Shop the full range: garden lights
Australian backyards do their best work after dark. Dinner on the deck, a quiet drink once the kids are in bed, a late swim on a hot night: none of it happens without good lighting. The right garden lights make your outdoor space safer and more usable, and a well lit garden almost always looks bigger than a dark one.
Below are the garden lights our team recommends most often, picked from the ranges we sell every day and know hold up in Australian conditions. We have organised them by type: spike lights for garden beds, step lights for paths and stairs, bollard lights for walkways and driveways, and outdoor wall lights for entertaining areas.
How to Plan Your Garden Lighting
A little planning saves a lot of rewiring. Keep these four things in mind before you buy:
- Layer your lighting. The best gardens use three layers: spike lights to highlight trees and plants, step and bollard lights to guide people safely along paths, and wall lights to give seating areas a soft ambient glow.
- Choose 12v or 240v. Many garden lights run on 12v through a transformer, which makes them easy to reposition as your garden grows. Anything wired to 240v mains power must be installed by a licensed electrician. Several of our picks below come in both versions.
- Check the IP rating. IP44 is the minimum for sheltered spots. For garden beds, lawns and anywhere fully exposed to the weather, look for IP65. Near the coast, choose materials that shrug off salt air, like 316 marine-grade stainless steel, solid copper, concrete or stone.
- Pick your colour temperature. Warm white (2700K to 3000K) flatters greenery, timber and brick, which is why it is the go-to for gardens. Many of our picks are tri colour, so you can switch between warm white, cool white and daylight. Our warm white vs cool white guide explains the difference.
Best Garden Spike Lights
Spike lights push straight into the soil, so you can aim light exactly where you want it and move them as your garden changes. Pointed up through a tree or a feature plant, they do more for atmosphere than any other fitting in this guide, and most run on DIY-friendly 12v.
1. Matt Black LED Garden Spike Light
- IP65 weatherproof rating
- Replaceable LED globe
- Two posts included to raise the height
Our long-running best seller, and the first spike light we suggest to almost everyone. This matt black garden spike light from Pixel Lighting disappears into the garden bed during the day, then throws a clean beam up through branches and foliage at night.
It stands 238mm tall as supplied, and the two included posts can be combined to lift it to 476mm for taller planting. The 5w LED globe is replaceable and comes in a warm white or cool white finish, and the IP65 rating keeps water and dust out year after year.
2. 316 Stainless Steel LED Garden Spike Light
- 316 marine-grade stainless steel
- Warm white 2700K glow
- Replaceable globe
If you live near the coast, this is the spike light to buy. Salt air destroys cheap fittings in a couple of summers, but this stainless steel garden spike light from Pixel Lighting is made from 316 marine-grade steel, the same grade used on boat fittings.
At 400mm tall and just 63mm wide it slots into garden beds of any size, and the warm white 2700K glow is exactly what you want washing over plants and pathways. It has been one of our most consistent sellers for years.
3. Tivah Solid Copper LED Spike Spotlight
- Solid copper that will never rust
- Fully adjustable head
- Tri colour LED: warm white, cool white or daylight
The premium pick. Havit Lighting's Tivah spike spotlight is machined from solid copper, so instead of corroding it slowly develops a natural patina that gives the garden real character. No two age exactly the same way.
The adjustable head lets you aim the beam precisely at a feature tree or wall, and the tri colour LED means you can switch between warm white, cool white and daylight until it sits perfectly with the rest of your lighting.
Best Garden Step Lights
Step lights mount to walls, fences, stair risers and retaining walls, washing light across paths and steps so nobody misjudges an edge in the dark. The eyelid designs below shield the globe from view, so you see the light, not the glare.
4. Matt Black Eyelid LED Step Light
- Tri colour LED with a simple selector switch
- 12v or 240v versions
- Compact 98mm x 53mm face
Our best selling step light. The matt black aluminium body from Pixel Lighting blends into dark fencing, rendered walls and stone, so during the day you barely notice it is there.
At night, the eyelid hood directs a soft wash of light down across the path. A small switch inside the fitting selects warm white, cool white or daylight, and it can be mounted at whatever height suits the space. Choose 12v for an easy transformer setup or 240v for a hardwired install.
5. 316 Stainless Steel Eyelid Step Light
- 316 marine-grade stainless steel
- Tri colour LED
- 12v or 240v versions
The same proven eyelid design in lustrous 316 marine-grade stainless steel. This stainless steel step light suits lighter coloured walls and coastal homes, where the marine-grade steel will keep its finish for decades.
It is slightly larger than the matt black version at 105mm x 53mm, runs on 12v or 240v, and offers the same tri colour selection of warm white, cool white and daylight.
6. Metro 316 Stainless Steel In-Ground Light
- Recessed flush with tempered glass face
- Tri colour with replaceable MR16 or GU10 globe
- Low glare, high ambience
For the cleanest possible look, recess your lighting into the ground itself. Havit Lighting's Metro in-ground light sits flush under tempered glass, grazing light up walls, fences and feature trees without a visible fitting in sight.
The body recesses about 90mm into the ground, so allow for drainage underneath when you plan the install. The replaceable MR16 or GU10 globe makes future maintenance a two minute job rather than a dig.
Best Garden Bollard Lights
Bollard lights are freestanding posts that mark out paths, driveways and garden borders. They give you pools of light at regular intervals, which reads as instantly welcoming from the street or the back door.
7. Highlite LED Bollard Light
- Five finishes including antique brass and 316 stainless steel
- Tri colour LED with replaceable globe
- 12v and 240v versions
The classic garden bollard, and our most popular. Havit Lighting's Highlite bollard stands 445mm tall on a slim 63mm post, so it lights the path without dominating the garden around it.
It comes in white, black, antique brass, titanium and 316 stainless steel, so there is a finish for every scheme, and the replaceable globe means the fitting outlasts any single LED. Pick the 12v version for a transformer setup or 240v for hardwiring.
8. Mini LED Bollard Light
- Compact 190mm height
- Black or 316 stainless steel
- Tri colour LED, 12v or 240v
Not every path wants a full height post. At just 190mm, Havit Lighting's mini bollard sits low among the planting and keeps the light close to the ground where you actually need it.
Choose black to disappear into the garden or 316 stainless steel for a brighter accent, then set the tri colour LED to warm white, cool white or daylight. Available in both 12v and 240v, it is a quiet achiever that customers come back for.
Best Outdoor Wall Lights for Your Garden
Walls, pillars and alfresco areas deserve better than a bare batten fitting. Outdoor wall lights give seating and entertaining areas their ambient layer, and our own Ore Lighting range leads here with sculptural fittings in real materials, all rated IP65 for full weather exposure.
9. Aurora Concrete Outdoor Up/Down Wall Light
- Cast concrete in matt white
- Washes light up and down the wall
- IP65 weatherproof rating
Ore Lighting's Aurora wall light is cast from real concrete, and it shows. The matt white finish has a soft, natural texture that catches the light beautifully as it washes up and down the wall.
Run a pair either side of the back door or space several along a boundary wall for an effect that feels considered rather than purely practical. Being IP65 rated, it handles fully exposed walls without a worry.
10. Ember Outdoor Orb Wall Light
- Soft glowing orb of light
- Tough weatherproof polyethylene shade
- IP65 weatherproof rating
Where the up/down styles sculpt the wall, Ore Lighting's Ember orb simply glows. The whole sphere lights up evenly, giving entrances, fence lines and alfresco walls a warm, lantern-like presence.
The shade is moulded from tough weatherproof polyethylene rather than glass, so an errant footy is an anecdote rather than a disaster. It is one of the most popular fittings in the Ore range for good reason.
11. Blaze Sandstone Outdoor Up/Down Wall Light
- Natural sandstone in dark grey
- Washes light up and down the wall
- IP65 weatherproof rating
For darker palettes, Ore Lighting's Blaze wall light is cut from natural sandstone in a deep grey. Against charcoal render or timber cladding it all but vanishes by day, then draws twin cones of light up and down the wall at night.
Like the rest of Ore's outdoor range it is IP65 rated, so it is just as happy on an exposed front facade as under the alfresco roof.
Garden Lighting FAQs
Can I install garden lights myself?
If they run on 12v, yes. A plug-in transformer powers a whole run of 12v spike, step or bollard lights, and you can lay out and adjust the cabling yourself. Anything connected to 240v mains power must be installed by a licensed electrician. Most of the picks above are available in a 12v version.
What IP rating do garden lights need?
IP44 is the sensible minimum for sheltered positions such as under an alfresco roof. For garden beds, lawns, paths and anywhere rain hits directly, choose IP65. Every spike light and wall light in this guide is IP65 rated.
Should I choose warm white or cool white in the garden?
Warm white (2700K to 3000K) is the safe choice outdoors: it flatters plants, timber and brick and feels relaxed rather than clinical. If you are unsure, pick a tri colour fitting so you can switch between warm white, cool white and daylight after installation. Our warm white vs cool white guide covers this in detail.
Ready to Light Up Your Backyard?
Start with one or two layers, see how the garden feels at night, and build from there. Browse the full garden lights collection to compare every option in one place.
Still weighing it up? Contact our team and tell us about your space. We help customers plan garden lighting every day and are happy to point you to the right fittings for your layout, budget and conditions.
