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Solar Lighting

Solar garden lights are getting better and better. It may be a great option for you to use in your garden. There are more and more options for battery and solar-powered lighting equipment for garden use, which is also particularly useful if you have a garden where it’s difficult to provide a cable power supply.

When it comes to solar-powered lights, you can buy single, stand-alone units mounted on a spike that you can simply push into the ground. They’ve got a small integrated solar panel that collects and stores energy during the day. They can be turned on manually at night, or many even have a light sensor that will turn them on automatically when it gets dark. You may even set up a cluster of lights that are all linked to a single large solar panel.

Solar-powered lighting has a lot of great “green” qualities, but it also has its drawbacks. Solar lighting will only work best in a bright, sunny location where plenty of sun light energy is available for storage. Solar panels are becoming more efficient as years go by, but their storage life is still limited. The sensors and circuitry within the panels are also delicate and easily damaged, so must be handled with care. In the proper location, solar lights are ideal for lighting remote paths. They’re also great to use if you have children, because there is no risk of electrocution.

Other Options

Your garden lighting doesn’t always have to involve electricity. You can use candles, flares, torches, or lanterns for an alfresco touch, although many of these options tend to work best around seating areas. You can set up such portable lighting anywhere in the garden, but wind can be a problem, especially when it starts to blow smoke in people’s faces. Many candles and flares release pleasant scents, which can add greatly to the ambient mood. You can also get scents or oils with chemical repellents that will deter insects (especially mosquitoes) that are attracted by the light. Here are some details about your non-electrical lighting options:

• Candles, while they don’t provide a great deal of light, create a magnificent atmosphere with their gentle flickering. Protect the flame so that it doesn’t blow out and so that no one gets burnt or gets smoke in their face.
• Flares or torches resemble large candles. They are often on sticks (short or tall) that can be stuck into the ground. They’ll burn for 6 to 8 hours and cast a warm, romantic glow all around.
• Lanterns, lit either by candle or oil, can be hung around the garden to give a gentle, golden light.