The 6 means the light is fully sealed against dust, and the 5 means it is protected against water jets from any direction. IP65 is a good standard for most exposed outdoor lights in the UK.

How far apart should garden path lights be?

As a guide, place bollards or path lights 2 to 3 m apart, staggered from one side of the path to the other. The right spacing depends on the brightness and beam of the fitting.

What colour temperature is best for garden lighting?

Warm white, around 2700K to 3000K, suits most gardens. It flatters brick, stone and planting and feels welcoming. Cooler light can make a garden look harsh.

Are low-voltage garden lights better?

Low-voltage 12 or 24 volt systems are popular for garden lighting because they are easier to adjust and move as the garden changes. Mains-voltage fittings suit fixed positions such as wall lights. Both need to be installed by a qualified electrician.

How high should an outdoor wall light be?

Around 1.7 to 1.8 m from the ground is typical beside a front door, so the light falls on faces and the lock. Up and down lights on a garden wall can be fitted lower to suit the wall.

Can outdoor lights affect wildlife?

Yes. Bright, cool and upward light can disturb bats, birds and insects. Use warm, low, downward or shielded light, only where it is needed, and switch it off late at night with a timer.

Do I need an electrician for garden lighting?

Yes, for any mains or low-voltage wired system. Outdoor circuits need RCD protection and cables must be suitable for burial or protected. We create the lighting plan and your electrician fits it.

Outdoor Lighting

BY ROOM

Outdoorlighting

Outdoor and garden lighting ideas from our lighting designers, from entrances and paths to steps, terraces and planting.

Plan your garden lighting Shop outdoor lights

The gardenafter dark

Good outdoor lighting does two jobs. It makes paths, steps and entrances safe and welcoming, and it turns the garden into something you enjoy from inside the house long after the sun has gone down.

The best schemes use less light than you might think: warm, low and carefully aimed, picking out a tree, a wall or a path rather than flooding the whole garden.

Every outdoor fitting also has to cope with rain, frost and, in some cases, being walked on or submerged. Choosing the right IP rating for each position is the first step.

WhichIP rating?

An IP rating shows how well a light is sealed against dust and water. The first number is solids, the second is water: the higher, the better protected.

Choose where the light is going to see the rating it needs, and a few tips for that position.

Where is the light going?

IP65

A guide only. Outdoor circuits need RCD protection and should be fitted by a qualified electrician.

Light itin layers

Light for safety, light for the view and light for the evening.

Brick light set into a garden wall beside a path

Pathsand entrances

Low brick lights, bollards and wall lights guide the way to the front door and along paths, without glare in your eyes.

Stepsand changes of level

Light set into risers or walls beside each step shows exactly where to put your feet, and looks striking from the house.

Plantingand features

Spike lights aimed up into a tree, a wash across a wall or a soft glow among planting give the garden depth after dark.

Paths andentrances

Light the way, not the sky. Low, downward light along paths and at entrances is safer, kinder to neighbours and far more atmospheric than a floodlight.

The front doorA pair of wall lights either side of the door, or one on the lock side, around 1.7 to 1.8 m high, lights faces and keys.

PathsBollards or brick lights every 2 to 3 m, staggered from side to side, give an even path of light without a runway effect.

StepsLight every step, or at least the top, bottom and any change in level, with lights in the risers or the wall beside them.

Sensors and timersA PIR sensor at the door, and dusk-to-dawn or timer control elsewhere, means lights are only on when needed.

Warm, lowand kind

The details that make outdoor lighting look considered rather than bright.

Warm whiteAround 2700K to 3000K suits brick, stone and planting. Cool white can make a garden look cold and flat.

Low voltageA 12 or 24 volt system makes it easier to move spike lights as planting grows, with the transformer kept safely indoors or in a weatherproof box.

Dark skiesAim light down or into features, choose shielded fittings and switch off late at night. It is better for wildlife, neighbours and the night sky.

ControlPut the garden on its own circuits and scenes, so you can light the terrace for dinner and the trees for the view from inside.

The viewfrom inside

On a winter evening, a garden lit with care makes a room feel bigger. Without it, large glass doors turn into black mirrors that reflect the room back at you.

A few well-placed lights in the garden, at a similar brightness to the room inside, carry the eye out through the glass. We plan outdoor lighting with the rooms that look onto it, so the house and garden work as one scheme.

See made-to-measure LED profiles