Garden designer and landscaper Charles Hogarth on how to make our gardens inviting all year round

WITH the Christmas festivities over and short daylight hours still upon us, there's not much to do in the garden now once you've cleaned the tools, had a good old tidy up and recycled the Christmas tree. Things can seem a bit bleak and dull when the fairy lights come down - but they don't need to be.

As we'll still be coming home from work in the dark for a few months yet, why not extend the warm welcoming feeling we had from the Christmas lights now packed away and install a permanent lighting scheme in the garden to lift the spirits?

You'll find you spend much more time outside, and when the weather is just too horrible to go out, then light up the garden and enjoy the view through the window. A garden lit subtly extends your living space in such a beautiful way that you'll probably never draw the curtains again!

There are three main choices to consider. Solar lights are simple to install but give off more of a glow than the directional light needed to create the dramatic effect and atmosphere you can achieve with a full lighting scheme. Low voltage lighting sets are available for DIY installation but as they are not wired into the mains they can be a bit messy with trailing wires from sockets.

For me, the most effective and convenient method is a lighting scheme that is permanently wired into the mains and can be operated from inside to light all or just part of the garden. If you are planning to build your garden yourself, then you should lay the armoured cable when doing the ground work, but it is essential that a qualified electrician carries out the final connection to the mains. They will also connect up all the light fittings and water feature to the main cable.

Designing an effective lighting scheme comes with experience so experiment with spot light positions to see what works best (ensure you allow enough connector cable for this). Here are a few tips:

* Devise a lighting plan first to show where the cable is needed and to ensure a good balance of features are highlighted by light fittings that complement the garden style and suit your budget.

Decide which key features to illuminate, bearing in mind that subtlety of shadows created are more effective than illuminating the whole space. Isolated lights create mystery and draw the eye around the garden.

* Place a water feature near the house that can be lit and enjoyed all year round. Coloured lights work well with water, particularly blue. By day, water running over the Cornish slate water feature (pictured) enhances the beautiful colour tones and crystals in the rock. By night, it looks simply magical.

* Stainless steel fittings suit modern schemes. Brass and copper also look good and work well in more traditional settings. Painted aluminium fittings available in black and green are a more cost effective solution where aesthetics aren't so important as they'll be hidden among the foliage.

* LED lights are good for edging decks and up/down lighters are effective on pergola posts draped with climbers.

* For dramatic shadow effect use soft white spot lights on foliage. New innovation in garden lighting includes a longer barreled spot light that gives the same effect as a 35 watt spot using just 7 watts. Not only are they more environmentally friendly but you'll save on electricity consumption too.

With a water feature near the house and garden lighting you'll find you spend much more time outside - an excellent way to unwind and enjoy what the new year brings. Happy New Year!

Charles Hogarth Landscapes, Garden Design and Build. Tel: 01442 890985. www.charleshogarth.co.uk

9:51am Monday 10th December 2007

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