With the correct outdoor lighting, your garden can be transformed into an ideal area for multiple purposes, bringing the exterior of your home to life. However, outdoor lighting often needs a lot more planning and creativity than you may assume. From stylish and energy-efficient, solar-powered lighting to smart systems that can be controlled remotely, there are so many options for lighting your garden.
Lighting your Garden: Be Prepared
Garden lighting is not just a case of ensuring you can see in the dark. The correct lighting can do wonders for the overall design of the space. After all, if you spend months making sure every element of your home and indoor lighting is perfect, why would you not apply the same principles to your garden? If you feel worried that there are so many areas to consider, we are here to break things down for you, so you feel less overwhelmed!
Health and Safety
The first thing we suggest is that, no matter what lighting you choose, you have it installed by a certified and qualified electrician. They are the experts and can ensure that everything is installed with the correct protection from rodents, squirrels and even foxes!
Lighting Layouts
Where and how you choose to lay your garden lighting is essential for a luscious outdoor space. Ideally, we would suggest you choose suitable places for your garden light points. Consider where they would fit without causing obstruction. You can create a better shadow effect in your garden by installing lights in front of your plants.
For the best results, you should use a combination of different lighting types. This will do wonders to many areas of your garden. From creating the right mood to lighting the way to specific features such as ornaments, how you light your garden can have a huge impact on the overall design.
Don’t Buy Cheap
You may see many articles online telling you how to decorate your garden on a budget, but there’s a hidden truth behind this method. Buying cheap is not sustainable, and you will find yourself needing to replace your lighting far too often. We’re not saying that you have to fork out for the most expensive lighting available, but you should think about what will bring the best return on investment. Good quality, durable lighting can keep your garden bright and welcoming for a long time.
Lighting Types
Outdoor lighting is IP rated, so the higher the rating, the more resistant the fitting is to the elements. All outdoor lighting should be waterproof, durable and compliant with safety regulations. But you have to think about more than just the IP type if you’re after the best lighting for your garden. If you want to live more sustainably, we highly recommend you opt for LED lights instead of halogen. They are low energy and, again, they last much longer than their less eco-friendly counterparts. Opt for warm white instead of cool as it will provide a softer glow in the evening.
Lighting Styles
The style is the key to creating the right atmosphere in your garden. A blend of spotlights and post lights can add drama, leading you from one area of the garden to another. Illuminating the floor with uplighters can help to emphasise certain parts of your garden.
Decking and spike lights will help brighten up the patio are and create a warm, welcoming environment. Choosing stylish outdoor wall lighting can certainly help bring the social areas of your garden to life. You can find a wonderful selection of traditional and contemporary outdoor lights at ABM Electrical. We are more than happy to speak to you in person to help you find the right outdoor lighting solutions for your garden.
Bonus Tip
Of course, it is likely that you will want security lighting to keep your wonderful home as safe as possible. As handy as these are for security, they can wash out the atmosphere if you leave them on while socialising. Switch them off if you intend to spend your evening in the garden but remember to switch them back on again once you head inside!
Talk to the Experts
At ABM Electrical, we can offer helpful advice on what could be the ideal lighting solutions for your garden. If you would like to learn more or would like to hear about our products, then get in touch.
