5 Tips for a Nature-Friendly Garden Lighting Scheme

Outdoor lights can make a garden magical at night, but they can also unintentionally harm wildlife. Many creatures rely on natural darkness for their routines - artificial light at night (often called ALAN) disrupts these patterns. Research shows that nighttime lighting has negative effects on a wide range of species, from birds and bats to insects and plants.

Approximately 30% of vertebrates and 60% of invertebrates are nocturnal, meaning they’re active after dark and especially vulnerable to light pollution. The good news is that with a few smart lighting tweaks, you can enjoy an illuminated garden and keep it wildlife-friendly. Here are five tips to get you started:

1. Reduce Blue Light as Much as Possible

Why: Blue-toned light is especially disruptive to wildlife and plants. It can throw off circadian rhythms that tell organisms when to sleep, feed, or reproduce. Harsh blue-white bulb light confuses them – nocturnal animals are highly sensitive to blue-rich light that turns night into day. Insects are particularly affected: one study found about 48% more insects were drawn to blue-heavy LED lamps compared to traditional yellowish lights. This “fatal attraction” can disrupt pollination and food chains in your garden

Tip: Opt for warmer, redder lighting to minimise harm. Look for bulbs labeled around 2200K or lower (Kelvin is the color temperature) – experts recommend using “warm (amber) colored” outdoor bulbs instead of cool white ones to lessen the impact on animals and plants. Your garden will still look beautiful, and you’ll be providing a calmer environment for nocturnal visitors.

2. Keep Lighting Directed Downward
Why: When it comes to nature-friendly lighting, point your lights down, not up. Uplighting (fixtures that shine upward or outward) not only wastes energy but also creates skyglow that affects animals far beyond your garden. In fact, over half of outdoor light can be wasted into the night sky instead of illuminating the ground.

This contributes to the brightening of the night (what scientists refer to as ALAN, or Artificial Light at Night). Many birds migrate or hunt at night using the moon and stars to navigate. Bright upward-facing lights and illuminated clouds can confuse them, leading to deadly collisions with buildings or exhaustion from flying off-course. Studies estimate that 100 million to 1 billion birds die each year in the U.S. due to building collisions, often after being disoriented by city lights. Even in a garden setting, any light shining into the sky is needless and can contribute to this broader problem.

Tip: Choose fixtures that direct light downward (such as capped or hooded path lights or downlights). By focusing light only where you need it (on paths, patios, etc.), you eliminate that upward waste and glare. This not only helps wildlife and preserves the night sky, but it also puts the light where it’s most useful to you. Remember, a well-shielded, downward light illuminates your garden effectively with far less spillover.

3. Only Use Lighting When Needed
Why: One of the simplest ways to make your garden lighting wildlife-friendly is to turn it off when you’re not using it. Constant illumination can seriously disrupt the local ecosystem. Nocturnal animals need dark periods to feed, pollinate, travel, and rest. If lights stay on all night, it’s like never allowing night to happen for these creatures. For instance, a Swiss field study showed that streetlights reduced nighttime insect visits to plants by 62%, resulting in significantly less pollination and fruit production. In a garden, that could mean fewer moths, bats, or other pollinators doing their vital work after dusk. On the flip side, when unnecessary lights were eliminated, wildlife thrived and even dangerous effects were reduced. A striking example: when a Chicago high-rise building dimmed or turned off lights overnight, bird deaths from window collisions dropped by 80%. This shows how giving nature some dark time can literally save lives.

Tip: Use lighting only when you’re outside to enjoy or need it. This might mean installing timers or motion sensors so that lights come on for a while when someone is in the garden, then shut off. Motion-activated lights are great for security and will startle intruders (human or otherwise) without bathing the area in constant light. By keeping the lights off during the late-night hours, you allow your garden’s wildlife to forage and roam in peace. Plus, you’ll save energy and money in the process. It’s a win-win: you get to appreciate the night when you want to, and creatures get the darkness they depend on the rest of the time.

4. Avoid Illuminating Near Waterways and Hedgerows
Why: Sensitive areas like ponds, streams, and hedges are wildlife highways. Many species use these features for shelter and navigation. For example, hedgerows (and tree lines) are prime commuting routes for bats – they follow these dark corridors to hunt insects. Bright lights along a hedgerow or water’s edge can create a barrier. Conservationists note that lighting near important foraging habitat (like riverbanks or hedge rows) can stop some bats from crossing or feeding there. Similarly, lights by a pond or stream can disrupt amphibians and aquatic life. Frogs and toads, for instance, have nightly breeding calls and behaviors that are disturbed by light pollution. There’s also evidence that streetlights by waterways attract aquatic insects away from the water, which in turn messes up the food chain for fish, birds, and other creatures. In short, illuminating these natural corridors can confuse or deter the very wildlife that frequents your garden.

Tip: Keep lights away from your garden’s natural refuges. If you have a pond or water feature, let it stay in the dark, or use only a very gentle, shielded light if absolutely necessary. Avoid shining any lights directly into dense shrubbery, hedges, or trees where animals may nest or travel. If you’re installing path lights or patio lights, position them so they don’t cast onto nearby bushes or water. By maintaining dark buffer zones around hedgerows and water, you preserve safe routes for bats, birds, insects, and other critters to go about their nightly business. Your garden will become a welcome haven rather than a no-go zone for wildlife.

5.Use the Lowest Light Output Necessary
Why: When choosing and setting up your garden lights, less is more. Excessive brightness can be blinding and disruptive — not just to wildlife, but to you. Have you ever been outside at night and had a floodlight hit your eyes? Blinding glare actually makes it harder to see surroundings and can create harsh shadows. In the same way, overly bright garden lights can discourage nocturnal animals from entering the area. Most wildlife will avoid a glaring light like we would avoid staring into car headlights. And importantly, you usually don’t need very bright lamps to achieve a pleasant, functional glow in a garden. Using a lower wattage or lumen output will reduce the radius of disturbance. Experts note that using lower-intensity bulbs (and directing them downward) can make outdoor areas safer for people while reducing harm to wildlife.

You can always increase brightness if absolutely needed, but it’s wise to start with the dimmest option.

Tip: Choose the dimmest bulbs that still give you enough light for safety and enjoyment. For example, if a 3-watt LED can light your pathway, don’t install a 10-watt. Many modern LED garden lights are dimmable or come in different brightness levels – opt for the softer setting.

Consider fixtures with a shield or diffuser which softens the glow. You might also install dimmer switches for flexibility, turning lights up only when you have guests or a task, and keeping them low at other times. Another smart idea is to place lights closer to what you want lit (seating area or path) so you need less intensity overall. By minimising brightness, you’ll still have a beautiful, usable garden space without flooding it in light. The surrounding nocturnal creatures will thank you, and your eyes will too!

In Summary: A nature-friendly lighting scheme is all about finding the right balance. By warming the color tone, pointing lights down, using them sparingly, keeping critical wildlife areas dark, and avoiding over-brightness, you can create a garden that glows gently without harming the nighttime ecosystem. Making these changes not only helps bats, birds, insects, and other wildlife feel at home in your garden, but it also often results in a cosier, more tranquil atmosphere for you. Small adjustments in your outdoor lighting can have a big positive impact – you’ll be able to enjoy your evening garden with the comfort of knowing it’s inviting to nature as well. Happy (wildlife-friendly) lighting!

If you've been inspired to learn more about Dark Skies, you can take part in International Dark Skies Week, April 21st-28th!