Summer evenings are made to spend outdoors! Here are a few cost-effective, sustainable ways you can light up your garden for when the moon and stars doesn't shine bright enough.
These nifty little lights are by far the best invention since electricity. In fact, solar-powered lights actually beat electricity because they use the sun to power them up after dark – not only making them extremely affordable but also very sustainable on our environment. Plus you need not worry about getting a handy-man to install them as there are no wires or cables. Solar-powered lights are available from most DIY, outdoor and gardening, and lighting stores around South Africa and prices starts from R80 per light!
Jar lights
We all know that candles and the great outdoors can be a risky combo! However, with the help and protection of glass jars you can actually light up your entire back garden with candles, without worrying that anything could burn down. You can use jars of different shapes and sizes (think: jam jars, mayonnaise jars and pickle jars), cover them in translucent glass paint (or leave as is) and secure a strong chord around the tops of each jar to create a string of DIY fairy lights that you can hang over your veranda. Now, isn’t that a bright idea?
Glow-in-the-dark pots
This one is great for those who have children, enjoy being creative and/or have a small garden to light up... All you need are a few outdoor pot plants and a couple of bottles of glow-in-the-dark spray paint from your nearest DIY store: cover your pots with a few coats of the spray paint, let it soak up the day light and watch it light up when the sun goes down. Don’t blame us if your guests or kids want to spend all night outside! The glow-in-the-dark spray paint can create a yellow colour film over the pots; avoid it by using terracotta coloured pots to paint over.
Battery-powered LED Lights
This is a great alternative for those who might not have full access to the sun, is to fire up solar-powered lights – they are also readily available at local DIY, outdoors and gardening, and lighting stores. Plus, with the availability of rechargeable batteries, you’ll save even more!
