One of the key hard landscaping features of any modern garden is the lighting – and we don’t just mean the sun. Artificial sources, if put in the right place, can really enhance your outdoor space and should be a prime consideration if you are planning to give your garden a new look.

Compass Garden and Landscape Design specialise in contemporary garden design in Salisbury, Bristol, and across Wiltshire and Somerset. Here are five key ways you can make light work for you.

They Can Point the Way

Side passageways leading to gates and paths up to the end of the garden all benefit from strategically placed lighting. This is because they ensure that you stay on the straight and narrow and won’t step on any plants – potentially killing them – along the way.

Lighting also helps if you have any slopes, uneven areas, or tiered features such as decking, as it will greatly reduce the chances of trips and falls.

They Give You Maximum Use of Your Garden

Lighting gives you the opportunity to enjoy your garden from the house even when it’s dark or late. In turn, it makes it easier to create cosy and enticing outdoor dining, drinking, and entertaining areas.

Whatever ambience you want to create, you should be able to find the lighting to match it. For example, have plenty of bright lights for a big evening barbecue or if the children are outside playing, but opt for a dimmer level if you want to enjoy a romantic dinner for two.

They Can Deter Intruders

One of the key reasons to have some lighting installed in your garden is to deter intruders. It’s been estimated there’s a burglary every 108 seconds in the UK. That works out at 34 an hour or 816 in a day.

If you leave them on all night, this may not be truly effective. This is because intruders will be aware they are on and find ways around them. Motion sensor lights are much better and have the added advantage of using far less electricity, putting money in your pocket and reducing your carbon footprint too. Motion sensor lights, and low-voltage solar-powered lights also have less of a detrimental effect on wildlife.

A gravel driveway is another way of deterring burglars because of the noise it makes underfoot – something to consider as part of any garden redesign.

They Can Have a Personality of Their Own

You don’t need to be restricted to conventional bulbs, motion sensors, solar power, or LED when it comes to choice. You can buy light fittings in all shapes and sizes – even hen-shaped if you are going for a farmyard theme. Or, you can add a touch of the Orient with some paper lanterns, although these will have to be brought in if it starts to rain – and beware of the fire risk of any naked flames.

They Highlight Specific Parts of the Garden

Trees – uplights will help you see your trees or shrubs in a whole new light – literally. It will focus on parts of the tree the eye isn’t normally drawn to and create some stunning visual effects and shadows.

Flower beds – lighting on the edge of beds often next to fences and other boundaries will draw attention to specific plants and away from the lawn, making the whole garden seem more spacious. We offer a planting consultancy service to our customers across the southwest of England to help you know what species will grow well in your garden and where to put any lights for maximum effect.

Water features – you can buy waterproof spotlights for use in and around water to create a soft glow beneath ponds and around fountains. They can also be weighted to stop them moving around.

Contemporary Garden Design from Compass Garden and Landscape Design

Compass Garden and Landscape Design can make lighting a key feature of your contemporary garden design, whether you live in Salisbury, Frome, Bristol or anywhere in the southwest of England.

We have a network of tried and trusted local tradespeople who will carry out the work once we have agreed on a final design with you, which usually includes several meetings and 3D sketches if required.

If you would like to know more, follow this link and fill in the online form or call us on 07920 051549.