Lighting tips from the experts

Illuminating your garden is practical, but it also adds life to outdoor spaces at night and improves security. Five experts share their advice...

Our experts Neville Orsmond

of Create a Landscape in Pretoria is well known to Home readers; he has 12 years of experience in garden design.

Greg Segal

of Professional Illumination Design has been involved in lighting for more than 24 years and has a certificate in lighting engineering from the University of Cape Town.

Walter Cloete

is a horticulturist from Walgro in Strand. He has been designing gardens in the area for 33 years.

Wiidrich Dreyer

of Koi Creations in Pretoria has been involved in landscaping and garden design for 17 years.

Marcus Smit

of Marcus Smit Jacobs Architects in Somerset West has 20 years of experience in the industry. Although he is an architect, he’s also passionate about gardening.

Planning is essential

Garden lighting falls into one of two categories: functional or aesthetic.

“Functional lights are ideal for boundary walls, dark areas and garden paths,” says Neville. “They enable you to see if intruders have entered your property and will prevent you from tripping over things at night. Lighting up pathways and the walls of the house is a good idea, as long as the lights are placed in such a way that they don’t shine in your eyes. All your functional lights need not be on one switch or be turned on at the same time. I also like to use timers on some of the lights.”

When you do your planning, work with two or three electrical lines, says Neville. Line 1, for example, for the power points in your garden; line 2 for functional lights and line 3 for aesthetic lighting. It makes practical sense to lead all the lines from inside your home so that you can regulate them from there.

Installation

It’s best to get an electrician to install the wiring in consultation with your landscaper. Never wire your garden lighting yourself, rather enlist the help of a qualified electrician or you won’t get an electrical compliance certificate when you sell your home later.

Although plans for garden lighting don’t need to approved by the local authorities, a detailed drawing of where the cables will be buried is essential so that you don’t damage them when you do alterations to your home or work in your garden.

Also ensure that your lights are 12 volts. Not only is this safer for children, pets and gardeners, but it also complies with the prescribed regulations. Ask your dealer for a SELV (safety extra low voltage) system.

The idea is to softly illuminate garden paths and patio steps rather than using harsh, bright lighting. – Greg Segal

Green options

Solar panels as a power source for garden lighting are becoming increasingly popular, but Walter warns that your panels should have sufficient strength for the number and type of lights in the garden. If you have a solar panel system for your home, you can add the garden lights to it, but if you install lights with their own solar panels, get expert advice before you buy them or ask your landscaper to accompany you to the supplier. “Beware of the cheap DIY solar-powered lights common in lots of stores. Often, their batteries are only strong enough to provide light until midnight and that won’t do for security,” says Walter.

Because of increasing eco-awareness, there are now a large number of ‘green energy’ options available. “Solar lights are not only energy-efficient, but also save on having to buy expensive cabling. Even fairy lights now work with solar energy – you can convert your entire garden into a fairyland by draping them between tree branches.”

Walter also warns against buying cheap products. “The most inexpensive solar lights last for only a year and then their rechargeable batteries need replacing. Good quality lights will definitely last longer – they’re worth the extra money spent. The bigger the panel, the brighter and longer the LED shines. Ask the salesperson for advice before you buy.”

Materials

The lifespan of your garden lights will depend on the material from which they are made. Good quality products should last 15 to 20 years.

Walter says the best garden lights to buy – those capable of withstanding the elements – should be encased in stainless steel or UV-resistant plastic. Ordinary steel rusts and aluminium will erode, he says.

Wiidrich says lights that are used in your swimming pool or in a fountain must be checked every year in case they need to be resealed. “We use waterproof gel fittings and irrigation cables for our underwater installations.

“Joins underground are secured with a little cement so that the pipes won’t shift around and weaken the joins. I mix a little cement and dig a small hollow under the join in which I put the cement and then I position the pipe.

“Also, choose good quality waterproof switches for outdoor use. It doesn’t help spending money on waterproof globes or lights when the switches leak.” Wiidrich adds that you should not be tempted to make purchases at cheap stores.

Greg agrees: “Avoid cheap plastic lighting because the extreme South African climatic conditions will soon destroy them.”

Don’t illuminate every statue, tree or pot. Focus on the most beautiful element in your garden and use soft lighting to highlight the rest of the space. – Neville