You’ve worked hard to make your garden flourish, and one of the best ways to show it off—even at night—is to install garden lighting. But where do you begin?

Determine your goal. While pure aesthetics inspire many to light their gardens, there are several other reasons to develop an outdoor lighting scheme. Safety is a big concern, and garden lighting may help to prevent you or your family members from tripping while crossing the yard at night. Another reason to light your yard is for security. Light, especially motion sensor activated outdoor lighting, discourages trespassers.

Do you want to light your garden only for a season? Create a festive pool-side barbeque area for the summer, or light your yard with festive outdoor holiday lighting. However, garden lighting is an amenity that can be enjoyed year-round from the comfort of your home. In this case, consider the position of your windows and your best garden views.

Identify the focal points. The first type of fixture that might come to mind is garden path lighting. While these fixtures can help you find your way, they probably aren’t the only type of fixture you need to showcase all of your hard work. Consider the focal points of your garden: interesting trees, fountains and seating areas. Draw a loose sketch of your garden and mark the locations of these elements. The best garden lighting schemes include a combination of path lighting, decorative garden lighting, accent lighting and garden spotlights. However, there is also a fine line between adequately lighting your garden and flooding it with light.

Set a budget. If your budget is limited, your plan should be conservative with emphasis on cheap garden lighting. You may also be concerned about electricity usage and are wondering about the benefits of solar garden lights. Electricity use can be avoided altogether by using candles in lanterns for a romantic atmosphere. Keep in mind that they require more vigilance and maintenance than an electrical garden lighting system with automatic timers. If this more complex system is in your budget, consider hiring a landscape designer or a skilled electrician.

Get educated about garden light fixtures. Take a walk around your neighborhood at night and find inspiration in your neighbors’ outdoor lighting schemes. Visit your local home improvement store to get an idea of the size, shape and weight of the fixtures available. There are many types of garden lighting from which to choose, and we’ll break down the pros and cons of each.