To many people, the use of designer outdoor lights in the UK is an exclusively summer affair. Those long light evenings seem perfect for such a scenario as the twilight emerges amid warm temperatures and provides a wonderful ambient hint of light even late into the evening, subtly enhanced by the lighting on the ground.
Even in later summer when it starts to get darker and the sun sets sooner, the atmosphere outdoor lights can create is a wonderful one, great for chilling out on a balmy evening after the heat of the day has died down and the barbecue is smouldering, with a well-fed party sitting outside in convivial surroundings enjoying a drink.
Such scenes can be among the most pleasant memories of summer and the inspiration for many to get some themselves. But, it might be asked, now we are in August and the end of summer is looming, is it too late? Should such a purchase be left until next spring ahead of next year’s summer when, it is hoped, the sun will shine again and not deliver a washout instead?
The issue of what the weather may be like next year cannot be answered confidently, but the other part of the question can. Now is as good a time as any to get some outdoor lights, as there will be many more opportunities to enjoy yourself outdoors.
It is not just that the end of summer may still allow time to squeeze in another barbecue; autumn’s festivities also offer some opportunities for a truly golden evening or two.
October 31st can offer one such case if you have young children, as it can provide an atmospheric accompaniment to Halloween traditions such as having a pumpkin with a candle in it, as well as all sorts of other spooky goings on.
Lighting can also be ideal for spending time outdoors on Bonfire Night. For safety reasons you will probably not have a fire in your own garden unless it is a very large one with lots of room, but the space may also offer a great place to watch fireworks going off all around the neighbourhood.
Sometimes you may find your whole community makes the most of the darker nights of autumn by having a light-based event, such as a lantern procession or displays of lanterns in homes. If this has become a tradition where you live, this year may be a particularly exciting event after some Covid-related postponements in the last couple of years.
In such circumstances, adding some extra outdoor illumination around your home could help add to the atmosphere of the festivities.
All this is before even thinking about the winter. While the weather will be cold, there may be times such as New Year when it is mild enough to go outside, enjoy the fireworks again and raise a toast to 2023 and all it will bring. They may also help guide visitors to your home at night and complement outdoor Christmas lights.
For all these reasons, outdoor lights may prove a wonderful piece of illumination not just in summer, but during some of the darker months when artificial illumination from candles to fireworks to fairy lights gives back a little of what the long nights take away.