6 Outdoor lighting ideas for your garden

Whether it’s for the purpose of night-time entertaining, evening aesthetics, security or simply so you can see where you’re going, adding lights to your outdoors brings your garden to life.

However, there are so many options to choose between. From hanging lights, wall lights, step lights, pedestals, poles, and in-ground lights.

To make the choice easier, here are our top style choices and outdoor lighting picks.

1. Light the way

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During the day, the power of the sun charges garden lights like these, then at night, they do their bit to light up your outdoor areas. Ideal uses include along the edges of your pathways, around garden beds and indicating the entry to your driveway and front gate. Best bit? You just gently spike them into the ground!

2. Traditional features

For cottage gardens, look for classic-shaped lighting options. Again, models like this sparkler are solar-powered so they don’t require batteries or cords, and rather than placing them alongside pathways – try pushing them between your plantings to add evening ambience out in your yard.

3. Entertaining areas

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The trend of suspending a string of outdoor party lights is nothing new; there has just been a shift toward using clear bulbs rather than a spectrum of retro colours. These festive beauties look best zigzagged overhead under verandahs or patios or strung up as a single length above a long dining table for special occasions. Party on!

4. Mood lighting

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Enjoy evenings spent with your nearest and dearest by the glow of candlelight. Group together a mix ’n’ match of decorative lanterns, then light up the night with wax or battery-powered candles. Tiki-style oil lanterns are also fabulous for that appealing resort vibe at home – especially when fuelled with citronella oil to keep the mozzies at bay.

5. Access lighting

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There’s nothing worse (or possibly more dangerous) than arriving home in the absolute pitch-black of night. A light by your front door makes getting the key in the lock easy to achieve! For a more traditional look, go for an exterior-quality light fitting that suits the classic architectural elements of your home. For contemporary homes, shop the market to find clean-lined models you love!

6. Light up your path

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Highlight feature trees and plantings in your garden with upward-facing spotlights. This technique looks fab in tropical schemes, especially when used to light up the trunks and sculptural foliage of palms. Top tip? Have your electrician install a series of exterior-quality spotlights on a timer so you don’t have to worry about flicking them on and off.