Garden lights can be used to decorate just about any garden. In fact, the saying, "If it's worth doing, it's worth doing right," fits perfectly in this context. This is because with the amount of effort that goes into creating a beautiful garden, it will be a shame if it all is not complimented with a few well placed light sources. However, this process is not as simple as it sounds. This is because of the myriad commercial light products that are being sold today. People are often confused about the colours, designs or features to choose. Here we shall discuss some tips that will help you beautify your garden and make it a vision to behold, especially at night.

Garden Lights: Power Consumption

This should be the first thing any garden designer should consider. Power consumption in garden lights depends primarily upon the sort of bulb used. They vary between the range of 10W to 100W. Ideally, 80W bulbs are used for heavily planted areas, while the areas that require brighter illumination can have higher wattage.

Regarding mixing up of the various options, Sean Keighran of Creative Garden Design says, "To reduce running costs you should ask the electrician to separate the circuits as much as possible. That you way you have as much control as possible and you will want to be able to layer the lights. For example, if you're out, you can just leave on the lights for the paths and drives. At other times, when you want to enjoy the garden, you can turn on more of the lights."

Tips and Tricks for Garden Lights

• Avoid placing garden lights everywhere in the garden. This is because shadows help create a beautiful effect.

• Bollard lights are an ideal solution for lighting up the lower levels in a garden, since they are visually less obstructive than the wall mounts or pole top lights.

• Try and create a unique view for the night. Viewers will only get to see the lighted areas at night. So try and illuminate those areas that do not grab attention during the day.

• Always try and place the garden lights away from direct view. For this, they can be placed behind shrubs or guarded by luminaries.

• Use the best quality material that you budget permits, since such lights will last longer and will require lesser maintenance.

Different Types of Garden Lights

• Preferred Material: Wrought iron is the preferred material for protecting garden lights. Besides providing a rustic look to the equipment, it also serves as a good protecting unit for whatever is stored inside. The fact that it is highly durable and hard wearing also helps, as this makes it less prone to damage. It also serves as a good complement to other iron-based products in the garden.

• Dimmer Switches: These work identically to their indoor counterparts and are a perfect source of controlling the glare in the garden lights. They are the best way to adjust the mood of the garden to reflect the occasion and can also help to cut back on the electricity bill in the long run.

• Coloured and Rotating Lights: The use of coloured sheets over the standard garden lights will help produce patterns of your choosing. These filters can be changed with the seasons to make the garden reflect the colours of that specific time of year. Another innovative way for designing such commercial lights is with the use of rotators. Although expensive, these products can perform the job of several independent lights.

• Bollard Light: Shaped as bollards, these lights are often found along garden paths and driveways. The bulb is always protected, as it resides in the metallic stick and can help outline the perimeter of the area it is used to illuminate.