Most people like to show off their backyards to their friends and neighbors. They will pour hundreds, if not thousands of dollars into their landscaping but at the end of the day, they realize that they will only be able to have their friends over during the daylight hours. So they look into buying outdoor lighting to illuminate their landscapes. One way of illuminating their landscapes is for them to buy and use outdoor candle lanterns.



Outdoor candle lanterns serve a dual purpose for any landscape. They serve a utilitarian and aesthetic function at the same time. Outdoor candle lanterns can illuminate problem areas to improve security and safety. Have a spot in your backyard that is always dark? Install an outdoor candle lantern. Have a spot where steps can trip guests in the moonlight? Then outdoor candle lanterns might do the trick. The aesthetic part of the dual functionality is usually what sells homeowners on the idea of installing outdoor candle lanterns.

Most lanterns are made of metal and can be shaped in numerous ways and with many different styles. Depending upon your style, you can go with an Arabic inspired candle lantern. If your backyard is designed as a homage to a Japanese rock garden then Zen or Pagoda lanterns might fit the bill. Still, if you live in the United States and you want your backyard to harken back to the frontier days, a rustic styled lantern is always the best way to go.

But all of these lanterns are made of metal. Many people throw parties where they want to shake things up. So for these party throwers, they can replace their metal lanterns with some alternatives for the shindig. One of these alternatives include paper lanterns.

Paper lanterns can be a fun, yet inexpensive way to brighten up your backyard. They are usually run on a string between walls or posts. Most paper lanterns are made of fire retardant material that is stretched over bamboo ribbing for support. The lanterns themselves usually have holes in the bottom to allow excess wax to escape.

However, for some homeowners, they will want to run the lanterns over the gathering area and not want their guests getting hot wax on their heads. For these landscapers, there are battery-operated LED candles which mimic the flickering of real candlelight. When placed into the area where the real candle usually sits and hung up, the party-goers will never know the difference as they compliment you all night on your choice of lanterns.

When considering your options for outdoor lighting, outdoor candle lanterns and more specifically, paper lanterns are an excellent choice to spice up your backyard under the stars.