glow. We suggest keeping colour levels to around 2700-300K which bathes the area in wonderful golden light that feels cosy and comforting. 

Garden pendants are ideal of you have a patio, deck or veranda as they provide excellent all round ambient light for tasking or relaxing by as well as an eye catching focal point that will add  a little drama overhead. A period-style hanging lantern, like our Hackney Outdoor Lantern in antiqued brass or matt black, instantly ups the elegance.

Pergolas and outdoor dining spaces benefit from softer ambient lighting such as lanterns, string lights or concealed LED strips. Festoon lights are easy to put up, can be used straight away, plugged indoors and hung between trees, over patios or wound around pergolas for instant effect. Recessed ground lights work particularly well along modern pathways and around water features, creating a clean and minimalist appearance. Even small gardens can benefit from carefully placed lighting that adds depth and interest after sunset.

Nothing is more inviting than a matching pair of outdoor wall lights fitted either side of a doorway, gate, window or arch to welcome you home and improve your curb appeal. Using matching wall lights around your garden adds symmetry to a lighting scheme and sets a soft glow for the evening, ideal for courtyards, fence posts, outbuildings, and verandas.

Garden lighting needs to be functional as well as attractive, particularly along pathways, steps, entrances, ponds, swimming pools and driveways so you can see where is is safe to walk. Using post lights mounted to pillars or garden fence posts, such as our Clipper or Harbour Wall Light, or lights on spikes are an excellent way to improve visibility in these areas as well as used to create decorative pools of light.

If you don’t have wiring for outdoor lights, solar lights can make an instant and efficient difference to your garden. They can be used straight out of the box, spiked into the ground or hung from trees and shrubs, and don’t cost a penny to run. But, here in the UK with our patchy sun, they are often a little on the dim side and might not withstand a demanding winter, so it's often best to restrict them to path or bedding displays and store them indoors over winter.

HIGHLIGHT GARDEN FEATURES