Good garden lighting transforms an outdoor space — allowing you to use your garden after dark, enhancing security and giving your property real kerb appeal. Here are the most popular garden lighting ideas and what's involved in having them professionally installed.
Popular Garden Lighting Options
Pathway and Step Lighting
Low-level lights along pathways, steps and borders guide visitors safely and create a welcoming approach to your front door. LED bollard lights, recessed ground lights and step lights are the most popular choices.
Uplighting and Feature Lighting
Uplighters placed at the base of trees, shrubs or architectural features create dramatic shadows and depth in the garden after dark. These are typically low-voltage LED fittings, either spike-mounted or ground-recessed.
Floodlights and Security Lighting
PIR (motion-sensing) floodlights provide security and practical illumination for driveways and rear gardens. Modern LED security floodlights are far more energy-efficient than older halogen versions and have much longer lifespans.
Outdoor Sockets
A weatherproof outdoor socket (or double socket) opens up your garden for outdoor entertaining, power tools, pond pumps and Christmas lights. These must be IP66-rated and RCD-protected.
Porch and Entrance Lighting
A well-lit front door creates a great first impression. Lantern-style wall lights, PIR-activated porch lights and illuminated house numbers are all popular options.
Garden Room and Outbuilding Lighting
If you have a garden room, summerhouse or garage, a proper electrical supply with lighting and sockets makes it usable year-round. This requires an armoured cable supply from the main house.
What Makes Garden Electrical Work Different?
Outdoor electrical installations have specific requirements:
- IP ratings — all outdoor fittings must have an appropriate IP (Ingress Protection) rating. IP65 or higher is suitable for direct weather exposure.
- Cable types — cables buried underground must be armoured (SWA) or protected in conduit at the correct depth
- RCD protection — all outdoor circuits must be protected by a 30mA RCD
- Part P notification — new outdoor circuits are notifiable under Part P and must be certified
Planning Your Garden Lighting
The best garden lighting schemes are planned before installation to avoid unnecessary disruption. Consider:
- Which features you want to light
- Where power will be supplied from
- How cables will be routed (trenched underground or surface-run)
- What controls you want (switches, timers, dimmers, smart controls)
Onyx Electrical Solutions designs and installs complete garden lighting schemes across Greater Manchester. Call 07000 000000 for a free site visit and quote.