Five Plants You Should NEVER Place Next to Outdoor Lights
The UK is set to see another heatwave, and many of us will be purchasing garden accessories and furniture to prep the space for a summer of outdoor socialising.
You may be looking to upgrade outdoor lights, but be warned, some plants may not be as keen on bright garden additions as you are.
Certain plants can struggle to thrive when placed too close to artificial light, so before you start dispersing outdoor lights around your garden, know which plants will love and hate them.
Here are five plants that don’t love the limelight, and what to plant instead…
#1 Hostas
Also known as plantain lilies, hostas are shade-loving plants that thrive in cool and damp conditions. Whilst they’re easy to grow, some species prefer heavy shade over light exposure.
Placing bright artificial lights next to them could cause their leaves to scorch over time, become faded in colour and wilt.
Warm conditions can also attract pests like slugs and snails, who will be more than happy to graze on the leaves.
Instead, try planting Brunnera – they have big and bold leaves like hostas, but they’re more tolerant of light, especially from cool solar-powered light. Brunnera can also produce delicate blue flowers for a pop of colour in your garden.
#2 Bleeding Heart
These romantic heart-shaped blooms thrive in the shade and rely on natural light cycles to know when to bloom and go dormant.
Exposure to artificial light can confuse natural cycles and cause their growing and blooming patterns to become irregular and unpredictable. This can also cause them to die.
Astilbes, also known as false goat’s beard, are an equally colourful alternative that enjoys shade but can tolerate light and handle nighttime illumination from outdoor lighting.
#3 Gardenias
While this flowering plant is beautiful, it’s also fussy about conditions and tricky to grow successfully.
Gardenias are highly temperature-sensitive and need some sun exposure during the day with high humidity and moist soil.
At night, the plant needs cooler temperatures, so placing solar lights next to them can be a bad idea. Even LED lights can produce heat, which may create too warm an environment for gardenias to survive.
Disrupting the dark environment at night and cooler temperatures can also interrupt the blooming process and stop them from flowering successfully.
Camellias can be the perfect alternative. They can grow in a variety of colours, including a crisp white like gardenias, but can be more tolerant to outdoor lighting as they rely on strict light and temperature conditions to flower.
#4 Lily of the Valley
A favourite of the late Queen, lily of the valley may look low maintenance, but they depend on cycles like bleeding heart.
They prefer partial to full shade so, unfortunately, artificial lighting should be kept away from them. It can mess with their blooming cycles and encourage premature flowering, which can result in weak stems and fewer flowers.
Coral bells are perennial plants that can grow in bold colours and are much hardier than lily of the valley. They’re far more tolerant of ambient lighting, especially gentle light from solar solutions.
While you might not get the same scented flowers, coral bells do send up delicate flower spikes reminiscent of lily of the valley.
#5 Evening Primrose
It’s all in the name – evening primrose blooms in the evening and thrives in low-light conditions.
Exposing these flowers to outdoor lights could mess with their biological clock and prevent them from blooming properly, as they rely on the transition from day to night to know when to flower.
Plus, the extra light and warmth from outdoor lights could cause the flowers to fade faster.
If you’re looking for a plant that still provides a pop of colour and scent, lavender is a great go-to. Lavender thrives in the light and tolerates artificial light very well, while acting as a colourful addition to your garden.
How to place outdoor lights to avoid upsetting plants
#1 Use softer bulbs
Bright and harsh lights can affect plants over time, especially those that are naturally suited to shade or rely on darkness to trigger blooming.
Instead of high-lumen spotlights or cool-white LEDs, go for warm-white bulbs with lower brightness, especially near garden beds or borders.
Solar-powered lights are usually softer overall, making them a great plant-friendly option.
#2 Point lights away from sensitive plants
If you have light-sensitive plants, avoid shining light on them directly – constant illumination can stop them from growing properly.
Instead, aim light towards the ground or angle lights towards paths, fences and key garden features rather than flowerbeds.
#3 Choose motion sensor or timed lights
Leaving plants exposed to artificial light all night can disrupt their natural growth and bloom rhythms.
Using motion sensor lights or timers can help you control when the lights turn on and off and for how long, which will protect your plants and reduce energy use.
#4 Manage heat emitted
Some lights, especially older ones, can emit heat during use. Placing lights too close to sensitive plants can dry out the soil or scorch leaves, especially during heatwaves.
Where possible, opt for solar-powered or LED lighting, which gives off far less heat, and keep some space between fixtures and foliage