Is There A Problem With Lighting Gardens Up At Night?

Yes and no. Energy conservation is really important now the negative impacts of global warming are more widely accepted. Using fossil fuels to light up gardens just for the pleasure of seeing them at night is perhaps one of the most wasteful uses of energy. However, it is possible to install solar powered lighting that absorbs energy from the sun during the day and transform this into bulb power at night. They are usually not as powerful as normal lights but a lot better for the planet. One of the good things about lighting the garden is that it can actually attract wildlife. Insects will be attracted to the light and this may lead to bats discovering your garden as a good source of food. This should be balanced against the concern some people have about light pollution. Street lighting and increased use of lighting in domestic settings designed to deter crime means that few of us ever see the true night sky or experience real darkness. There are worries that birds are being negatively affected in some urban areas as the constant light disrupts their roosting habits.