Outdoor lighting fails in two ways: too much of it pointed at the wrong things, and fittings that are not rated for where they sit. Both are avoidable with a plan drawn before anything is bought.
Start with purpose
Separate the functions — safe movement, security and atmosphere — because each wants different fittings and different switching.
- Paths and steps: low-level, downward, continuous
- Entrances: a controlled pool of light at the door, not the whole garden
- Security: motion-triggered, aimed low, on its own control
- Atmosphere: uplights on planting and structure, dimmed and on a timer
Wiring and protection
Anything outdoors needs suitable IP-rated fittings, glanded entries and correctly specified cable. Buried supplies to sheds, garages and garden offices should be armoured and protected. Giving the exterior its own RCBO keeps a wet night from taking out the house.
Neighbours and light spill
Aiming matters. A floodlight pointed over a boundary is a dispute waiting to happen, and a bright light that triggers all night is worse than no light. Shielded fittings and sensible sensor placement solve most of it.
Common questions
- Can garden lighting be added without digging up the lawn?
- Sometimes, by routing along boundaries or under existing hard landscaping. We will look at routes on site.
- Do outdoor circuits need their own protection?
- They need RCD protection, and a dedicated RCBO is our usual recommendation.
- Can you fit low-voltage garden systems?
- Yes, including a correctly located and protected transformer position.
- Will lights be on timers or sensors?
- Either, and often both — amenity on a timer, security on a sensor.
Send a photo of the garden in daylight and we will suggest a scheme before quoting.
Related guides
- Outdoor Sockets and Garden Lighting That TripGarden electrics live outdoors, and outdoors is where every weakness in an installation eventually shows.
- Powering a Garden Office or OutbuildingA garden office is a small installation in its own right, not a long extension lead.
- Smart Lighting: Wired, Wireless and HybridThe most important smart lighting decision is where the intelligence lives.