20 Landscape Lighting Ideas for Pretty Paths, Patios and Garden Beds

Looking for landscape lighting ideas that show off more than your front door? Think glowing garden paths, tiny lights through tree branches and lanterns beside your favorite flowers.

These looks give you plenty to work with, whether you’re planning a whole yard or one little corner.

You can keep things simple or go all out with strings of bulbs. I especially love the lights tucked into planted borders.

Start with the part of your garden you’d like to see after dark, then take a little inspiration from these pictures.

Outdoor lighting ideas worth saving

glowing posts and golden trees

We’re starting off strong with this pretty curved walkway. The short lights have bright cylindrical centers and dark caps, with golden light reaching up the nearby tree trunks.

If you want to follow this look, place your path lights within the planted border rather than on the paving. I love how the greenery sits around each one.

one beautifully lit tree

How gorgeous is this tree? The light picks out its thick trunk and spreading branches while much of the outer canopy stays dark.

The little lights around the lawn are lovely too.

If you have a large tree you love, consider making that your starting point rather than lighting every plant.

string lights over the lawn

This backyard may just be one of my favorites here. I love the strings of bulbs above the open lawn and the little pools of light along the curved planting bed.

Try combining overhead lights near your patio with a few low lights around the garden edge. You don’t need to fill the middle with anything else.

a glowing bamboo border

If you’re looking for a way to show off tall planting, this one is for you. Lights sit inside the raised bed beneath the bamboo, picking out the thin stems and narrow leaves.

Those red-and-white chairs look so cute beside it.

Read also: 20 Garden Design Plans With Pretty Paths, Flower Beds and Seating Spots

small trees beside the entrance

I love this front entrance with its brightly lit trees and low lights beside the walkway. The doorway has its own glow too, so there’s more to look at than just the path.

Read also: 20 Front Entrance Outdoor Lighting Ideas With Lanterns, Pendants and Pretty Path Lights

Choose simple dark path fixtures if you’d like a similar look. The slim stems here almost disappear against the planting.

tiny lights through the branches

I am obsessed with this tree. The tiny lights scattered through the leafy branches are so pretty, especially above that neat ring of low planting.

If you want something more decorative than a spotlight alone, save this as inspiration for outdoor-rated fairy lights in a smaller tree.

little lights in every stairway

Have steps winding up to your house? This is such a pretty idea to bring to your lighting plan.

Small lights sit in the stair risers, with extra spots tucked among the grasses along the sides.

I especially love how the lit steps continue beyond each landing instead of stopping at the first flight.

poolside bulbs and reflections

If you are looking for a true eye-catcher, then this one is for you. There are strings of glowing bulbs overhead, blue light in the pool and little lights on the dining table.

The reflections are my favorite part. For your own pool area, have a qualified installer plan fixture placement and the required electrical clearances.

lanterns along the deck

How pretty is this lantern-filled deck? The tall white lanterns sit among smaller glowing jars, with strings of bulbs stretching overhead.

Read also: 16+ Garden Lighting Paths Ideas That Glow All Night

Try a few different lantern heights to borrow the look. I’d choose flameless outdoor candles and keep the lanterns along the edges so the walking space stays clear.

a row of illuminated palms

The palm fans are going to love this! Light reaches up the trunks and into the long fronds, repeating all the way along the pale wall.

I love how the low spiky plants catch some of that light too.

bulbs above the fire pit

This is such a cute setup for a backyard seating spot. Four chairs surround the round fire pit, with strings of bulbs draped from tall posts above the area.

The yellow flowers beside the chairs are a lovely extra touch. For a similar setup, plan the overhead lighting clear of the fire pit’s required safety zone.

black lanterns on gate pillars

Don’t want to go all out with strings of lights? No problem! These black lanterns sit on broad pillars beside a white rail fence.

This picture shows them in daylight, so it’s the fixture shape rather than the nighttime glow to borrow. I love the peaked tops against the trees.

lights tucked beneath the wall cap

If you’re looking for lighting without tall fixtures in the flower bed, go with this idea. Small lights beneath the wall cap shine down the uneven block faces and onto the planting below.

The little rounded shrubs keep the border simple.

Read also: 20 Santa Fe Patio Ideas With Colorful Pots, Courtyard Lights and Desert Details

slim posts beside a curved path

This is another pretty way to light a winding walkway. I love the slim dark posts among the flowers and the pale tree trunks glowing farther back.

Keep your fixtures inside the border if you want to follow this arrangement. That leaves the curve of the paving easy to see.

lanterns beside a little fountain

How adorable is this garden corner? The little round fountain sits between two large lanterns, with yellow flowers and a white picket gate behind it.

The lanterns aren’t glowing in this daytime view, but their placement is worth saving. Try outdoor-rated flameless candles if you’d like to add an evening glow.

hanging lanterns under the pergola

I am obsessed with this pergola lighting. The rounded hanging shades are so pretty at different heights, especially with the smaller bulbs strung across the beams.

There’s a tall floor lantern beside the seating too. If you want to keep your version simpler, I’d start with the hanging lights and leave the tabletop fairly clear.

bands of light across the path

This walkway looks a little different from the curved paths above. Short black posts line both sides, with repeated bands of light stretching across the paving.

I love the lit trees along the edges. Save this one if you have a long, straight garden path and like a more orderly arrangement.

glowing walls and flower beds

There’s so much to love about this terraced garden. Small dark fixtures shine down the lower wall while more light catches the planting and the broad wall behind it.

The white and pink flowers are gorgeous beside the golden glow. If your yard has several levels, try planning the lighting around each one rather than treating it as one big bed.

a bright outline around the border

Don’t want a row of upright path lights? This glowing line gives you another idea.

It follows the curved bed just inside the edging, beside white pebbles and low green plants.

Read also: 19 Low Maintenance Flower Bed Ideas With Pretty Borders and Colorful Blooms

The tall bird ornaments are such a fun detail. There’s even a little turquoise-colored globe hanging near the front.

little lanterns among the flowers

Last but definitely not least, we have this gorgeous flower-lined path. I love the little lantern-style lights tucked between the rounded shrubs!

The white flowers catch the glow while taller trees are lit behind them.

Try keeping your path lights low if you want the flowers to stay the main attraction.