How to Plan a Garden Lighting Scheme From Scratch — 6 Designer-Approved Steps That Are Easy to Follow and Ensure Maximum Impact
Behind every beautiful garden is a carefully planned lighting scheme
Even if gardening isn't your passion, creating an outdoor oasis to spend time in with family and friends, or even just to gaze out from the comfort of indoors, is pretty appealing to most of us. I most certainly do not have green fingers, yet that doesn't stop me from appreciating beautiful garden schemes.
Where my own outdoor space really falls flat is when it comes to my garden lighting ideas — or, more precisely, the complete lack of a properly planned scheme. Two wall lights stuck to the extension might do the job of lighting the patio table, but that's about as exciting as it gets. I long for more but have no idea where to start.
Planning a garden lighting scheme from scratch can feel overwhelming, so I approached some top designers who, helpfully, have broken the process down into easy-to-understand stages and what and when to factor in when buying garden lighting for your space.
1. Decide exactly what you want from your garden
The first step toward a lighting scheme is to come up with a clear plan of how you want to use the space and what you have to work with already.
While there is a sea of inspirational modern garden ideas easily accessible, understanding how to translate them into your own space is not always so easy.
Mike Kazer, founder and design director at London Lightworks, explains that the starting point should be to ensure everyone knows the end goal, be that something to enhance your small patio ideas or a grander scheme. Even if you're not planning on using a lighting designer, his approach definitely makes sense. "We want to understand the overall landscape concept: What are the feature areas? What are the key views? Which elements should draw attention, and how will the garden be experienced after dark?
"We also want to understand the client's personal preferences," continues Mike. "Do they enjoy a garden with lots of light and dramatic features, or are they looking for a delicate and minimal garden, with subtle pockets of light that create atmosphere without overpowering the landscape?
"And there's one piece of information we're rarely given up front but always ask for — the budget," adds Mike. "Understanding the budget from the outset allows us to develop a lighting scheme that is realistic, considered, and in line with the client's expectations, rather than designing something that looks great on paper but isn't achievable. Once we have this information, we can begin to develop a lighting approach that complements the landscape, enhances the architecture, and creates the right atmosphere for the people using the garden."
Mike Kazer is design director and founder of London Lightworks, an independent lighting design consultancy specialising in high-end residential and commercial projects. Having worked in the lighting industry throughout his professional career, Mike has experience across both interior and exterior lighting, with a particular interest in how carefully considered landscape lighting can extend the architecture and character of a home beyond its walls.
2. Plan the scheme in layers
Taking time to work out the logistics of a layered lighting scheme will help you use the garden in different ways after dark, and more easily, too.
With a clearer idea of what it is you are aiming to achieve with your lighting, your next step should be to get to grips with how to plan in a layered garden lighting scheme — this will ensure you are maximizing the space you have to work with.
Travis Hogue, owner of Outdoor Lighting Perspectives , explains just why this approach is so important. "A garden lit with only one layer reads flat — no matter how good the fixtures are. I approach it like a designer might light a stage. For the foreground, use soft step and pathway lighting, in the midground opt for accent uplighting on trees and focal features and, finally, in the background use architectural wall washers or silhouette lighting." Map everything out and ensure you have covered all bases.
Mike Kazer has some further advice when planning layers into your scheme. "Ideally, each layer should be controlled independently, rather than having everything switched on at once. This allows the lighting to respond to different uses and moods. Where the budget and control system allow, we also recommend making these layers dimmable, giving even greater flexibility to adjust the atmosphere." Factoring all of this in from the start will avoid headaches further down the line.
Travis Hogue is the owner of Outdoor Lighting Perspectives locations serving Greater Orlando, Daytona, Melbourne and West Palm Beach, where he specializes in designing and implementing customized outdoor lighting solutions for residential and commercial properties.
3. Choose the right fittings for the job
Aim to conceal the majority of your light fittings — you want to see the effect, not its source.
Now the stage is set for your lighting scheme; you need to select the right type of light fittings to get the job done — and it isn't just a case of looking at the latest garden lighting trends.
Garrett Cunnington, founder of Loudoun Lighting, says that the wisest place to begin is by focusing on your hopes for the end result. "Start with the lighting effect you want and work backward to the fitting. Think about beam angle, output, glare control, mounting position and adjustability — all are usually more important than the fitting itself. You generally want the fixtures to disappear into the landscape anyway. In most gardens, you should notice the lighting effect before you notice the equipment creating it."
Mike Kazer is keen to emphasize the important role the climate should play in the fittings you choose too. "The environment needs to be carefully considered. When working in coastal locations, for example, we look for fittings with appropriate materials and specialist finishing processes that can withstand the more demanding conditions created by salt-laden air.
"We also favor 24V light fittings over constant-current LED systems, as these systems can share drivers more easily and give the client greater flexibility to add further fittings to the installation in the future," continues Mike. "Maintenance is another important consideration. We look at how easily fittings can be accessed and serviced, and whether LEDs can be replaced without having to disturb or replace the cabling.
"A well-designed lighting scheme should look good when it is installed and then stay practical to maintain over many years. The best fittings are those that combine durability, flexibility, and ease of maintenance with careful optical control, allowing the landscape to take center stage."
Garrett Cunnington founded Loudoun Lighting with a simple philosophy: great outdoor lighting should be beautiful, functional, and thoughtfully designed for the property.
4. Work out the best installation routes
Ideally, your lighting design should be undertaken at the same time as your landscaping work is being planned.
Installation and cabling might not be the most glamorous aspect of garden lighting, but according to Raine Clarke-Wills, principal designer and director at Raine Garden Design, early planning is essential for any scheme to be a success. "We always try to think about lighting before the hard landscaping goes in. You really don’t want to finish beautiful paving or build a wall and then realize you need to run cables underneath it.
"You might not know exactly where every light is going at that stage, but it’s worth planning where power might be needed and thinking ahead. It just makes life so much easier later and means the lighting feels like it belongs in the garden rather than something that has been added afterwards. The electrical side should, of course, be planned and installed by a suitably qualified professional."
Landscape designer Caroline Ervin of Caroline Ervin Landscape Design explains that hard landscaping ideally needs to be put in place before any wiring. "Hardscaping should be mostly completed before lighting is installed — so that there is no chance of construction damage to wires in the ground — but conduits should be planned and installed underneath hardscapes (such as paths and patios) before any concrete is poured so that lighting wires can be run through them afterwards. One important exception is any lights that are built into walls or steps — these would need to be installed in conjunction with the installation of the hardscape."
Mike Kazer's approach is very much a collaborative one, where everyone involved communicates. "We begin by producing a circuited lighting drawing, as not all fittings will be switched on together. As almost all of the fittings we use outdoors are low-voltage systems, they require remote drivers.
"The next step is to work closely with the contractor and landscape designer to identify suitable locations for driver hubs," elaborates Mike. "These need to be discreet and out of sight, while still remaining easily accessible for future maintenance. Drivers should always be installed within waterproof enclosures to ensure long-term reliability and protection from the elements. Finding the right locations for these enclosures early in the design process helps avoid compromises later in the project. This coordinated approach means the electrical infrastructure sits neatly within the landscape and gives the lighting scheme a solid, maintainable foundation," adds Mike.
Raine is a leading garden designer in the industry and has won numerous awards for her exceptional design work. She is now Raine Garden Design’s head consultant designer where she has successfully designed and built hundreds of projects, ranging from charming, intimate courtyards, to impressive rambling estates, all design work is carefully created with the client in mind.
Caroline Cobb Ervin is a landscape and garden designer at Caroline Ervin Landscape Design. Since 2007, she has worked closely with her clients to design, install and maintain both small and large residential gardens in Washington, DC and its nearby suburbs. She has created gardens for clients on Maryland's Eastern Shore, along the Delaware coast and in her home state of Texas. She travels to gardens throughout the United States, as well in Europe, to add to her design background and understanding of historical gardens. Her own gardens are listed in the Smithsonian's Archives of American Gardens. She also is the owner of The Georgetown Garden Shop.
5. Prioritize mains-powered lighting but don't discount solar
Solar lighting can come in useful, but has its limitations.
Anyone keen to avoid too much disruption when it comes to installation, perhaps because they are retrofitting, may well be toying with the idea of solar-powered lighting.
Caroline Ervin says that while solar has its place, it rarely works as the sole solution. "Solar power is a great option for accents such as lanterns or portable table lamps, as they are easy to move as needed for charging. On a larger scale though, the unpredictability of sunlight makes it difficult to charge every fixture to the same degree of brightness and longevity. Technology is improving constantly, however, so this will hopefully change in the near future."
For Mike Kazer, however, mains-powered wins hands down. "We don't use solar-powered lighting in our garden projects. In the UK, we generally don't have sufficient hours of strong sunlight throughout the year for conventional solar lighting to provide the consistency and performance we expect from a lighting scheme. For solar power to work properly, we would typically be looking at a larger, professionally designed solar panel system with battery storage, with the stored energy then feeding the lighting system electrically. At that point, however, it becomes a much more substantial installation than the small standalone solar fittings often used in gardens.
"The lighting we use is already LED and extremely low in power consumption. A surprisingly small amount of light goes a long way outdoors, particularly when the lighting is carefully positioned and controlled," points out Mike. "For us, it is less about using as little power as possible and more about using the right amount of light, in the right place, at the right time. A well-designed garden lighting scheme can create a dramatic effect without using much energy at all."
The simple design of this solar lamp belies its handy features — it automatically turns on at dusk, has three brightness levels and offers 14 hours of light at full charge.
Available in olive and black, this modern solar lamp comes complete with a USB cable for faster charging if you get impatient waiting for the sun.
This pair of well-priced lamps turn on and off automatically at dusk and dawn, are totally waterproof and, thanks to the crackled bulbs, create a pretty sparkly effect.
6. Make controlling your scheme a breeze
Setting your outdoor lighting on a digital astronomic timer means you don't have to worry about controlling it manually.
The way in which you control your newly-installed garden lighting needs not only to be uncomplicated but should also allow for creating the right ambience for the moment.
According to Caroline Ervine, thanks to modern advances, it is easier than ever to set up flexible lighting controls. "It seems as though each year there is new technology available to make it easy for homeowners to control their outdoor lighting. I recommend clients use an astrological timer which will automatically turn on at dusk and shift throughout the year as sunset moves. The timer can then be set to keep the lights on as long as is desired, making it something the homeowners just don’t ever need to worry about when the lights turn on and off."
"I'd also recommend a digital astronomic timer, with a battery backup at minimum, so it adjusts automatically with sunrise and sunset," picks up Travis Hogue. "Beyond that, app-based smart controllers with independent zones let homeowners build scenes — outdoor dining and entertaining, everyday, holiday and so on — and to control each area separately. We can also work with the home automation integrators to bring the landscape lighting under the control of the home automation systems, which is preferred for most of our projects."
FAQs
How many lights does a garden need?
The number of lights your garden needs depends on its size, location and how you want to use it.
While it's tempting to think in numbers when it comes to lighting, particularly when trying to budget, according to Caroline Ervine, the number of lights you'll need totally depends on the size of your space as well as the effect you're aiming for. "Start with a plan that achieves the basic goals of safety and creates soft and subtle light. From there, layer additions as needed, always keeping balance in mind. Typically, lights on a path are placed about eight feet apart. If trees are properly spaced (another topic altogether), uplights would be spaced every 12 feet or more. Additional accent lights in the garden should be spaced similarly to how tree lighting is spaced."
Travis Hogue feels that the size of the garden doesn't always have to dictate how many lights are used. "Size matters less than what needs to be lit. We design to focal points and safety-critical circulation, and leave deliberate darkness between since contrast is what makes a scheme feel dimensional. A well-planned quarter-acre property might use 15 to 25 fixtures and outshine a larger one lit with twice as many but without a plan. Typically, a greater number of lower output and intentionally placed fixtures look worlds better than fewer, higher output fixtures."
Finally, Hazel Park, lead lighting designer at John Cullen Lighting, points out that the garden's location plays a part too. "In urban gardens, more light may be needed to compete with ambient light pollution, whereas in the countryside very little light can have enormous impact. It is about putting light in the right places rather than lighting everything."
Hazel has vast experience in luxury residential lighting design having started in 2013, collaborating with top industry professionals and clients in London and overseas. She has worked on a wide variety of interior styles ranging from grade listed country manors, boutique event spaces to new build contemporary villas.
Should all trees have uplighters?
It pays to be a little selective when it comes to tree lighting.
There is no denying that placing uplighters at the base of trees can result in some stunning effects — but a little restraint and consideration are required here if you don't want your garden lighting to look cheap or over-lit, says Raine Clarke-Wills. "I definitely wouldn’t light every tree. I think you need to be quite selective. If there’s a really beautiful trunk, interesting bark, or a lovely shape to the canopy, then absolutely make something of it. Sometimes a tree at the end of a view can look incredible when it’s lit at night. But if every tree is illuminated, nothing really stands out anymore."
"Multi-stem trees look particularly beautiful when up-lit from close to the stems," adds Mike Kazer. "The light picks out their structure, creating texture, depth and interesting patterns of light and shadow," advises Mike. "Larger trees, such as oak or beech, can also be beautifully illuminated, but we tend to use this approach sparingly. Rather than lighting every tree, we select individual trees or small groups that contribute to the views through the garden and help create depth."
That said, Mike adds that there are instances where a braver approach works best. "There are occasions where lighting every tree, or every alternate tree, can be very effective. For example, where there is a formal, manicured and symmetrical avenue of trees leading up a drive — repeating the lighting creates a strong rhythm and reinforces the geometry of the landscape."
What color temperature is best for gardens?
In general, warm white works best overall, although cooler temperatures can create a moonlit effect in trees.
Just as when developing a lighting design scheme for the interior of your home, it pays to think about light color temperature in the garden.
Garrett Cunnington reveals his strategy. "For the majority of residential garden lighting, I prefer warm white light in roughly the 2700K to 3000K range, with 3000K being a very useful starting point. Warm light is generally flattering to foliage, natural stone, wood and residential architecture, and it tends to produce the comfortable atmosphere most homeowners want from a garden after dark."
Don't miss the opportunity to moonlight your garden too — using a cooler temperature can create some ethereal results according to Garrett. "If I'm installing fixtures high in mature trees to create the effect of moonlight filtering through the canopy, I may use 4000K or potentially a cooler source. As with almost every aspect of lighting design, color temperature is a tool rather than a rule. It should serve the effect we are trying to create."
To ensure plenty of atmosphere in your outdoor spaces, spotlights are perfect — but take the time to consider the best position for garden spotlights before popping them randomly all over the place. Located thoughtfully, they can highlight focal points and add a rich sense of depth to even the simplest of spaces.
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