Creating a lighting plan for your garden: 5 steps to the right lighting

Step 2: Determine where and why you need lighting

Now that you have a plan for your garden on paper, determine which areas need to be visible in the evening. Don’t just consider where you can place a light fixture; focus primarily on the effect you want to achieve. In a garden lighting plan, you’ll distinguish between functional lighting, mood lighting, and accent lighting:

● Use functional lighting in areas where good visibility is important. Think of a garden path, stairs, driveway, or entrance.

● Use ambient lighting around the patio or other seating areas to create a warm atmosphere.

● Accent lighting, on the other hand, draws attention to a specific feature of the garden, such as a tree, a building facade, a work of art, or a water feature.

It’s not necessary to light up the entire garden. Dark areas actually provide contrast and tranquility. For example, a lit tree stands out more when the surrounding area isn’t fully illuminated. By deliberately alternating light and dark, the garden gains more depth.

Step 3: Choose the right garden lighting

Do you know what you want to illuminate? Then it’s time to choose the right fixtures. Different types of garden lighting produce different lighting effects. By combining these effects, you can build your lighting plan layer by layer. Each type of outdoor lighting has its own function:

● Spotlights are ideal for creating shadows and highlighting objects, such as a flower bed, tree, or unique feature. They’re also perfect for illuminating a walkway.

● Uplights give the outdoor space a high-end aesthetic. The lights shine upward from the ground, making them suitable for highlighting walls, fences, and plants.

● Decklights can be subtly integrated into a deck or staircase.

● Wall lights are perfect for illuminating walls, fences, and facades.

● Recessed veranda spotlights are the ideal solution for lighting your porch or canopy in a way that’s both atmospheric and functional.

● Post lights are ideal for lighting paths and driveways.

● Mood lighting makes long evenings in the garden even cozier. Even on colder days, mood lights create a festive atmosphere.

Consider light color and intensity

It’s not just the fixture that determines the result. Light color and intensity also influence the atmosphere. Warm white light (approximately 2700 to 3000 K) creates a warm and relaxed ambiance. Cooler white light (starting at about 4000 K) appears brighter and more functional.

Also consider how much light is actually needed. More light isn’t always better. By using targeted lighting and combining different intensities, you can prevent the lighting plan from feeling flat. Dimmer functions are useful for adjusting the intensity to suit the situation, plant growth, and the living environment of insects.

Step 4: Plan the power supply and controls

A garden lighting plan doesn’t just show where the lights will go. You should also think about the power supply in advance. In Lightpro’s 12-volt system, a transformer converts the 230-volt mains power to 12 volts. A cable runs from this transformer through the garden, to which the fixtures are connected.

One advantage of 12-volt garden lighting is that you can install the system yourself. No electrician is needed, and the cable doesn’t have to be buried half a meter deep in the ground. This makes it easy to expand or modify the installation later on. Install the transformer according to the installation instructions and determine in advance how much power all the selected lights will require combined.

Timers and Sensors

Also consider how you’ll control the system. With timers and sensors, you won’t have to turn the lights on and off manually every evening. For example, the Motion Sensor SMART activates the lights when motion is detected. Depending on the system you choose, you can also have the lights turn on automatically around sunset.

Step 5: Test your lighting plan and adjust it

A lighting plan may look perfect on paper, but you won’t see the actual result until it’s dark. Therefore, set up a test layout before permanently installing all the lights. Place the fixtures in their planned locations and view the result from different angles.

For example, walk from the house to the patio and look outside from the living room. Is the path clearly visible? Is the tree lit properly? Is the lighting around the patio atmospheric or too bright? Also check whether any fixtures are causing glare. 

The advantage of a 12-volt system is that you can move fixtures relatively easily. Use that flexibility to further fine-tune the light direction and position. Sometimes, moving a spot light just half a meter can immediately create a different effect.

Be sure to keep the final lighting plan even after the garden lighting has been installed. After all, a garden changes over time. Plants grow taller, trees develop wider canopies, and you might add a new seating area later on. With the original plan on hand, you can easily see where adjustments are needed.

Turn your lighting plan into an evening garden

Would you like help putting together your lighting plan? Use Lightpro’s configurator to further develop your lighting plan. This way, you can determine step by step which lighting suits your garden. Are you having trouble figuring it out, or do you need advice? Please contact us.