Create an Enchanted Garden in Your Backyard with These Simple Lighting Upgrades

Longwood Gardens, a public garden spanning more than 1,000 acres in Chester County, Pennsylvania, is renowned for its colorful, over-the-top displays. Currently, its annual Garden Glow event is lighting up Longwood's conservatory until March 8.

Highlights from this entrancing event include dramatic fabric and floral displays drape across the ceiling of the West Conservatory, reflecting soft light across the space. The East Conservatory features votives floating on water and a gigantic floral chandelier. Outside, visitors can watch the SPARK installation—an enormous display of biodegradable sparks that rise from the gardens and float into the sky. 

We talked to one of the display designers to get inspiration for bringing a little Garden Glow style to our own backyards—no conservatory needed. These backyard lighting tricks are sure to make your garden feel like it’s straight out of a fairytale.

Choose Warm White Outdoor Lighting

When illuminating your backyard, start with a neutral color and use other shades as accents. “Warm white lighting is always a timeless starting point,” Sutton says. “I always recommend using warm white lighting because it feels inviting, flattering, and natural, whereas cooler whites can look harsh or distracting outdoors.” 

Warm lighting is a spectrum, so feel free to play around with it to change the aesthetic of your outdoor lighting. A very warm light—just above 2200K—will make your garden feel like it's lit by candles. Between 2700K and 3000K is the typical range of warm lighting that most people utilize in their yards.

Strategically Introduce Color

“We used color strategically in our Garden Glow display to enhance the blooms and glass houses, rather than overpower them,” Sutton explains. “In the West Conservatory, the white fabric of the Suspended Dreamscape installation beautifully catches and diffuses the light. In our Main Conservatory, the neutral architectural columns reflect pink lighting that draws the eye upward to visually connect the structure with the floating blooms in hanging baskets above.”

In your backyard, you should do the same. Hanging baskets, tall trees, or backyard water features are areas where you may want to add color. While colorful lights will certainly make your yard feel magical, it’s also important not to overdo it. 

“For home landscapes, subtlety is key,” Sutton says. “If you’re drawn to color, start with soft, neutral ones like light blue or green. Bold colors can easily be overwhelming. For example, red often reads harsh and intimidating instead of festive when used outdoors.” You’ll see that much of Garden Glow’s lighting relies on blues, pinks, purples, and greens, along with warm neutral lighting to make the colors pop even more. 

Make Your Garden Extra Magical with Automation

“Dusk-to-dawn lighting is one of the simplest ways to create ambiance with minimal effort,” Sutton says. Set your backyard lights to automatically turn on at sunset and off at sunrise. Watching your garden light up all on its own as soon as dusk falls feels much more special than turning your outdoor lights on yourself.

Choose Durable, Energy-Efficient Outdoor Lights

Sutton specifically recommends solar lighting or low-voltage LED lighting for your garden, since they’re energy-efficient and safe to install. With these types of outdoor lights, you’ll save money on your electric bill. Additionally, low-voltage LEDs don’t pose the same risk of electric shock as higher-voltage lights, so they’re easy to install—even if you’re a beginner. 

Solar and low-voltage lights are also more durable than your average light, which is especially important when you’re working with outdoor lighting. You don’t want to replace your outdoor lights every time the weather changes; high-quality lights will last for a long time. 

Take Inspiration from the SPARK Display

For many Garden Glow visitors, the beautiful floating lights of the SPARK display are a huge draw. While it may not be possible for you to create a biodegradable light display in your own garden, that doesn’t mean you can’t add a few effects inspired by SPARK to make your garden feel even more beautiful at night. 

“Think about light as playful and interactive,” Sutton advises. “To give the effect of movement, try color-changing LED lights that subtly shift throughout the landscape. Motion-sensor pathway lights that respond to movement as you walk through the yard can be both functional and whimsical.”

A walking path that lights up as you use it is such a fun way to customize your garden. Motion-sensor lights also prevent your backyard from being overlit; from afar, only your chosen elements will be highlighted. 

Illuminate the Right Elements in Your Garden

“A well-lit focal point, like a sculptural tree or ornamental shrub gives the eye somewhere intentional to land,” Sutton says. “And not everything needs to be illuminated. Use negative space so focal points feel dramatic and uncluttered.”

Start with a few dramatic trees and plants, and see how your yard looks before adding more lights. Chances are, you’ll want very few main features in your yard. A focal point works best when it’s limited—in the end, you (and your neighbors) will also be grateful that you don’t have enough garden lights to interrupt your sleep.

As for picking the plants you want to illuminate, Sutton says that there’s one key thing to look for before you illuminate trees at random. “Choose plants or trees to uplight that will have year-round interest,” he says. “Look for strong trunks and architectural branches that will be visually stunning whether they’re bare in winter or full of spring foliage.”