When it comes to setting the right mood in your garden, there’s nothing quite like candle lighting. It’s perfect for intimate occasions and can also add some romantic appeal to even the most prominent outdoor spaces.
While many lighting types are available for your garden, candles are cheaper, use less energy, and look incredible.
In this guide, we’ll reveal some fantastic candle lighting ideas for your home and garden.
Benefits of Candle Lit Gardens
Candles embody relaxation, ambience and romance – so it’s only natural that they’re a staple in fancy restaurants and for romantic occasions. If you’re thinking about adding candles to your garden design, there are a few benefits you should know about.
Ambience
As human beings, we’re drawn to items that promote a certain feeling. The ambience is about incorporating small elements into a design to convey feelings and emotions. Nothing sets the mood like romantic candles, which is why they’re perfect for gardens.
Whether you’re hosting an intimate gathering or want to make a large garden have a cosy feel, candles will set the right mood.
Scent
Candles aren’t just for aesthetic appeal; they’re also perfect if you want to replicate your favourite nature smells. For example, you can turn your garden into a forest with pine-scented candles or use spiced candles for winter.
After all, nothing beats sitting in the garden with a glass of mulled wine around the fire pit!
Tranquillity
Candles are used in churches to symbolise a memory and connection to the universe. There’s something incredibly peaceful about watching a candle burn, and even unscented candles are relaxing.
Health
A happy mind is a healthy one! We live in a hectic society, and stress impacts everyone at some point. Luckily, candles are an inexpensive way to promote peace and relaxation. Enjoying evenings in your candlelit outdoor space will be ideal if you want to unwind – regardless of the season.
The Birdbath
You can find birdbaths in second-hand stores, garden centres, or you might have an old one lying around. Instead of letting it go to waste, you can use the birdbath to create a stunning lighting feature in your outdoor space.
All you need to do is fill the bottom of the bath with water and place some floating candles on top. The stunning design is ideal for wedding parties, a romantic meal for two, or to add some ambience to a garden.
Mason Jars
Mason jars are so helpful, and having them around means you can always create some magic in your garden. While their most common use is for cooking, you can also use mason jars for your lighting needs.
Candles are ideal for mason jars, but they’ll need replacing often. It can also be challenging to light them – but you can switch out candles for twinkling lights. You won’t need to replace them as often, and they’re much easier to maintain.
Better still, you can choose to line the mason jars up to line a pathway or suspend them from tree branches to create a winter wonderland look.
Planter Candles
One of the more popular contemporary looks is turning your old terracotta planters into candle holders. It’s a great way to recycle old plant pots, and you can make each pot your own by painting it to suit the theme of your garden.
Antique Birdcage
You can find some fantastic items at car boot sales or charity shops, including antique birdcages. They add some rustic style to your home and can also be great for your garden. Use pillar candles for added stability, and you can incorporate a floral display to make the cage stand out.
Wine Bottle Chandelier
Those old bottles of wine don’t have to go straight into your recycling bin because we have a unique use for them; turn your bottles into chandeliers. All you need to do is cut the end off of each wine bottle and use an iron circle to secure them into place.
Add candles to each bottle, and you’ll have a stunning chandelier that’s perfect for an intimate dinner party.
Wooden Candle Centrepiece
Natural wood is a stunning material, and you can sand it down and add some varnish to make your wood stand out. Cut some holes into the surface, and you can add candles to create some light.
The best thing about this idea is you can use the wood to create a dining table or picnic bench, which is ideal for enjoying al fresco dining all year round.
Things to Consider
When choosing outdoor candles, you should think about how sturdy they are. Floating tea lights are great, but they’re not going to work during the winter seasons. Pillar candles offer more stability, but you can use any type if they’re going in mason jars.
There are so many scents available, including citrus tones, cinnamon spice and forest smells. You should think about the kind of mood you’d like to set and focus on pairing the right scents with your choice of food.
Minor elements such as this might not seem important, but you don’t want to enjoy an alfresco barbecue with intense citrus smells masking your food!
Some of the most popular candle scents include:
- Pine
- Cinnamon
- Rosemary
- Citrus
- Strawberries
- Summer Berries
- Vanilla
- Beachwood
The Takeaway
Candles are a fantastic way to add class and style to your garden – without breaking the bank. Whether you prefer rustic or contemporary looks, there’s so much you can do to create the perfect theme so that you can enjoy your outdoor space all year.
If you’d like some help with your garden, Floral & Hardy offers bespoke garden design services to make the most of your available space and enhance the aesthetics and functionality of your backyard.
Contact our friendly customer service team to discuss your gardening needs, and our specialist team of designers will help you design a space that reflects your style preferences.
