Installing solar garden lights is similar to many home improvement projects in that the likelihood of a successful end result is related to how well the objectives are defined in the first place. So consider what it is you’re trying to achieve – courtesy lighting for yourself and visitors, security lighting to deter intruders, a place to entertain or simply bringing the garden to life at night?

You might of course choose any or all of the above plus a few other ideas of your own, which means you will also have to figure out how to balance various competing demands on your solar lighting layout. So you can see then that specifying your various objectives upfront makes it a whole lot easier to divide your outdoor spaces into discrete zones and identify suitable light fittings.

Solar deck lights for example won’t deter many intruders (though these highly versatile little devices will function very well in many situations such as path or drive markers). Equally you probably don’t want bright floodlights on your entertaining areas, and while low level coloured lights look lovely as decorative features in the garden they won’t help your guests see what they’re eating or drinking.