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If you’ve put time and money into creating the perfect garden, you have something beautiful to gaze upon all day long. If you install garden lights, you can appreciate your favorite outdoor space long after the sun goes down.
Garden lights create a warm ambiance when they’re strategically placed throughout your outdoor space. You can highlight a blooming raised garden bed or you can illuminate the walkway to your vegetable and herb garden.
Wondering which garden lights you should buy? Here’s everything you need to know, including some recommendations.
Garden lights add more than aesthetic appeal to your outdoor space.
According to Energy Star, brightness, or light output, is expressed in lumens as opposed to watts. The higher the lumens, the brighter the light.
If you’re wondering how to choose the right brightness in garden lights, most manufacturers indicate the intended uses and locations for outdoor lights on packaging. Motion sensor lights, for example, are generally brighter than path, step or string lights.
Garden lights are available in a variety of colors that range from warm to cool colors. Light color is expressed in Kelvin units on a spectrum of 2200K to 6500K. Energy Star indicates that the lower the number, the warmer the light. Conversely, the higher the number, the cooler it appears.
Warmer light may be used for mood lighting because it exudes an inviting tone. Cooler light, on the other hand, is closer to natural daylight and has a clean, crisp appearance.
In terms of choosing the best color for garden lights, it boils down to preference. There aren’t any hard and fast rules on light colors, though many consumers agree that the right light color dramatically improves ambiance.
Garden lights are often battery- or solar-powered, though there are some lights that either require electrical wiring or access to an A/C outlet. Here’s how they compare:
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Solar garden lights are installed in sunny spots around gardens and outdoor spaces. They automatically turn on when it gets dark outside. Unfortunately, some solar lights aren’t very bright.
LED garden lights remain popular for their bright, clear light. They’re energy-efficient and suitable for most areas around the garden. Their brightness, however, may be intrusive or bothersome to neighbors.
Adjustable garden lights, also called spotlights, offer customizable lighting options. They’re low-profile so as not to detract from the natural beauty of a garden. One of the pitfalls of spotlights is that you’ll need several to achieve the lighting effect you desire.
Other garden lights include deck, string, fiber optic or step lights. You’ll also find lamp posts, pond lights and fountain lights in this category. Given their diversity in color, brightness and design, you may need to put effort into planning and design to achieve the best lighting effect.
Hampton Bay 3-Tier LED Landscape Lights
These LED lights are perfect for illuminating pathways with 3100k cool white light. The lights have a frosted plastic lens that creates a soft, blurred light.
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Westinghouse Remington Solar Bronze LED Lights
Affordable and attractive, this set of path lights can light up longer walkways on a budget. They have extra-long stakes to keep them stable and tilt-free.
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Mr. Beams Motion-Sensing LED Step Lights
These reactive lights are suitable for porch and deck steps. The battery-powered lights last through a year of use or more with an average of eight activations per day.
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GAMA SONIC Royal Bulb Series LED Solar Post Light
This stately solar light remains a customer favorite for its regal design. It features durable construction with weather- and rust-resistant cast aluminum.
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Classy Caps Oxford White Integrated LED Post Cap Lights
These low-profile deck lights are used with raised garden beds with 6- by 6-foot posts. They’re equipped with high-performance solar lights that stay lit for up to 12 hours.
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Deck Impressions LED Rock Spotlight
If you’re searching for garden lights that blend in, try these rock spotlights. They give you two light color options as well: warm white or green.
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Commercial Electric Outdoor/Indoor LED Rope Light
These versatile rope lights are flexible enough to mount virtually anywhere, from gazebos to raised garden beds. They come with a mounting kit for easy installation.
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Sian Babish is a writer for BestReviews. BestReviews is a product review company with a singular mission: to help simplify your purchasing decisions and save you time and money.
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