Summer isn't summer before you've been invited to an'optimistic barbeque'.You know the type:huddled on a slim balcony spotted with rain,watching sausages go limp and warm over a disposable tray;or,similarly,cramped into a tiny garden.You can't blame people for trying,but with outside space at a premium for many city homes,sometimes you just have to face it:you need a little bit of room to get your grill on.
But that doesn't mean small gardens should be consigned to the compost heap.As the Royal Horticultural Society has noted,British gardens are getting smaller,and until that changes,green-fingered Brits will have to do a lot with a little.But as landcape gardener Kate Gould recently wrote in the Guardian,making the most of a small garden space can reap big-sized rewards:all it takes is a little planning,and the right lighting.
"Lighting is increasingly something I am asked to factor into my schemes,especially in town gardens,"she said."These small spaces have to work hard to please and often they work antisocial hours."
But garden lighting isn't just about making your garden inhabitable late at night or early in the morning-it provides mood lighting for those romantic moments with your partner,or impromptu al fresco dinner parties.And as the expert notes,it's vital to get your lighting right as plants can muffle your illuminations.
"Plants soak up light,"says Kate."It is amazing how much it takes to highlight a plant or tree successfully."For that reason,uplights are ideal for illuminating foliage-heavy gardens.
And for those low on space,incorporating lighting into your decking kills two garden feature birds with one electricity-and-wood stone.Sunken walkover lights can be recessed into decking or patio stones to provide illumination without the need for a lamppost or bulky porch lights.
With garden lighting being so frequently exposed to the elements(and not just any old elements:British elements),it needs to be hardy.For that reason,Kate advises gardeners invest wisely in their fittings."Inexpensive fittings can be more trouble than they are worth,"she says,"and in a garden setting where water and electricity have to mix,I would always rather pay for peace of mind."
