Garden lighting is increasingly popular in garden design today. It is used to light pathways, enhance features and enable use of the garden during the night as well as during the day time. There are many different types of garden lighting to choose from such as small fairy lights to lights put into paving to large laser lights that can be put in bedding. Path lighting is generally used to light up long driveways but can also be used for smaller back garden paths. Other types of lighting can also be used to enhance focal points in the garden such as pond lighting or to enhance the effects of the garden itself solar or gas lighting can add atmosphere and set off various garden themes.

Lighting should always make a garden look more aesthetically pleasing but it is also functional in making the garden a space for use after dark and a safety measure ensuring the garden is well lit when arriving home late at night.

There are a variety of lights to choose from which will depend somewhat on the type of garden but the majority of lighting can be used in urban gardens where it is most effective in all its various uses. Low voltage lighting is easy to install but solar landscape lighting is particularly simple as no wires are required and this type of lighting is popular as it is easy to maintain and is safer without the use of wiring. However the light cast is not as strong as other garden lighting such as post lights which cast light for up to thirty feet although they use a higher voltage of 120 and are usually more expensive. Gas lights are another choice as they can provide reasonably strong light and complement both traditional gardens and contemporary design such as a Victorian look and particularly suit London gardens as they fit well with the surrounding buildings and environment. They can easily be safely operated from the confines of the house from an inbuilt system as the models available today no longer need to be lit every night with a gas lighter. If there are trees in the garden, then modern lighting in clusters might be used to create an attractive effect that casts light downwards in spools. The only disadvantage being that they need to be installed high up in the trees; which requires the use of a tall ladder. For a driveway entrance, however, the more powerful 120 volt lights on top of driveway entry pieces will ensure a well lit driveway.

There are many different colours, shapes and sizes to choose from but different colours complement various areas of the garden in different ways. Blue and green lighting is best suited to plants and ponds, while red and yellow is suited to moving garden attractions such as water falls and windmills whereas white is better used to light the more subtle attractions in the garden such as statues or simple sculptures.

There are different types of lights such as solar lights which are best used as marker lights as they are not strong enough to accentuate features as the angle of a solar light cannot be altered, given that the solar cells which power the light are located on top.

Regardless of which type of lighting is chosen it should match the garden, suit purposes such as safety and be put in by a professional unless using solar powered lighting. This is because lighting generally uses a high voltage and an Act was brought in to practice in January 2005 which states that it is a criminal offence not to use an electrician who has not self-certified under Part P of the Building Regulations because this type of outdoor lighting requires installation by a professional for safety purposes. A good garden design company will take care of the installation for you and will usually include lighting as part of the garden design.

Alsmost any garden lighting scheme will benefit from the experience of a garden designer if your budget permits. Aside from the legal requirement for professional installation of electrical equipment, there are so many different forms of lighting now available that making the most of them sometimes requires an expert eye and years of experience. Whatever scheme you ultimately choose and whether you have it professionally designed or go it alone, you should find a significant difference in the ambience of your night time garden.