Monday 23 March 2015

In the night garden...

The garden at night can be a dark place. Even my tiny space is as black as ink on a cloudy night. Of course the light nights are coming and with luck it will warm up a little.

I'm looking forward to the lighter, warmer nights so that I can sit outside with a glass of wine or two.

Even so, it's nice to have a little light around the garden and a few cheap solar lights can make a real difference. Of course it's all down to how you use them. I lift them up on canes and vary the levels, but I also do other things with my eighty-nine pence lights.

Simply placing a solar light (minus shaft) inside a jar with some gravel in the bottom can make quite a difference. I sealed my light to the jar with blu-tac.

I've even taken the bottoms off bottles (here's how simple that is) to make a interesting hanging lantern with a wine bottle, a solar light, and an old piece of chain.

Placing several, cut at varying lengths, together in an old painted wooden lemon crate also works well, creating a focal point in a gloomy corner..

For under thirty quid my garden is full of mood and interest caused by the thirty or so solar lights I bought from Wilkinson's. They may only last a season, but the power and light is free, it looks great, and when the warmer evenings do come I can sit out in my backyard and watch the shadows caused by my lights until the early hours - with a glass of wine in hand of course!

20 comments:

  1. Lynda Henderson on FB
    So pretty!

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  2. Neville Mclachlan on FB
    Wow Andy...... This looks boss man.....

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    Replies
    1. Andrew Height
      Drop in for a drink sometime Lynda and Neville.

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    2. Sharon Hutt on FB
      My first job was marketing for a solar energy company who made big power platforms for oil rigs etc, and then used any waste panels to make solar lights and fountians. They were really effective, your's look very pretty too.

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    3. Andrew Height
      I need lights for my helipad Sharon

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  3. Kerry Jeffrey on FB
    Been lookin around for solar lighting. Does being cheap mean poor lighting? What do you think?

    Andrew Height
    My lights were 89p from Wilkinson's. It depends what you do with them and how you use them. just want ambience and mood, no solar light gives out much light really. I have 30 and they cost me just over £25 quid so if I get a season or two I think that's a pretty good deal. I will put some of my cheap lighting ideas up on FB tomorrow Kerry - you can have some fun.

    Kerry Jeffrey Perfect.
    Thank you. All the ideas are good as trying to work out my new garden design

    Kerry Jeffrey
    I think we may try your idea of solar lights up the climbing rose bush

    Andrew Height
    Loads of string lights for that at B and M, but Wilkinson's quality is better though limited.

    Kerry Jeffrey
    They do give off a really good light Going to go to Wilkinson and get some

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  4. Sam Little on FB
    love it xxx

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  5. Buffey Glandon on FB
    I have a ton of bottles that I have been saving, but getting the labels off has been difficult, any tips?

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    Replies
    1. Andrew Height
      Buffey - Peel off as much as you can of the top layer, then leave to soak in warm water and washing up liquid for 20 mins. Scrub remaining paper off with a steel scourer.

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  6. Kerry Jeffrey on FB
    Brilliant. I'm looking for decor for the garden so lights in jars to make it look romantic is brilliant. Thank you. Will post pics as soon as I get mine up

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  7. Val Wynne
    Love all those ideas

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    Replies
    1. Andrew Height
      Well, I know how you love up-cycling Val.

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  8. Tim Preston on FB
    lots of empty wine bottles but non of the other stuff

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  9. Jayne Butterworth on FB
    Blimey andrew im dangerous enough in the kitchen as it is and thats just my attempts at cooking! Ha ha! I wud probably set the kitchen alight and inhale the flames and be gone in a big puff of smoke leaving only a wine bottle with no bottom lol! X

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    Replies
    1. Andrew Height
      I'm sure Paul is up to the job Jayne.

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  10. Rebecca Jane Brookes on FB
    Love this idea Andy, might try it for our yard here.

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  11. Rebecca Jane Brookes on FB
    Love this idea Andy, might try it for our yard here.

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  12. Rebecca Jane Brookes on FB
    Love this idea Andy, might try it for our yard here.

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    Replies
    1. Andrew Height
      Provides enough light and looks a bit magical against the brick Rebecca. Even the smallest yard is an opportunity to be creative

      Rebecca Jane Brookes
      it is. we've got a few plans for our yard in the next few months including pallet wood garden furniture

      Andrew Height
      Excellent Rebecca. I love this bench, so simple and functional.
      Andrew Height's photo.

      Rebecca Jane Brookes
      haha we were only talking about this exact bench last night. I have it saved on a pinterest board,

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