‘I bought garden lights from Amazon in the sale and transformed my outdoor space’

For homeowners looking for ways to light up their garden in the summer months, shopping writer Eve Rowlands has a recommendation that has improved her space

Many of us yearn for a summer-ready garden, blessed with a blossoming florals and overrunning with perennial plants complete with a stunning patio area that makes summer evenings a dream. But those of us who have moved into a new space – especially if its a new build – will most likely be in the midst of a garden makeover, reimagining the blank, uninspiring canvas before us.

And while the sweet peas maybe planted and the lawn fed in preparation for the summer, one thing that can add a bit of whimsy to a space that’s lacking a bit of personality is some festoon lights.

I added such lights to my renovated garden last year and it was a small but mighty gadget that transformed the space at night and was a budget-friendly option from Amazon. While the exact lights I have are no longer available on Amazon, I’ve found a deal on some pretty similar lights that have been discounted in the brand’s Spring Deals Day sale.

Measuring at 25ft, the Lepro Solar Festoon Lights have 25 LED string light bulbs that can be used in four different modes (always on, flash slowly, flash rapidly, intermittent flashes). Costing £27.97 instead of its usual £34.99, the lights are powered by solar energy – great in the summer months – and rather than relying on mains power (meaning they’d have to be connected to a plug inside), they have a built-in sensor that will turn on at dusk and dawn, lighting up automatically at night and turning off automatically during the day.

When the sun is not gracing us with its presence (an unfortunate regular occurance in the UK), the solar panel can be taken off the lights and charged indoors with a USB, if wanting usage at night.

These lights are a lovely design as they have rounded bulbs that give off a decent amount of light at night without being too bright and deliver a soft, warm ambience thanks to its warm white light.

While these are great for hanging up on a fence or from poles planted into the garden, those who want to light up a specific tree, bush or ornament can do so with LED Firefly String Lights, such as these Smart Solar ones from Robert Dyas. Costing £24.99, they’re made up 100 LED lights and come with both flash and static modes.

For something similar but a little shorter in length, the Habitat 20 Warm White Festoon Solar Lights are £15 and measure at 6m (just under 20ft).

Ideal style choices for patios, gazebos, pergolas or just a lawn, the Lepro lights have accrued a high rating of 4.3 stars on Amazon from over 4,200 reviews. What’s more is, despite this pretty good price, the lights seemingly last and are waterproof (meaning they can be left outside even in rainy weather).

One user shared their experience and said: “These lights were bought for me 2 years ago, and have worked perfectly since. Upon renovating a garden, I recently bought an additional set to compliment the exisitng set and they are brilliant as expected. I can say that with confidence becasue the orignail set, 2 years later are still working perfectly, still bright and remain illuminated all they way through the night (in summer). Very happy to recommend!”

“I absolutely love these lights and frequently get asked where they’re from. I was after decent sized bulbs, not the smaller ones that look like Christmas lights,” remarked another fan. “These do not disappoint. Even on a cloudy day they will come on in the evening. After a charge from the USB they are SUPER bright so that option is really handy if you’re planning on having people over for a gathering. Otherwise, the solar panels charge it just fine.” They did add how it doesn’t come with a remote control, although this shouldn’t be an issue as they noted: “Turn on.. let it charge… Auto turns on at night. Don’t see the issue! Fantastic product and would recommend to others.”

One shopper even raved how it was their ‘best Amazon buy yet’ and said: “Lovely very bright warm coloured lights – much brighter than what I had before, didn’t realize solar lights could ever be that bright. Bulbs themselves were smaller that I expected, are about an inch in diameter but still nice.” They did share a word of warning, however, regarding the delicacy of the bulbs. “Note the bulbs are quite fragile, managed to smash one when I was putting up but thankfully there was a spare in the pack” – so this is something to keep in mind.

They concluded: “Adding to review a few months on – I love these lights – they are really lovely, the perfect brightness and give off amazing warm light for hours longer than my last set of lights, even on cloudy days! Best buy on Amazon yet.”