Landscape Lighting Ideas That'll Lighten & Brighten Your Garden

The easiest way to transform your outdoor space is by adding lighting. Not only does landscape lighting add ambience, it opens up your outdoor space for use from day to night. From pathway lights to bollard lights, this guide covers everything you need to know to create the perfect outdoor lighting setup. Keep reading for landscape lighting ideas.

1. Light the Way With Pathway Lights

Pathway lights are exactly what their name implies. They are small lights atop a small pole that illuminate the ground below. They’re commonly used to light pathways so that you can see the ground while you’re walking to your destination. They’re also great for drawing focus to a beautiful pathway, whether that is a concrete pavement, cobblestone drive or a well-groomed dirt path. Most come either solar- or battery-powered, so there’s some flexibility in what kind of energy you can use for your landscape lighting ideas.

2. Safely Take a Leap with Deck & Step Lights

Step lights are a great landscape lighting idea, as they’re just as helpful as pathway lights. They mount vertically so they’re perfect for attaching to anything that stands up straight: steps, decks, walls etc. They also come in a wide range of styles to match many kinds of decor. If you’re wondering how to turn these lights on, don’t worry – you won’t have to turn each one on manually. Many step lights use motion sensors or can be programmed to turn on and off at specific times. Adding step lights is the best landscaping lighting idea if you have a deck or steps that need illumination.

3. Light up the Outdoors with Floodlights & Spotlights

Floodlights are some of the most powerful lights you can get for your outdoor space. If you’re in need of lights that will light up a large space, floodlights and spotlights are the best option. They're extremely bright lights that typically come attached to a spike that you stake into the ground. Their bright light covers a lot of area for a long period of time. Most of these lights come with LED bulbs, which ensure a very bright shine. Putting floodlights in an outdoor space is the perfect landscape lighting idea for those who don’t stop the party when the sun goes down. Think of floodlights and spotlights like a room light: They’ll allow you to truly make the outdoors as cozy as indoors.

4. A Subtle yet Effective Glow

If you’re looking for something a little more subtle in your outdoor area, try a light that’s built into what you already have. The most covert landscape lighting idea is fence post cap lights: These lights fit on top of fence posts and add a little bit of extra detail. Most come with adjusters to accommodate different fence shapes and sizes. The fence post light pictured above features a simple design, but if you’re looking for something more extravagant, fence post lights come in varying shapes and styles.

5. Customise Your Outdoor Space with Bollard Lights

Bollard lights offer a certain flexibility that none of the other lights on this list can provide. That’s why installing bollard lights is one of the best landscape lighting ideas. Bollard lights are unique in that they don’t need to be attached to anything in order to be effective. They have a spike at the bottom so you can plant them wherever you wish. Unlike fence post lights and step lights, you can put these anywhere! Place them around a garden to illuminate your beautiful plants or place them around the perimeter of your area in order to create beautiful walls of light.

6. Landscape Lighting is a Breeze With Lighting Kits

If you like landscape lighting ideas that are convenient and are looking for a one-stop shop, check out lighting kits. They come with everything you need to install the lights, and most are available with multiple lights. Take a look at this stunning lighting kit pictured above, made to resemble flowers. These lights would be perfect around the edge of a garden. Not all lighting kits are made to blend into the greenery; lighting kits come in various styles and can have different types of lights included.

7. Bring in Waves of Light With a Nautical Fence Post Cap

The best outdoor lighting ideas add character to your home while serving a practical purpose. And while fence post caps have been mentioned already, it can be hard to grasp how varied their selection really is. The fence post light mentioned before had a simple, minimal design with a light seamlessly built into the fixture. The light pictured above couldn’t be more different. This light is made to make a statement, as it is made to look like a traditional street light. Fence post lights are truly versatile.

8. Different Look, Same Convenience

Most outdoor lighting ideas involve a landscape lighting kit because they’re so convenient. While that is true, lighting kits vary greatly from one to the next. This lighting kit looks totally different from the last lighting kit featured in this guide. This outdoor lighting idea shows the wide range of lighting kits available. Its design is very different – the kit pictured above has a more traditional style. While the differences between the two kits may seem great, these kits still have convenience in common.

Tip: Enjoyed this article? Then you might also like:

• The Ultimate Guide to Installing Outdoor Lighting
• Brighten Your Outdoor Patio With These 4 Lighting Ideas
• Switch to Solar With Our Guide to the Best Outdoor Solar Lights