Outdoor Lanterns & Strings
Outdoor lanterns and lighting strings can be an imaginative and tasteful way to bring decorative illumination to your garden.
There are four main types of outdoor lanterns and strings, defined by their power source:
- Hardwired - a more permanent, fixed means of lighting. Uses the building’s wiring system
- Corded mains - the light fixture comes with a wire and moulded plug to be plugged into the main power supply
- Solar - a cell on the light fixture collect sunlight, converting it to electricity and storing it in a battery
- Battery - easy to use and perfect when entertaining outdoors. Some battery lights come with a timer function which means you won’t have to worry about remembering to switch them off. These lights will need the battery to be replaced regularly, however you can extend the life of batteries on outdoor lighting strings and lanterns by using a twinkling or flickering mode
Outdoor lanterns and strings come in many different materials including:
- Aluminium - often the cheapest option
- Stainless steel - can give a polished look but may be prone to rust
- Glass - a long lasting but fragile and pricier option
- Plastic - a robust material that won’t rust
There are many different types of lanterns and strings that you can choose depending on your style and taste which will be a great addition to your garden decoration.
Benefits of garden lighting
- Weatherproof - these lights are designed to continue to work even in adverse weather conditions. This lighting will often have a rating, known as an IP (Ingress Protection) rating. When choosing rainproof lighting you will likely need a minimum rating of IPX3
- Motion activated - lights which hold a motion sensor which triggers the light to come on if the sensor detects movement (often via infrared rays which is the heat given off from moving objects)
- Dusk-to-dawn - these lights have a sensor that makes the light turn on when it turns dark and there is a trigger to turn the light off when it becomes light. These can often be modified so you can choose how dark or light you want it to be before the lights turn on/off accordingly
- Novelty - these are fun and decorative lights that will give your garden light whilst also being a fun and attractive design. These can also be seasonal lights that you decorate your garden with for festive seasons or parties.
You can purchase one single lantern or many lights, such as fairy lights, on long strings.