How to Incorporate Solar Power into Your Garden

Not only is solar power better for the environment, it will, of course, help you to save money. This is especially useful when you consider the money you spend on landscaping and maintaining your garden, before any electrical costs are considered. Are you unsure of how you could incorporate solar power into your garden? This guide could help you!

What is Solar Power?

Solar power is energy that is made using the sun’s rays. Panels on devices will stores up and convert the energy from the sun’s rays into electricity. This electricity is then activated in your garden lighting accessories when it’s dark.

Floodlights

These can be a great security feature in your garden, especially if they’re are activated by movement. Solar powered floodlights can be found at most local garden centres, as well as online.

Fairy Lights

Solar powered fairy lights are brilliant. You might be hesitant to leave them on all night as they’re simply a decorative item and you don’t want to waste power, however, as they’re solar powered you aren’t wasting anything and can still have a pretty looking garden. You can buy solar powered fairy lights many places, from homeware stores to garden centres and online!

Lamps

You might also want lighting for your front garden. Solar powered lamps are great for when you know you’ll be home late, but don’t want to waste energy by switching the lamp on during the day when it’s still light. These lamps will use all of the sun’s energy from earlier that day and switch on automatically when it’s dark to light your front garden for when you arrive home. You will be able to purchase these in many garden centres and online.

Small Path Lights

If you have a garden path, you may wish to light the way with small solar lights. These are brilliant and incredibly easy to install as they are usually on spikes that you push into the ground. These are very widely available and can be bought for very reasonable prices in homeware stores, garden centres and, of course, online.

However, it doesn’t just have to be through lighting that you incorporate solar power into your garden…

Solar Power Water Fountain

Water fountains are a beautiful addition to any garden, but can be expensive to run if they’re constantly plugged into the mains power which could put you off buying one and leaving it running all the time. However, with a solar powered fountain, you can enjoy the lovely tinkling noise of falling water all the time. These may be more difficult to find in shops, especially if you have a very big budget. However, you will find different types for fountains for all budgets online.

Do you have any more ideas on how to include solar power into gardens? Let us know in the comments sections!

[Photo Credit: dannwjoyner]