Garden Design - Solar Lights

I am constantly looking for ways to reduce our carbon footprint. Recently, I came upon some delightful and fanciful garden lights which are powered by the sun.

During the day our garden is decorated with lovely crystal like mini sculptures in the shape of birds, flowers and a variety of animals. At night these little jewels glow and even change colors for up to 8 hours.

Other solar stake lights look like small lanterns and some come in abstract shapes. There are many styles and designs to choose from.

They can be positioned along a path to help visitors find their way or dotted among the flowers in a garden. We put a few near the front door to accent the entrance at night.

These solar garden stake lights must get as much sun as possible. The more hours of sunlight, the more the battery will be charged and the longer the lights burn at night.

Many have small solar panels attached to the stake with a rechargeable battery inside. The instructions say that the AA battery will last for about a year and can be replaced by unscrewing the screw on the underside of the solar panel. When the original, low powered battery stopped charging, we replaced it with a stronger one so now the lights stay on most of the night.

The hummingbird and most of the other solar lights have an on/off switch underneath the solar panel. You must turn it off and charge it for at least 8 hours, the first time that it is used. On some models, the on/off switch is tricky and it's hard to tell whether it is on or not. After a day of charging you can test to see if it's on by holding your hand over the panel.

Useful, environmentally friendly solar stake lights will add light and beauty to the garden. I just love mine and I think that many other gardeners out there will, too. They make good gifts for the gardener on your list.

It is best to position the panel on the light so that it is in a sunny spot and is facing south. That way it will receive a maximum amount of photons to charge the battery. Check the light periodically to make sure vegetation is not covering the solar panel. You may also need to wipe off the panel if dust or pollen collects there.