Outdoor lighting ideas to make your garden glow

Posted on 10th August 2023

Light up your garden with these bright ideas. We’re talking fairy lights, lanterns and path solutions to illuminate your outdoor seating and dining areas like a pro.

Outdoor kitchens and lounge zones often require a lot of light in the evening – from spots and hanging fairy lights to table lanterns that can be easily brought out depending on the occasion.

Outdoor seating area — Large globe festoon lights, £87.95, Sparkle Lighting.

Lighting should be incorporated within the landscaping or garden design to ensure you can use the space at night. For example, you can add solar-powered spotlights to flower beds or wrap fairy lights on tree branches. Sounds cosy, right?

While some outdoor lights can be simply decorative, there are also plenty of functional options available. Picture a bunch of pebble lights along a garden path or motion sensor outdoor lights, which can make your garden much more practical.

Solar powered path lights — Solar pebble path lights, £17.99 for a pack of five, Festive Lights.

IP ratings and electricity

First, we need to talk about the practicalities. The general recommendation is that most outdoor lights should be IP44-rated or above. However, this depends on where you place your solutions.

For under-decking, you may only need IP44-rated lights, but somewhere more exposed, a rating of IP65 is a safer option. Always check the manufacturers’ recommendations before purchasing.

Finally, lights can be mains, solar or battery-powered. Think about which solution works best for your lifestyle and find out what is the most energy-efficient outdoor lighting option for your garden.

That’s it for the technical side – now let’s dive into the inspiration…