Lighting · · 4 min read
Planning Garden Lighting: 6 Things to Get Right
Colour temperature, IP ratings, layered light and energy savings: six essentials for planning garden lighting well.
Well-planned lighting keeps a garden usable after sunset, makes paths safe and brings out the beauty of trees and textures. Fixtures placed at random, on the other hand, create glare, waste energy and flatten the garden into a single wash of light. These are the six points we work through at the design stage.
1. Think in layers
Instead of one uniform light, plan three layers: safety light on paths and steps, task light in seating areas and accent light on trees, walls and water features. When each layer can be switched separately, the garden adapts to different moods.
2. Choose a warm colour temperature
Residential gardens usually suit warm white light in the 2700–3000 K range; it shows the green of plants and natural materials such as timber and stone at their best. Very cool white light gives a garden a clinical feel.
3. Use fixtures made for outdoors
Check the ingress protection (IP) rating of outdoor fixtures. In-ground lights and fittings within irrigation zones need a higher rating. Stainless steel or aluminium housings last longer.
4. Show the effect, not the source
A bare lamp at eye level is uncomfortable. Uplighting a tree, grazing a wall or recessing lights into steps puts the focus on the effect rather than the fitting itself.
5. Plan the wiring with the landscape
Cable routes, junction boxes and future connection points should be fixed before planting and hardscaping. Digging later damages lawns and roots and raises costs. Electrical work must always be carried out by a qualified electrician.
6. Save energy with timers and sensors
LED fittings, astronomical timers and motion sensors cut consumption so lights are on only when needed. Motion sensors on paths and a midnight timer on accent lights are a good start.
If you would like a lighting design for your garden, see our lighting work or get in touch.
