How to light your garden joinery

Once again this year, we have been caught by surprise at how early it is getting dark. In the Autumn, it is great to think about how you can extend the use of your garden as the nights grow longer. Adding some gorgeous garden lighting can help. Read on to find out the considerations you should make about lighting garden joinery when creating your dream garden.

Modern backyard with a small pool, illuminated waterfall, pergola, and well-manicured garden at dusk.

Up lighting – Lighting up the perimeter of outdoor spaces not only shows off your stunning new trellis or fencing, it also makes the space look bigger. Picking a few trees or beautiful planting to up light around the edge of the garden can be extremely effective. You can also use up lighting to feature other elements of your hard landscaping such as our Vista Decorative Screens or Obelisks.

Outdoor seating area with a wooden bench, cushions, potted plants, and warm lighting at night.

Downlight or cross light bespoke benches, pergolas and alfresco eating areas with soft, warm lighting – this casts a more relaxing light and stops you being dazzled whilst still being able to see what you are doing and allowing you to enjoy your garden for longer. If you have an outdoor cooking area, you might need some brighter lighting, but make sure you match the warmth so you aren’t mixing harsh white lighting you’re your warmer lighting.

Outdoor dining area with wooden pergola, hanging lamps, and a view of a garden at dusk.

Play around with painted joinery colours – lighter colours like Orford Cream, Manhattan Grey and Stone reflect the light so you don’t need so much lighting. Darker colours like Charcoal and Black absorb the light, creating a moody atmosphere. Warmth can be found from Autumn Tide. We paint our joinery with our specialist outdoor paint and our temperature controlled drying rooms help provide a long lasting and durable finish.

A rooftop terrace at dusk with lattice walls, a cushioned bench, and illuminated planters filled with greenery.

Safety & Security – Clever garden lighting options help you navigate your outdoor space in the dark. Consider lighting up pathways and entrances for added safety and security. This doesn’t need to be super bright as a little light goes a long way in the dark, although some properties may benefit from additional, motion activated security lights.

Use mirrors to reflect even more light in your garden. Top garden designers are increasingly incorporating our decorative mirrored trellis panels in their garden designs and they can look incredible at night.

Stone basin and climbing plants against a white wall with decorative shutters.

The eco option? If you are low on budget, or just trying to help the environment, there are a number of solar powered options on the market which don’t require a qualified electrician to install. Play around with string lights and fairy lights in planters or across your fencing, as well as simple ‘in the ground’ solar lights along the base of your joinery.

How to get the best garden lighting – Professional lighting designers (like Moonlight Design or DesignPlusLight) work magic to make gardens come alive in the dark and we would thoroughly recommend using one. If you are going to go solo, make sure you do your research. There are a few key things to remember: make sure the colour and brightness of the lights match (warm white light tends to work best across the board); ensure they are external lights, fully sealed and waterproof; and finally, consider the impact your lighting has on your neighbours.