With a flick of a switch (or button), and armed with the best outdoor lights on the market, you can transform your garden from a drab outside area to a stylish entertaining space. Trust us: you’ll want to show off your new garden to family and friends. A set of garden lights will have you spending more time outside, whether during outdoor dinner parties or for post-dinner cocktails under the stars. To put it simply: outdoor lights are a great way to create ambience, no matter the occasion.
As well as adding style and charm to your garden, patio or balcony, outdoor lighting is a practicality every homeowner needs. From sensor lights that brighten up your driveway, to wall lights to illuminate the front door.
When it comes to finding the right lighting for your needs, there are a few key considerations. Do you require battery-powered lighting, a plug-in option or an environmentally – and electricity bill friendly – solar-powered set? Perhaps you need a motion-sensor light to light your way as you walk, or lights you can switch on from your phone?
Either way, there are plenty of outdoor lighting options to browse. We're here to ensure you don't get bombarded with lights from a quick online search. Read on to find the Gardeningetc team's top picks for the best outdoor lights to brighten up your outside space.
Oh, and if you’re wondering how to decorate with outdoor lights for a stylish outside setting, you may want to check out our outdoor lighting ideas.
The best outdoor lights to buy for your garden
Tried, tested and loved by our Editor, these are rated our best outdoor lights for good reason. Here's what our she has say about them:
'These festoon lights are super easy to use and will give any patio space a lovely warm glow after dark. One of the best things about them is that if you want to light a larger area you can simply connect multiple sets together so that you only need to use one power source. I have two sets of the 10m Warm White lights in my own garden, and they easily stretch around the edge of my patio. The rubber cable is really durable, and the lights are hard-wearing too - I even accidentally dropped one of the sets on the paving slabs and the bulbs didn't break. I've used them for a few summers now (and even over winter) and they are still going strong.'
Timeless and classy, there's no surprise, these festoon lights offer all the magic of a 1950s American fairground and then some. They're a surefire way to light up your entertaining space and ideal for patios, decking and pergolas they make great party decorations your guests will be impressed with. And with twenty bulbs to decorate with, you can illuminate enough space for a garden soirée.
Thanks to an ingenious timer feature, these lights switch on and off automatically every night. However, we wouldn't recommend them for long-term use. Easy to set up too, draping them around the garden on special occasions is a relatively low-maintenance affair. With nostalgic style and modern design, the retro bulb is fitted with LED technology for the best of both worlds.
Like the look of the festoon style? Check out our guide to the best festoon lights available right now.
This Rotterdam wall light in an industrial lantern style is a practical choice for any exterior wall of your house. It would make a stylish addition to your front porch or back door, a useful light source for your garage or alleyway, or a great feature for the front of your summerhouse. Made from stainless steel, with an IP value of IP44, there’s no worry about this light being left out in the rain. Keep outside and illuminate your way to shelter.
This wall light doesn't come with the bulb included. But the beauty of this means you can choose a fitting in a style that you like since it’ll be visible inside the box fixture. Another add-on is the dimmable option. Attach an external dimmer to adjust your level of lighting needs. Since it's meant for long-term use, you will need to connect it to the mains, as with the case of the majority of the best outdoor wall lights. But don't let that put you off, it's a less tricky job than you may think.
This outdoor pedestal light is ideal for lighting up your pathway, at the touch of a button, or detection of movement. As our best outdoor sensor light, this Philips hue light will illuminate as you arrive for a warm welcome home. Not only essential for unpacking the car at night, but it will also help to keep you and your home safe.
Used by larger companies, big estates and smaller modern homes, many love this light for its contemporary design and smart technology. Think Alexa for the outdoors, you can choose to connect these lights to the Hue Bridge (available at an extra cost), allowing you to switch the lights on and off from your smartphone. Provide extra peace of mind while you're away by creating the appearance that someone’s home by lighting up your driveway.
Soaking up the sun's energy during the day and automatically turning on at dusk, these best solar-powered outdoor lights are great for hassle-free illumination. In a spike outdoor light design that's portable for any location, choose where to plant them depending on your need-to-see needs. Perfect to pave the way up your pathway or to decorate around your yard, this set of lights is a popular choice for any outdoor set-up.
They feature high capacity, rechargeable built-in LEDs for bright, long-lasting performance, providing up to 6 hours of cool white light. Durable and weather-resistant too you can keep these spike lights outside every night, not just during the summer season. At an affordable price that won't contribute to your electric bill, there's no doubt these make a practical, stylish solution to seeing where you're going.
Instantly create a warm and welcoming atmosphere in your garden, or on your balcony or patio with these string lights. A great alternative to a more classic rounded bulb festoon light, the elongated bulb with small fairy lights will make a stylish addition to your outside space. Put up by layering along the top of your pergola or terrace, with the option to drape to avoid difficulty taking down or clip for a more secure attachment. And with 3 meters to work with, you'll cover ground no matter the size of your garden.
The best bit about these string lights? You won't have to be replacing batteries more often than you'd like, as is usual with cheaper fairy light alternatives. The solar panel included means you can install your string lights by leaving them to soak up sun rays during the day. Perfect for outdoor spaces where an electrical supply isn't available. Have fun decorating, without the electrical work, for garden parties, alfresco dining and late-night social events.