Inspirational modern garden lighting ideas encompass a soft Scandinavian palette as much as wild tropical stake lights. It could be a professionally installed system that's controlled from your smartphone or a statement solar-powered floor lamp. The best garden lighting serves three possible functions. First, there's task lighting, such as a light above an entrance so you can see where you're going. Then, there's accent lighting – a spotlight on a water feature – which adds atmosphere. Lastly, there's ambient lighting, for example hanging lanterns, that provide overall illumination. Let us shed some light on the situation.
Lighting can be a safety feature, but it's far more fun to think about its ability to extend the enjoyment of your outdoor space long into the evenings. By treating your garden as an extension of your home, a BBQ area lit with festoon lights provides an alternative place to entertain. In addition, lighting creates an ambience and accentuates the shapes of leaves and trees for a magical atmosphere. Conjure up a Midsummer Night's Dream with garden candles and enthrall your loved ones.
Any modern garden should have contemporary lighting fixtures. LED strips, uplights and shades with geometric designs are de rigueur. In contrast, minimalists should opt for low-profile fixtures that provide sleek and focused illumination. Themes can be styled individually or combined for an ultra-modern appearance. For example, contemporary gardens can be planet-positive too with eco-friendly décor, such as solar-powered lights. This is an energy-efficient solution that even the wildest industrial-chic garden can get on board with.
Modern garden lighting ideas at a glance:
• Best outdoor curtain lights: Lepro Outdoor Gazebo Lights – View on Amazon UK
• Best solar-powered outdoor lightbulbs: Garden by Sainsbury's Solar Lightbulb Lanterns – View on Argos
• Best Moroccan-style solar lantern: Antique Gold Solar Moroccan Lantern – View on Homebase
From moonlighting to outdoor chandeliers, there's decorative lighting to brighten up pergolas, balconies and patios. Think about whether you want strong floodlighting or a glow that casts soft shadows, not forgetting that uplighting and downlighting will create focal points. Alternatively, pathway or fence lighting will enhance the safety and security of your property at night. For more practical advice on garden lighting ideas scroll to the FAQs below.
Modern garden lighting ideas
Best outdoor curtain lights
Add a touch of magic to your pergola with these Lepro Outdoor Gazebo Lights. These curtain fairy lights flicker, flash and fade in eight different modes and set the mood for a fun celebration or an enchanting evening. Multi-coloured options are also available, so, why not inject some sparkle into your outdoor space? Be aware, the LED strands are waterproof but the transformer box will need protection from the elements.
Customer review: "Lights came packaged, very well organised. Great value for money and the perfect size for my wall. Looks beautiful paired with fake ivy. Only just realised that the remote has to be pointed at the plug to work."
Pros
- Versatile
- Eight different lighting modes
- Perfect for outdoor parties
Cons
- Fiddly to unravel
Best solar-powered outdoor lightbulbs
www.argos.co.uk
Bring the indoors outside with this classic lightbulb-inspired string of lights. Garden by Sainsbury's Set of 6 Solar Lightbulb Lanterns emits a warm white light that's completely cost-free to run as they charge by solar power. In addition, the hanging mechanism allows you to clip them wherever you like, as long as they catch the sun. The lightbulbs are ready to use straight out of the box, Of all the garden trends, solar-powered lighting is a must.
Customer review: "Bought these a few weeks ago, they are very good… charge up well and being individual lightbulbs they can be hung wherever you want."
Pros
- Twinkly and cosy
- Easy to hang
- No wires
Cons
- Not strong lighting
Best outdoor pendant light
www.lights4fun.co.uk
Whether it's hung from a tree or an elegant lamp stand, this Rattan Solar Outdoor Pendant Light is on-trend. It comes with a separate solar panel that charges by day for automatic luminance when it gets dark. It's actually made from rattan effect plastic so it's a bit more robust and yet looks all-natural.
Customer review: "Excellent quality and it brings a very unique exotic atmosphere in the garden."
Pros
- Stylish
- Versatile
- Rattan effect
Cons
- Some customer reviews comment it didn't work for them
Best Moroccan-style solar lantern
www.homebase.co.uk
Cast intricate patterned shadows with this Antique Gold Solar Moroccan Lantern. The 48cm metal lantern is solar-powered so it can be positioned or hung anywhere in the garden. Enjoy a beautiful light show with this elegant gold garden light and pair with tropical leaves to transport you to far-flung places.
Customer review: "Much bigger than I imagined, but lovely. Love this lantern. I put it in a really sunny position during the day, and because there are no cables you can put them where you like when the sun has set. Fabulous."
Pros
- Creates plenty of light
- Lovely pattern and display
- Looks expensive
- No wiring
Cons
- Some customers said their lanterns arrived badly packaged
Best moonlight
Discover radiant and colourful light with Shapelights multi-coloured orbs. Available in a range of sizes, including pebbles and cubes, as well as spheres, they're just a little bit different. Adjust to display a static light or set to a multi-coloured changing option to suit any mood and occasion. Shapelights are solar-powered, but you can also charge using the USB cable provided for seven nights of use.
Customer review: "I have several of these mood lights in the garden and they create a wonderful warm glow in the dark. I have mine set as slow colour-changing and they are wonderful to watch. Using solar power the lights are also simple to run, I just leave mine out all year long (though they don't charge as much in winter and so glow for shorter periods). When new, I used the USB charger to set them up. There is a small red light on the bottom when charging this way and when it turns green, you're good to go."
Pros
- Orbs can give off bright white light
- Changing colour rotation
Cons
- Orbs need to be charged using a USB
Best garden path lights
A simple way to illuminate your garden path, these Garden by Sainsbury's Stainless Steel Solar Marker Lights provide an inexpensive solution. Stick them in the ground and let the sun charge the solar cell so they emit a white light at night. An easy and low-maintenance form of task lighting that's cable-free and costs nothing to run. Worth a stab in the dark!
Customer review: "Really impressed by how these provide a nice light glow – great price."
Pros
- Ideal for illuminating garden pathways
- Very low maintenance
- Inexpensive
Cons
- Some reviews comment that they've had mixed results
Best decorative lighting
www.notonthehighstreet.com
Transform your garden into a nocturnal Wonderland with the whimsical Solar Dandelion Outdoor Stake Light. Available in small or large, the LEDs emit a warm white light and automatically come on at dusk. There's a solar panel that's connected by cable to the lighting fixture, giving you more scope to position it, as long as the solar panel is receiving direct sunlight. Be aware the price is for one dandelion stake.
Customer review: "What a wonderful light for the garden, it's absolutely beautiful and is so bright at night. Very good quality for the money."
Pros
- Unique and decorative
- Solar-powered
Cons
- Looks a little unattractive during the day
Best hanging garden candle holders
Make memories that flicker like candlelight with these Ecosides Hanging Glass Globe Tealight Holders. A delicate set of 12 glass baubles with a range of creative possibilities. Pop tealights inside and suspend from tree branches for an enchanting twilight ambience. In addition, with a bit of personalisation, these make a magical gift idea.
Customer review: "This is a gift for my family who enjoy outdoor living and go camping a lot and enjoy time in their garden. I thought the glass holders would be a pretty and useful gift with tealights to keep bugs at bay on a summer's evening."
Pros
- Range of uses
- Creative candlelight
- Gift idea
Cons
- Breakable
Best solar-powered fence lighting
These LiyuanQ Solar Fence Lights pack a lot of power. This set of six solar-powered fence lights is an Amazon Choice product and customers' photos show how bright these lights can be. They are completely wire-free and come with screws so they can be fixed to surfaces, wherever you want. In addition to casting ambient light, they also create an intricately patterned shadow that's rather attractive.
Customer review: "The brightness from these is actually very good. They last into the early hours of the morning before the batteries die out. They provide a lot of light and cast a nice shadow."
Pros
- Practical and decorative
- Powerful for solar lights
- Value for money
- Cost nothing to run
Cons
- Decorative rather than strong lighting
FAQs: Modern garden lighting ideas
What types of outdoor lighting are there?
Outdoor lights serve different purposes and come in a range of forms. Whether you're looking for task lighting, accent, or ambient lighting, here are some of our favourite modern lighting ideas to inspire:
• Solar pathway lights illuminate garden paths and cost nothing to run.
• LED strip lighting adds a contemporary touch by adding colourful LED strips on fences, sheds, garden edges and more.
• Fairy light canopies draped over seating areas create magical spaces to entertain.
• Uplights installed at ground level highlight the beauty of trees and plants and also provide practical lighting on decking and steps.
• Submersible pond lights illuminate new depths and add dimension to water features.
• Glowing planters showcase foliage at night.
• Candles and lanterns create a cosy atmosphere.
• Outdoor chandeliers suspended from a pergola or trees create a statement focal point.
• Moonlighting mimics natural moonlight and casts a mysterious glow and gentle shadows.
• Smart lighting controlled by an app can be adjusted to control ambience, colour and intensity.
What should I consider when buying garden lighting?
When buying garden lighting, consider the ambience you want to create. Also, ask yourself, is the lighting for safety and security or for aesthetics? This will encompass the type of lighting (uplighting or downlighting, for example) and the light intensity.
Furthermore, you need to decide whether you want electric or solar-powered lighting. Electric lighting is more reliable but comes with a running cost. In contrast, solar lights are free to run and make great fence lighting. In addition, the lighting fixtures should be durable to withstand changeable weather.
Finally, consider how easy the lighting is going to be to install and whether it will require maintenance, such as changing bulbs. Be aware that garden lighting can be a cause of light pollution and disturb the nocturnal habits of wildlife.
What should I think about if I'm installing outdoor lighting with the help of a professional?
Melanie Whitehouse writes for Modern Gardens magazine and gives some practical outdoor lighting tips:
If you’re starting from scratch and redesigning your whole garden it’s always advisable to draw up a lighting plan at the beginning and to talk with an electrician about what should be placed where (assuming that you’re not using exclusively solar-powered lighting to re-model your garden).
You’ll be looking at installing lights that shine over and around your entertainment area, plus extra, different lights for atmosphere and effect. Putting in a typical low-voltage lighting system requires three steps: laying the cable, installing the transformer and attaching it to an outdoor socket, then connecting your chosen lights. Run the waterproof cable through the border, or pin along a wall or fence, and include a transformer to convert the (dangerous) high voltage electricity into (reasonably safe) low voltage. At least one weatherproof socket must be wired in, and this needs to be attached to a fence, wall or post so it’s stable. If you’re in any doubt, employ an electrician – you don’t want to mess with electricity.
As long as the cabling and connections are installed properly, maintenance and upkeep should be trouble-free – just take reasonable precautions to make sure you don’t chop the cable with a spade while gardening!
Melanie's top tips:
• Check light bulbs are safe to be used outdoors – they must be completely protected from rain and the elements.
• Invest in low-voltage, low-energy LED bulbs that don’t use much electricity.
• Lighting itself (not just the bulb) should be weatherproof, waterproof and safe for the purpose for which you are using it.
• Don’t alienate the neighbours by shining bright lights into their back windows. Subtle, mellow lighting is far more effective.
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Natalie Knowles is a Homes & Garden Product Writer for Modern Gardens, specialising in garden trends. When she's not flexing her mow-how, Natalie is a successful artist and illustrator.