When the warmer seasons come around, many of us like to spend some evenings (or most!) lounging in our yards and gardens. Having good backyard lights can make your outdoor space a usable and enjoyable spot to visit with loved ones, have a late snack, or sip a good glass of red. You can learn how to light your yard and garden yourself! Try these creative backyard lighting ideas and tutorials to get your yard in shape for when the sun goes down! Backyard lighting adds another room onto your home, and who doesn’t need a little more space for living and having some fun?
Backyard Lighting Ideas
Patio Lighting Idea with Globe Lights
First of all we have a gorgeous backyard globe light set up by ‘Willow Jade Floral‘ in L.A. If I could have my whole backyard lighting set up look just like this! Can you see how much garden lighting adds to an outdoor room?
Backyard Light Column
Make these geometric backyard light columns with this tutorial from ‘Martha‘. This uses just three simple materials, and would be great for a graduation or Fourth of July party. We love the way this backyard lighting idea reflects in the water and doubles the look.
Backyard Lighting Ideas with Candles
From ‘House of Fifty‘ magazine, make mason jar candle lanterns. These are easy, and who doesn’t love mason jars! Picture these as patio and outdoor lighting hung from trees or from the patio roof. Perfect for an evening party or get together.
Mason Jar Garden Lighting
Another version of a mason jar lantern, these we found on Pinterest but can’t find the original source. Please share if you know where these are from! We really like how they look hanging against the wood fence. It makes for a really rustic backyard lighting idea, but if you do this, consider using LED candles instead.
Creative Backyard Light Ideas
This outdoor lighted cube table is a woodworking tutorial from ‘Lowes‘… This would make additional backyard lights in your patio area unnecessary!
Backyard Lighting Ideas – Lanterns
A great idea from ‘Sunset‘… hang tea light lanterns from different heights as an outdoor chandelier. You could replicate this look with the mason jar backyard lights as well.
Outdoor Chandelier DIY
Robin at ‘All Things Heart and Home‘ has a tutorial for her easy DIY outdoor chandelier made from grapevine balls. We love this backyard lighting idea!
Garden Lighting
Ok, these are just cool. These are cracked log lamps made by artist Duncan Meerding, via ‘Recycled Interiors‘. You have to go check out how he makes these! I would love these all through a woodland garden. Fairy garden!
Backyard String Lights
Love the idea of string lights, but want to make it really amazing? Just use this photo from ‘Fondly Forever‘ to inspire you! If you can hang Christmas lights, you can use these backyard lighting ideas.
Backyard Lights- Solar Lights
Use uplighting to brighten dark corners or to light focal plantings at night. If you don’t have electricity available, there are plenty of solar flood light options at the local home improvement store. Photo by Laura Joliet for ‘The NY Times‘.
Backyard Lighting Ideas with String Lights
Try lighting the pass through areas between yards to add dimension to your outdoor space. The posts they used are simply placed into buckets of quick setting concrete. They can be easily moved and have enough weight to hold the light strings well. Photo by ‘Martha‘.
Floating Backyard Lighting
Finally we have these moonlight globes from ‘Home Infatuation‘… These. Are. Cool. Not cheap, but amazingly cool! They can float, or be mounted, and can be recharged over and over. Think of using these in a pond as well!
We loved sharing these creative backyard lighting ideas with you! We think you will also enjoy our posts on How to Add Whimsy to Your Garden and How to Install Low Voltage Lighting in Your Garden! Also, you might like our post on How To Install LED Strip Lights on our sister site TBD!
Image Credits: Willow Jade Floral, Martha, House of Fifty, Pinterest, Lowes, Sunset, All Things Heart and Home, Recycled Interiors, Fondly Forever, Laura Joilet/ NY Times, Martha, Home Infatuation
Wow! Amazing ideas! I love the tree with the bulbs
Great!! that lighting makes the backyard so,,,beautifu!!!
I love your ideas on here for backyard lighting, especially the geometric light columns that you have posted from Martha. Those would look gorgeous alongside the pool that I have, and it’s rather classy in the style of it. I agree that the way the water reflects the light is perfect for extra decoration, and I’ll have to look into what those other balls in the water are.
Our old house in the country/restoration project came with everything we need for the mason jar outdoor lighting project! And we have all the trees, land, stumps & logs to give it the ole’ college try with the cracked log lighting idea. All 12 of those were all really cool ideas !
Amazing ideas Kathy! I love the mason jar candle lanterns, and will definitely be trying out the DIY outdoor chandelier made from grapevine balls this summer. Thank you so much for sharing!
Great post Kathy. These lamps on the second picture, do the wires go through ground?
This project is from Martha Stewart at http://www.marthastewart.com/267668/light-columns so I couldn’t tell you… Hope that helps you track down the info!
I have never seen “geometric light columns” before, but I really like them! I also like the “outdoor lighted cube table” just as much. I think that these lighting ideas will make my next house party a real hit! Thanks for this inspiration!
Superb ideas. Moonlight globes and Cracked log lamps are so unique. Thanks for such a nice post.
Amazing ideas!!! Love the wood block!!! Looks absolutely adorable.
Thank you for sharing
Elisabeth