Outdoor Lighting Ideas to Transform Your Garden into a Magical Oasis
Getting the lighting right in your home is key to creating a welcoming ambiance. Similarly, having just an overhead light in the center of your ceiling isn’t going to create the warm, cozy atmosphere we crave indoors. The same goes for your garden. So, read on for our essential outdoor lighting ideas to transform your outdoor space into a magical oasis.
Layered Lighting is Key
Layered lighting is crucial for both inside your home and in your garden. This means it’s essential to incorporate light sources at different heights to add interest and drama. If you have a small courtyard, this is straightforward. However, with a larger garden, you need to consider which areas you’ll be using at night and how much light you’ll require.
Consider the Following Areas:
* Paths
* Trees
* Ponds
* Plants
* Seating or dining area
Outdoor Lighting Ideas
We’ve put together a list of garden lighting ideas to help your outdoor space shine, whatever the weather or occasion.
1. Enter a Fairy Kingdom
These mini mushroom solar stake lights will help to turn your garden into an enchanted kingdom! There are 12 in the pack, so you can create little pools of light either dotted amongst the flowers or at the base of a tree. Position them at different heights for a naturalistic look.
2. Add Sculptural Elegance
Create drama as your guests approach your front door with a sculptural dandelion light or two. Position in pots on either side of your door or in a line along the edge of a path. This solar-powered light works all year round, although you’ll get fewer hours of illumination in winter.
3. Create a Vintage Vibe
For a romantic, eclectic atmosphere, hang these old-school solar bulbs from trees and pergolas. They’ll be lovely to gaze at overhead if you position them over a dining table.
4. Illuminate a Path with Hoops
Hoop garden lighting ideas give the impression you’re entering a whimsical wonderland! They not only add height, taking your eye up to foliage overhead, but they also draw attention to the smallest of plants down low that would otherwise be overlooked.
5. Get Set for Movie Night!
Film nights take on an extra-special dimension when they are transferred from your living room to your garden! Hook up a sheet, crank up the projector, arrange some chairs, beanbags, and cushions, and string up plenty of lights for an enchanting scene.
6. Festoon Lighting for Al Fresco Dining
Host a dinner party that sets the bar high with a beautifully laid table incorporating candles or tea lights lining the center. Festoon lights like these are perfect for dialling up the romance as they come in long, generous strings of bulbs.
7. Bring the Indoors Out!
Using similar lights outside that you’d have inside helps to ramp up the cozy aesthetic. Choose pendants in warm, tactile materials like rattan, raffia, or wicker for a textured, natural look.
8. Light Up an Arch
Architectural features, such as arches, paths, steps, pergolas, and fences, all benefit from dedicated illumination. And you can’t go wrong with a classic, vintage-style lamp for a look that’s timeless.
9. Glow Up Your Greenery
This hexagonal wall planter combines contemporary good looks with practicality. Hang several on your wall in a row or at intervals to create interesting patterns and to zhuzh up an otherwise plain surface.
10. Put Your Plants in the Spotlight
If your pots and planters are good enough to put on show, bathe them in light with solar spotlights. The soft uplighting effect creates a dash of theatre – the shadows that are created will add mystery and intrigue in any areas of your garden you wish to highlight.
11. Give Your Vines a Shine
For a subtle gleam, entwine outdoor fairy lights next to or within a creeping vine. You’ll be treated to little spots of light that draw attention to flourishing foliage and reveal any hidden textures, such as a lovely brick wall or trelliswork behind.
12. Create Calm with Candlelight
Having plenty of flickering candles is key to a gorgeous garden scheme. Position them wherever you need for gentle illumination – lighting a path, by the back door, or on a table.
13. Dial Up the Cute Factor
Who doesn’t love a light-up wicker reindeer at Christmas? But you don’t have to wait till December to get your fill of woven garden creatures! This elegant heron would look majestic beside a pond or water feature.
14. Love Your Lanterns
Portable lanterns are ideal for customizing a garden scheme and creating the look you want when you need it. This particular design from Nordlux is Danish and taps into the enduring Scandi minimalism trend.
15. Mimic the Rhythmic Beauty of Fireflies
If you have any areas of ornamental grasses, or perhaps a patch that could benefit from some decorative oomph, then we have the answer… firefly lights! They gently sway in the wind and flash to look like fireflies darting over the landscape.
16. It’s a Wrap!
This example from Creative Green Living on Pinterest is perfect if you have lots of mature trees in your garden. But it can work with any plant of a decent size with a woody stem – think camellia, honeysuckle, jasmine. Wrap fairy lights around the trunk with even spaces in between to give a gorgeous glow at eye level.
17. Remarkable Ropes
Illuminate a path or the edge of your lawn or flowerbeds with an LED rope light. It provides a seamless glow and has the added benefit of making your outdoor space look larger than it really is.
18. Nighttime Transformations
When considering garden lighting ideas, multi-tasking ornaments are the ones that really earn their place in your scheme. These decorative stone-effect globes make an attractive feature by day, but really come into their own after dark.
Get the Most Out of Your Garden with Our Outdoor Lighting Ideas
Just as you think carefully about the lighting in your home, if you want to enjoy your garden after dark, it’s essential to consider illumination here too. There are plenty of options available, but layering is key to the most successful scheme. Combining practicality with charm will help you show off your garden to its maximum potential.
Top DIY Garden Ideas to Try Today
Being outdoors is so important for our wellbeing. It boosts your mood, keeps you active, and inspires creativity. If you’re feeling like your backyard could do with some TLC beyond garden lighting ideas, you’ll love our DIY garden ideas for creative crafters.
From choosing the right tools for the job to tons of inspo for small spaces, Gathered will help you turn your garden from tired to terrific in no time!
What is layered lighting? Layered lighting involves incorporating light sources at different heights to add interest and drama to your outdoor space.
What areas should you consider for outdoor lighting? Consider paths, trees, ponds, plants, and seating or dining areas.
What lighting idea creates a fairy kingdom effect? Using mini mushroom solar stake lights can create a fairy kingdom effect in your garden.
How can you add sculptural elegance? Position solar-powered dandelion lights around your front door or along a path to add sculptural elegance.
What can you do to create a vintage vibe? Hang old-school solar bulbs from trees and pergolas for a romantic, eclectic atmosphere.
What are hoop garden lighting ideas? Hoop lights add height and draw attention to plants, creating a whimsical wonderland effect.
How can you set up a movie night in the garden? Set up a projector, arrange seating, and string up lights for an enchanting movie night setting.
What are festoon lights good for? Festoon lights add romance to al fresco dining by hanging them over tables with candles or tea lights.
Which lights bring a cozy indoor feel outside? Choose pendant lights made of warm, natural materials like rattan, raffia, or wicker.
How can you light up an arch? Use classic, vintage-style lamps to highlight architectural features like arches and steps.
What can you do to glow up your greenery? Use hexagonal wall planters to create interesting patterns and enhance your garden’s look.
How can you spotlight your plants? Use solar spotlights to bathe your best pots and planters in light, adding a theatrical element.
How do you give vines a shine? Wrap fairy lights around vines to create subtle, glowing spots that highlight foliage and textures.
What role do candles play in garden lighting? Place candles around your garden to provide gentle, warm illumination and enhance a romantic setting.
What is the Cute Factor lighting idea? Light-up wicker reindeer or other whimsical garden creatures to add charm, especially in festive seasons.
What are the benefits of using portable lanterns? Portable lanterns allow for customizable lighting schemes and a modern, Scandi minimalist look.
How canfirefly lights mimic fireflies? Firefly lights gently sway and flash, creating a natural, enchanting glow similar to fireflies flying around.
What is a good way to use rope lights? Rope LED lights provide a seamless glow, making your outdoor space appear larger and adding light along paths or lawn edges.
What are decorative stone-effect globes good for? These globes are attractive during the day and serve as multi-tasking ornaments, shining brilliantly at night.
Why is layered lighting important for outdoor spaces? Layered lighting is crucial for adding depth and interest, making the most of your garden after dark.
What is the key difference between indoor and outdoor lighting considerations? Both require careful planning, but outdoor lighting must account for the elements and nighttime visibility.
