Most outdoor lighting fails in the same direction: too much. The instinct is to illuminate, but the craft is to suggest. A garden at night should reveal itself slowly — a path first, then a seat, then the shape of something growing.
Layer one: the path
Low solar lanterns spaced two metres apart are enough. You want pools of light with darkness between them — the darkness is what makes the light feel warm rather than institutional.
Layer two: the anchor
Every garden has one element worth lighting — an olive tree, a wall, a bench. A single flame torch or uplight aimed at that element gives the whole space a focal point. Everything else can stay in shadow.
Layer three: the table
Portable LED lamps have changed outdoor dinners. They move from table to bench to floor as the evening moves, and recharge by USB between uses. Choose warm white (2700K or lower) — anything cooler belongs in an office.
