How to Illuminate Your Garden with Exterior Lighting for the Summer

Warmer, brighter weather is well on its way! A fair few will be heading into the garden to enjoy natural light. It’s been a long winter, meaning that spring will energise plenty of us to get out and get some rays. However, we can’t depend on the sun’s rays at all hours of the day.

Yes – while the nights will get shorter, you may still want to spend time outside after dark. That doesn’t mean you have to depend on torches and portable lanterns. In fact, spring and summer offer fantastic opportunities to set up some beautiful fittings and fixtures.

In our run-through, we will take you through a handful of ideas for lighting your garden during the summer. Don’t take sundown as an excuse to head back indoors!

Focus on Solar

When it comes to exterior lighting during the summer, you should take advantage of the sun. Not just in the daytime, of course – but when the sun’s gone down, too. Solar lighting and stakes are fantastic for helping to bring back the power of the sun when dusk falls.

Solar lights can arrive in a variety of shapes, sizes and styles. Some are wall-mountable and can blend into your existing exterior setup and design. Others, meanwhile, are stakes – which you can plant into your garden to light the way. This lighting method is also hugely flexible, as it means you can move the poles and stakes around as and when you wish to.

There are also undeniable cost and hassle savings with solar lighting too. There is no need or reason to depend on your home power supply or the national grid. Solar lights, as you will likely already know, run on batteries that consume daylight. Set them up in your garden, and they will automatically consume light from the sun when things darken.

It’s a great way to take hassle and effort out of constantly lighting up your exterior space. Not only that, but with solar lights, you only ever have to pay for the cost of the initial units.

Solar lighting isn’t for everyone, of course. Compared to a plethora of exterior lighting standards on the market, they can be a little limited. What’s more, not everyone will be happy to plant light stakes in their gardens, no matter the cost savings. Therefore, it’s good to balance these ideas with other options available to you.

Solar lights work well all year round, but they can create an exceptional atmosphere for summer gatherings. Consider it an option if you feel like mixing things up a little.

If you don’t feel that solar is right for you, there are other lighting spikes to consider. For example, our 10W LED spike light in black is adjustable and blends effortlessly into any outdoor space. Or, our outdoor ground adjustable spotlight is just as viable for versatile, grounded lighting.

Highlight Features and Focal Points

Summer is the perfect time to show off your garden. From your flowerbeds to all your handiwork over the past year, exterior lighting can and will establish focal points. Yes – it is advantageous on a practical basis (see below) – but why not highlight your favourite touches?

For example, you could use exterior lanterns, wall lights or standing illumination to show off a tree or shrub. You may even have an external art installation that you’d like to show off. Ultimately, given that many of us choose to entertain outside in the warmer months, it makes sense to think about broader aesthetics.

The critical thing to remember with exterior lighting in the summer is that it is primarily based around transformation. Once the sun dips down, you will likely benefit from lighting that leaps into action. For example, see solar lighting above. However, this goes beyond methodology and functionality.

Lighting that transforms a darker space during the summer can alter the atmosphere. The beautiful natural light that washes over your garden will give way to a specialised, carefully-crafted exterior lighting array. Highlight different areas of your garden. Set up lanterns and hanging lamps on pergolas, for example, to bring out edges, vertices, and architectural touches you want people to notice.

For many of us, outdoor lighting is predominantly atmosphere-centric. Yes – you’re going to need illumination after dark – but why not show off a little?

The key to getting this side of exterior lighting right is, of course, to never overdo it. Too many light fixtures grouped together, or bulb strengths too sharp or intensive, will ruin the look. Think carefully about the bulbs and light fittings you want to set up, and plan out where they will go.

Of course, keep in mind that this is all general advice – we all vary when it comes to the looks we want for our spaces!

Wall-Mount to Light the Way

Wall lighting is where practicality meets atmosphere building. Not all lights have to be staked into the ground or dispersed around the garden. In fact, if you are keen to highlight architecture or other features, wall-mounted lighting is an absolute must. As you can see from our catalogue, too, there are plenty of different styles, angles and finishes.

Wall-mounting lights is a practical endeavour as, first and foremost, they can be used to help guide you to and from. If you have a large garden, you will likely notice that it becomes tricky to navigate after dark. With only a scattering of spotlights or staked lights in your garden, you are hardly going to be confident.

By benefitting from leading, modern LED bulbs, wall lighting can ensure you and your guests always know the way. What’s more, some wall lights can be fitted to glow vertically or even offer an all-over splash. As mentioned above, wall lights must be evenly arranged and spaced.

Otherwise, you are at risk of blending too much intensive light. You could follow our ideas above on focal points with wall lighting, too. Consider lining your perimeter with plant pots or artistic touches and highlighting them as such.

It’s important to remember that wall lights aren’t always going to be intensive enough to wash your garden in a glow. Therefore, consider that you will need to set up other lights elsewhere in your garden space. We’ll take a glance at a few ideas below.

Wall lighting, yes, is predominantly practical. However, you can also choose fixtures and fittings in particular styles and finishes. For example, you could choose industrial bulkhead lights for a rugged, trendy look. You could also opt for clean, low-frame lights to maximise light delivery.

As always, Arrow Electrical is here to help provide you with a wide choice of options. If a wall-mounted light doesn’t appeal to you, consider a ceiling option. Our Homefield Ceiling light in textured black is open-bulbed and offers fantastic illumination to anyone walking underneath.

Consider Deck and Overhead Lighting

Another great way to prepare your garden lighting for the summer is to blend it with the architecture. Consider the furniture and fittings you are likely to use in the warmer months. For example, is it likely that you will be sitting out on decking or under a pergola? If you have an entertaining zone in your outdoor space, now is the time to think about the different ways to light it.

For example, let’s consider deck lights. Deck lighting, flush underfoot, is excellent as both practical and atmospheric support. While not necessarily the best for illuminating a garden fully, they are brilliant at leading the way. A decking system with stair lights and corner spots will work brilliantly with a hot tub or spa.

Therefore, these lighting options will allow you to create a gentle entertaining zone for guests. It’s just light enough after dark, never overpowering. What’s more, it’ll help safely lead people up and down to where they want to be.

Let’s also consider pergolas if you want focus lighting and to be able to see everyone after dark! Pergolas are brilliant wooden fixtures that work great with decking. These units can frame zones off, and – the best part is – you can set up a wealth of lighting options with them.

Many people, for example, choose to hang lights from pergolas. These may be string lights, lanterns, or even low-hanging bulbs. Effectively, you are creating an indoor-style space outside. Once again, the key is to never over-wash the pace with intensive light. A handful of lanterns or hanging bulbs will likely be enough.

Do also consider installing flush bulbs and lighting into pergola beams. If you want to keep symmetry with deck lighting underneath, this may be all the more appealing.

You may, of course, prefer a light fitting that’s a little more permanent. Super-stylish options such as the Uber Chic pendant in matt black is ideal for fixed pergolas and outdoor units. The bulb is open, yet, the surrounding shade offers an eye-catching touch of luxury.

Opt for Warm Tones and Statements

When the sun goes down, we miss its warmth – which is why it’s important to consider tone. The tone, colour and intensity of the bulbs you use could make all the difference. Warm glows help us feel as though the sun’s still with us. If you’re using solar stakes or other lighting, this is absolutely the case!

Many LED bulbs arrive with a warm glow as standard. However, some people also enjoy cool tones and illumination to help beat the heat. That said, as things can still get chilly after dark, warm bulbs can really make a lot of difference even in the summer.

You should also consider the lighting styles in your garden to this extent. Opting for chrome or black is clean and useful – but what about bronze or copper? Warmer colours and tones can work well with LEDs to transfer this sunshine emulation across your space.

Of course, you can also consider removing the need for framing altogether. Some people choose to set up bulbs that are bare-bones. That means you may find options that are bulbs merely sticking out on their own – without any frills. To many, this can help to maximise the light and, ergo, the glow.

However, there is – again – a careful balance to strike here. You may find that too much emphasis on bare lighting can make things too intense. That’s the last thing you will need if you want to keep your garden space warm yet open. So, ensure to take a closer look at various lighting options.

There is certainly nothing stopping you from mixing different tones and lighting designs. However, what you should always consider is uniformity. Even in the dark, people appreciate blending – it’s easy on the eye. Isn’t that what everyone is scouring for from the perfect garden design?

A great choice from our catalogue might be our antique brass ground adjustable spike spotlight. Fully flexible and easy to plant, this lighting option arrives in a brass tone to add warmth and opulence. That’s as well as all-around glow!

Conclusion

It’s reasonable to say that all gardens are different. However, when it comes to how we wish to use our gardens in summer, our needs can often overlap. As such, now really is the time to start considering ways you can keep it looking stunning after hours.