Garden lights

[Westfacing]

I have a ground floor flat with sliding patio doors to a small private garden and want to put some lighting out there so it looks cheerful in the dark nights!

I don't think solar would work, based on what I've been told, and don't want to plug anything in as that would mean having the patio doors slightly open.

Are battery-operated a feasible option and does anyone have any ideas?

Unless you had remote control you would have to go out (in the rain/dark/cold) to turn them off.
You can get remote control ones, these have good reviews.
batterylights

why would solar not work? i have white fairy lights from Powerbee on my patio. nice and bright, look really pretty and even in dull weather they light up at dusk and usually still on in early morning, best solar lights i have ever had and i have wasted money on many many sets in my time.

@StepAwayFromTheEcclesCakes

why would solar not work? i have white fairy lights from Powerbee on my patio. nice and bright, look really pretty and even in dull weather they light up at dusk and usually still on in early morning, best solar lights i have ever had and i have wasted money on many many sets in my time.

I've got several sorts of solar light, and find they don't charge sufficiently this time of year. In the summer they were alight for hours after dark, but at the moment I'm lucky if I get half an hour out of them. Last Christmas I bought some battery star lights for the front of the house, and on an 8 hour on/16 hour off timer the batteries lasted a full 3 months.

I've had mixed reports on solar lights so that's why looking at battery lights. I want something that will 'light up' the garden so I can see things, if you get my drift! Rather than just to be able to see twinkly lights out of the window.

I’ve got solar led security lights that have a sensor which DH tells me can be switched off so that they can just operate as solar lights. They are dazzlingly bright & light up loads.
I’ve just bought a couple of smaller ones for the sides of the house.

Bigger ones -2 years on still working brilliantly. The photo attached on the review is why I bought them
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07L2PH535/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?psc=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&ie=UTF8

Smaller ones, not yet put up due to the recent winds but will go up at the weekend.
www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B089DKVM5L/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?psc=1&tag=mumsnetforu03-21&ie=UTF8

Please don't put dazzling solar lights outside if they're not on a sensor. It's light pollution. It is bad for nature. It means the night sky is completely invisible.

OP, do you have a budget, albeit a small one? You could ask a qualified electrician to give you a quote for installed electric lights. But do check if any making good would need to be done afterwards.

If you go for solar they vary tremendously in power, light longevity and output. Solar lights don’t come in a herd. Study reviews and talk to people in the know.

Do you really need to light up your garden? It's not v good for animals that live there and is increasing light pollution generally.

well my hedgehogs don't seem to mind them. As I said upthread powerbee fairy lights are the best solar lights I have ever had, they lit up last night at dusk and were still on at quarter to eight this morning!

But why do you need lights on in a garden at night? Birds are trying to roost. The rest of your neighbours might be grateful for darkness, which helps us sleep. Lights at night are linked with all kinds of disorders.

www.bbc.com/future/article/20160617-what-rising-light-pollution-means-for-our-health

Thank you everyone for the suggestions.

I don't want lights on all night - I'm well aware of light pollution and the neighbours!

I'm having a couple of small evening get togethers in the next few weeks, first time since Covid, and it would be nice to have a few lights so I can leave the curtains open and not just see the reflection of the room back at me. Also, I live alone and it's dark at 4, so rather than close the curtains so early and feel hemmed-in for the night, I could see into the small garden for a few hours.

In warmer weather I would just have the doors open but obviously can't do that.

How about tea lights in lanterns?

In that case why not just get fairy lights and/or lanterns.

Slight derail OP hope you don't mind, I'm looking for similar ....

Can anyone advise, if you get outdoor ones snd actually leave them in situ all year, do they and the wires, battery compartment deteriorate much?

Have you tried to see if plug-in lights would work even with the patio doors shut on the wires? I have to feed my Christmas lights through the kitchen window and keep it shut and they're fine.

I put strings of battery operated lights in my small garden and the batteries lasted for ages with just an hour or two lighting each night. They came with a remote from Amazon and could be operated through the patio window door without going outside. £19.99 and they lasted for 4 years before damp got into the battery case. Battery case needs wrapping up well!

Thanks Knitting