Nightfall doesn't have to put an end to your evening enjoyment of the garden. One of the first and most obvious ways to stop the darkness spoiling your view is to install lighting.

There are thousands of different types of garden lights on the market, from remote control flashing green pavers to fake rocks with halogen bulbs inside, but which ones are the most effective?

In my mind garden, lighting is to create atmosphere and to enable us to get around the space safely at night. There are a number of tricks you can use to great effect that will really transform the winter garden.

Firstly, there is functional lighting, used to illuminate paths, patio steps etc. This can be added in a number of ways, from simple wall lights to LED strips under the overhang on steps. You can even place lights in the planting either side of a path.

The key to this type of lighting is to subtly light the parts of the garden that you walk through and ensure that no beams are directed into your face when you wander about. The source of the light should always be concealed, usually by planting, as there is nothing more distracting than a bright glare of a poorly positioned light.

Secondly, you can add lighting to highlight certain features or plants. This includes up-lighting, when you place a directional light at the bottom of a feature, either behind or in front.

Lighting an architectural plant such as a Phoenix palm from the front will really draw attention to it and cast shadows away from you, whereas doing it from behind will cast the shadows towards you and creates a silhouette of the plant or feature. Both methods have a very different effect creating totally different atmospheres.