JOHN RAINE - Professional Nightscaping Service

Lighting steps for safety is an obvious requirement in any garden, but functionality can be coupled with decorative merit if the lighting is subtle. Cross lighting steps from flanking walls is one of the best techniques: recessed steplights, using 20w dichroic reflector lamps to project beams across a staircase "graze" across the paving to display texture and colour as well as illuminating the treads and risers. A copper eyelid steplight such as the Megabay M6030 weathers to blend with brick surfaces and limits upward glare; brass models such as the M2006 and M2008 blend with pale timber and stone, and custom coloured finishes of both of these products may be specified for other construction materials. But make sure that any steplight facing a terrace, path, window or other viewpoint is of a low glare type, probably using a capsule lamp rather than a spotlight type lamp; the Megabay M2066 eyelid step light or M2067 steplight with grid, both available in brass are good choices. Several of the Megabay models are available in a brushed chrome finish whose soft modern look is often preferred to brasher stainless steel for contemporary gardens. The fact that these are surface mounted fixtures rather than requiring a drilled recess also makes them easy to install. Elipta offer an attractive range of compact stainless steel 12 volt steplights with a choice of low voltage halogen capsule or reflector lamps: the recessed models for MR16 reflector lamps are available with an optional frosted lens in copper (E5221) and stainless steel (E5111 and E5211) versions. Elipta low voltage halogen capsule models feature a frosted lens for diffused lighting and a choice of round (E5311) or square (E5411) fittings, or with eyelid (E5511) or (E5611) scoot for additional glare control. Elipta’s larger l.e.d. models are also good for lighting small step areas and are available in round (E3411W) or square (E3511W and E3611W) models.

In more open areas, moonlighting down from trees or downlighting from structures are good techniques described in other pages. Where flanking walls, structures and trees are absent, then selecting a spreadlight which will stand up high enough to perform its lighting job and still be visually acceptable is the compromise to be achieved. A good selection of these is available from Megabay including the M6415 Chatenay, a copper spreadlight with a small domed head that will weather to a mottled brown appearance which looks natural in most garden settings. Copper spreadlights are also available with a satin chrome hat and stem for more modern settings – the tapered design of the M6405 and M6410 ranks these two fittings as popular choices. Megabay also produce green and black cast aluminium alternatives which are to be preferred where children can test the robustness of the fittings, and these are also available in two sizes (M5745 and M5715). An interesting alternative to lighting a level path or driveway is to waymark it rather than light the horizontal surface; Megabay’s M2024 light can be used to cast a corona of light at intervals along the edge of the route. Elipta’s Navigator range of l.e.d. lights is designed to recess into paving and make excellent waymarkers – the medium sized E3211W and E3411W models at spacings of 1.5 – 2 metres are best for this approach.

Lighting driveways can be a question of compromise; a designer’s preference is always to provide good lighting without seeing the lights, but this isn’t always possible. "Moonlighting" from trees is an attractive way of lighting a horizontal surface in a naturalistic way suitable for both town and country gardens. However, if there are no trees, walls or structures to act as lighting platforms then the choice is to provide lighting by means of visible fittings and personal taste is the final arbiter of the style of fitting to be used. Small fluorescent bollard lights are often popular because of their small size, low energy consumption and long lamp life, and in some cases because modern shape and finishes are both available and fashionable. Royal Botania’s bollard lights in natural stone and teak finishes are also available and look natural in many settings. They are available with louves (RBLIG40), opal diffuser (RBNOR40) or as eyelid types (RBTTC40). Bel-lighting.co.uk offers a good selection for residential garden projects in a choice of sizes and materials ranging from brushed aluminium, black, bronze and stainless steel.