Garden lighting can make your outdoor space look more attractive, ward off intruders and enable you to use your garden at night. There are many different types of outdoor lighting that you can choose for your garden. This post sheds some light on some of the different styles and functions of outdoor lighting to help you make the right choice.
What style of lighting?
Outdoor lighting comes in a variety of different styles. A few examples of popular styles include:
Wall lighting:
Wall-mounted lights such as LED bulkheads and sconce lights are a popular option above doors or on fences.
String lighting:
String lighting can be draped over gazebos, fencing or trees for a more atmospheric touch.
Ground lighting:
Ground lighting is installed in the ground as is commonly used to lighting up pathways, edges of ponds or patios.
Spike lighting:
Spike lighting can be installed in soil around plant beds or around a lawn.
Pillar lighting:
Pillar lighting includes lights mounted on bollards and poles – these are most commonly placed around the edges of gardens or around the entrance of pathways.
It depends on what area you want to light up as to which lighting you choose. Certain types of lighting are likely to be easier to install than others (string lighting and spike lighting is easy to install oneself, whereas pillar lights and ground lights may need to be professionally installed).
How bright will it be?
Next, you need to consider how bright the lighting will be. This is determined by how many lumens each bulb is designed to produce.
When it comes to providing security lighting for expansive lawns, you’ll likely need floodlights with 2000+ lumen bulbs.
For lighting up a smaller area of a garden like a patio, anything between 750 and 1500 lumens may be sufficient.
Low lumen lights in the 50 to 300 range can provide a more subtle atmospheric glow.
How will it be powered?
High-powered lighting typically needs to be wired into the mains. This will require hiring an electrician.
Battery-powered lights are another popular option. Such lights can be more easily moved around without having to trail a cable, but you need to regularly replace the batteries to keep them working.
Solar powered lights are one of the most economical choices. They generate electricity using the sun – resulting in no additional cost on your energy bills and no extra cost spent buying batteries. However, they are only suitable for low-powered lighting.
How will it turn on?
Exterior lighting can be manually operated with a switch. This could be a wall switch or a switch located on the light itself.
Alternatively, you can opt for lighting with twilight sensors or lighting on a timer. These lights automatically come on when it gets dark, so that you don’t have to remember to manually switch them on.
Motion-sensing lighting is another option that is popular for security lighting. These lights only come on when motion is detective – helping to turn the spotlight on any intruder and helping to conserve energy.
Conclusion
Making all of these considerations will help you to choose the best type of lighting for your garden. When determining the right type of lighting, think about the purpose and your budget. Make sure to compare different models and plan carefully where to install lighting (especially fixed lights like pillar lights).