You had "just a couple more little loose ends to wrap up" before leaving the office, but before you know it, it's already past 7 pm, daylight is waning quickly, and you're just pulling into your driveway. Fortunately, there's no more haunting or magical time in the garden than twilight, so you quickly remove your work duds, slip into something more comfortable, grab a cold drink, and head out to the garden to relax and unwind. Ahhhhhhhh…. If only you could extend twilight for an hour or two, the day would be redeemed. Well, that's where outdoor lighting comes in.
You don't want the hassle or expense of installing underground wiring and all that, though---just a little romance and illumination. That still leaves you with three very good choices: Luminaries (or other candle supports/enclosures), oil lamps, and solar-charged electrical lighting. Any of these can be used all by itself, or, better yet, together with one or both of the other options.
Canned Sunlight: The Solar Solution
Solar-powered lighting is the simplest option. You just place the lights in the ground where you want them, and the sun does the rest. They are a good choice wherever you want a no-maintenance solution and you have plenty of sunlight. They work less well in partial shade, and are not a viable option in densely shaded areas. About their only other drawback is that aesthetically, because of their sleek, high-tech look, most are a better fit in landscapes for modern houses (from the '50s on) than for period or old-fashioned gardens like those typically found around homes built before World War II.
Oil Lamps: Rustic Light is Right Outdoors
Before the advent of electrical lighting, there was the oil lamp, and though you'd find very few folks who'd swap the convenience and safety of electric lighting for the flicker of an oil lamp indoors, it's a completely different story when it comes to outdoor lighting---for porch, patio, garden path, or elsewhere in your garden. Somehow, the light of an oil lamp feels warmer, more natural, more rustic, more appropriate in the garden than electrical light ever could.
Candlepower: It's the Measure of Light
From the time some inspired ancestor of ours first dipped a mullein stalk or something similar in tallow, ignited it in the community fire, and used it to illuminate the night, humans have been fascinated with candles. That fascination has been tempered sometimes with anxiety, however, because exposed candle flames can indeed be a hazard---especially indoors. Outside, though, candles in enclosed holders are reasonably safe, and they contribute to an atmosphere of warmth and romance in the garden after dark. They're also probably the most versatile and least expensive solution to shedding some light on your private Eden after dark.
Whether it's solar lighting, oil lamps, candles, or some combination of these that's the right solution for your situation, one thing you should realize is that there are few---if any---other additions to your garden that will make such a profound impact for so little expense. And a garden, though perhaps beautiful by day, is pure magic when illuminated at night.
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