Garden Lighting – Choose Wisely

The best way to select the most suitable garden lighting is to think about what effect is required. When highlighting smaller to mid-size features such as trees, statues or areas of planting, then adjustable, spike mounted spot lights are understandably the best option. The most durable spike lights are made from Solid Brass or Marine Grade Stainless Steel. Designers and Landscapers favour these hard-wearing materials due to their reliability, low maintenance and indeed their pleasing aesthetic.

It’s a good idea to use designs that accommodate replaceable LED bulbs rather than built-in LEDs. This way, factors such as light output and colour temperature such as warm or bright daylight white can be chosen to a client’s satisfaction. Remember when considering brightness, it’s the lumens that count. The best bulbs have 80 plus lumens per watt.

It’s always important to light pathways for safety reasons. Garden lighting that performs this straightforward and expected function can also be an impressive feature in their own right. The most attractive lights are those that blend in with the garden environment. ‘Spreadlights’ crafted from Brass in a rustic bronze finish meet both criteria. Functional and elegant, all light is directed downwards, ‘spreading’ a pool of light with no light pollution.

A recent innovation from Lumena, involves lights mounted in Radiata pine sleepers or posts, for a fantastically durable wooden bollard light with a beautifully rustic character. The ‘Radiata’ Pine is sourced from South Africa where the dry weather increases its density resulting in low splitting properties. The wood is treated and kiln dried to give a guaranteed life of up to 15 years. Similar Pine is used in children’s playgrounds and nature reserves. Solid Brass lights are incorporated into machined orifices in the timber posts to create a naturally unique path light. Radiata are available in two heights, designed for 300mm – 400mm secure in-ground mounting. A professional garden designer can advise on installation spacing and the best LED bulbs to be used. They can be used on either 12v or 240v lighting systems.

Take a look at our brand new Radiata bollards.