Garden Lighting Top Tips

Professional secrets for lighting gardens

MOONLIGHTING – The placement of a spotlight in a tree to create dappled pools of light can be a great way to light a terrace or a path. However, make sure you only point the light downward and don’t try to light across a distance – otherwise what was supposed to be a subtle lighting effect will suddenly feel like a security light.

A LITTLE GOES A LONG WAY – With the efficiency of LED light fittings, you can certainly go smaller than you might think. LED fittings generally need drivers, so think about where you can hide waterproof boxes to locate them. Sometimes there won’t be a shed or outside room where you can hide them, so think about concealing them in bushes or behind hedges.

COLOUR MATCHING – Ensure the colour temperature of all your LED light sources match. Warm white can mean different things across manufacturers so check the number given. While I prefer 2800k warm LEDs in the interior of a house, I tend to go just a tad cooler in the garden – 3000k produces a crisper effect and brings out the colour of the foliage.

HIDE CABLES – It’s always a good idea to contain electrical cables within mesh-reinforced tubing. It protects accidental damage when digging or from foxes (who love to chew cables). 

SEAL CONNECTIONS – Make sure your electrician seals all of the electrical connections so that they are totally waterproof. Moisture has a crafty way of travelling up cables, and there’s nothing more disheartening than spending money on a good-quality external light fitting, only for moisture to get in because the connections were poorly made.

AMPLE DRAINAGE – If you’re putting anything in the ground, such as recessed uplighting, make sure there is ample drainage so that water doesn’t build up.

CREATE CONTRAST – When lighting steps, I like to illuminate every other riser. The contrast created allows you to still see each step whilst creating a much more subtle effect.

Content from The Society of Garden Designers

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