Short answer: design garden lighting by purpose and sightline, not by placing identical lights at equal intervals everywhere. Start with entrances, steps and routes; add feature lighting only after safe movement is solved; then use the beam pattern of the actual fitting to finalise spacing.
Five garden zones to plan separately
| Zone | Primary goal | Good starting category | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Path / walkway | Safe navigation without glare | Bollard, low-level or suitable garden light | Bright fittings directly at eye level |
| Entrance | Face, lock and step visibility | Wall light / controlled overhead light | A fitting behind the visitor creating a silhouette |
| Feature tree / planting | Depth and focal point | Spike or directional accent light | Lighting every plant equally |
| Boundary / dark corner | Awareness and visibility | Floodlight / sensor-controlled light | Excessive spill into neighbours |
| Outdoor living | Comfort and atmosphere | Wall, string, garden and task lighting combined | Trying to serve the whole garden with one floodlight |
How far apart should garden lights be?
There is no universal spacing because the correct distance depends on beam spread, mounting height, lumen output, the surface being illuminated and whether the goal is guidance or continuous light.
A useful planning formula is:
Approximate number of path lights = path length ÷ chosen trial spacing + 1.
Example: a 12m path tested at an illustrative 3m spacing would begin with approximately 5 positions. This is a planning estimate only. Final spacing should be adjusted after checking the actual fitting's beam and brightness on site.
Whitehouse Garden Light Spacing Estimator
| Step | Question | Decision |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | How long is the path or boundary? | Measure the actual route rather than the straight-line garden dimension. |
| 2 | Do you need guidance or continuous illumination? | Guidance can tolerate more dark space; task/safety areas often need more continuity. |
| 3 | What is the fitting's beam pattern? | Wide low-output fittings space differently from narrow directional fittings. |
| 4 | Is the layout one-sided or alternating? | Alternating layouts can create depth while avoiding a runway appearance. |
| 5 | Can you test one or two fittings first? | A night-time mock-up is more reliable than selecting spacing from a catalogue image. |
Path lighting: illuminate the route, not the sky
Path lights should reveal changes in level, edges and direction. The best layout is often one that lets your eyes adapt rather than alternating between intense glare and darkness.
The Brightstar GS017 Black Outdoor Bollard Light can form part of a wired outdoor-lighting plan where its installation and rating suit the intended position.
Solar garden lights: excellent where wiring is difficult
Solar garden lights can be useful where trenching or cable routing is undesirable. Their performance depends on available sunlight, panel orientation, battery condition, season and shading.
The Radiant Solar Mini Crackle Garden Light is an example of a decorative solar garden product currently in the Whitehouse range.
Wall lighting: create depth around the house
Garden design does not stop at the planting beds. The house facade is the largest visual surface in many gardens. Wall lights can define entrances, columns and outdoor living zones.
Consider Brightstar L366 Matt Black Outdoor Wall Light or WHL&E 10231 Black & Gold Outdoor Wall Lamp where the product's exact rating and installation position are appropriate.
Floodlights: use them selectively
A floodlight is ideal when the goal is broad functional light, security visibility or a large working area. It is less suitable when the goal is subtle garden atmosphere.
Whitehouse stocks a range including LED Basic 20W Outdoor Floodlight, LED Basic 50W Outdoor Floodlight and solar options such as Luxn 25W Solar Floodlight.
Glare is the garden-lighting problem most people discover too late
Stand at the patio table, bedroom window, driveway entrance and neighbouring boundary before finalising light direction. If you can see the bright LED source directly from the normal viewing position, consider shielding, repositioning or a more controlled fitting.
Outdoor IP ratings matter
IP ratings describe resistance to dust and water ingress. LEDVANCE's guidance lists IP44 for splash-prone conditions, IP54 for dusty or lightly wet locations and IP65 for longer-term outdoor exposure such as building exteriors. Always follow the exact product rating and manufacturer installation instructions. See the IP guide.
Frequently asked questions
Should garden lights be evenly spaced?
Not necessarily. Even spacing can work on a formal path, but feature lighting usually looks more natural when it follows architecture, planting and sightlines.
Is brighter always safer?
No. Poorly aimed high-output light can create glare and deep contrast. Good visibility depends on distribution and placement as well as brightness.
Should I choose solar or wired garden lights?
Use our Solar vs Wired Garden Lights comparison to decide by shade, reliability, trenching and brightness requirements.
Technical note: product selection and calculations in this guide are planning information, not a substitute for site-specific electrical, engineering or solar design. Fixed electrical work should be carried out and certified by appropriately qualified persons where required.
Need it before the next hot spell?
Whitehouse Lighting & Electrical dispatches from Trichardt, Secunda and delivers throughout South Africa. Eligible paid, in-stock weekday orders placed before 15:00 are ordinarily dispatched the same working day. Typical delivery is approximately 1–3 working days to main centres and 2–6 working days to regional or outlying areas.
Qualifying standard-size orders of R1,500 or more receive free standard delivery. Oversized, heavy, battery, solar-panel and special-freight products may require a separate delivery arrangement. See the current shipping policy for full terms.
