Garden, Lawn and Landscape Bollard Lights: Height, Wattage and Spacing
Short answer: fix the scene and mounting height first, then wattage and spacing — garden lights are commonly 3–4.5 m (LED 20–40 W, spacing 12–18 m), lawn lights 0.6–1.2 m (3–10 W, accent spacing 6–10 m), landscape bollards 2.5–4 m, and paths or steps use low-level luminaires. Finally check CCT consistency, glare control and ingress rating. Landscape schemes rarely fail on brightness; they fail on glare and inconsistent colour.
Values below are common practice for landscape lighting, compiled with reference to GB 50034 (Standard for lighting design of buildings), CJJ 45 (urban road lighting design) and the GB 7000 luminaire series. Project values must follow the design documents and local authority requirements.
1. Four common luminaire types
Type
Mounting height
LED wattage
Spacing
Typical application
Garden light (single / twin / multi-head)
3–4.5 m
20–40 W
12–18 m (roughly 3–4× height)
Residential estate roads, plaza edges, park ring roads
Landscape bollard / column light
2.5–4 m
15–30 W
10–15 m
Pedestrian streets, entrance axes in rhythmic rows
Lawn light
0.6–1.2 m
3–10 W
6–10 m (accent, not continuous illuminance)
Lawn edges, planting strips, alongside slow paths
Path / step / spike light
0.3–0.9 m
1–5 W
3–6 m
Garden paths, steps, boardwalks, tree pits
Important: a lawn light is not an illuminance luminaire — it provides ambience and edge definition. Functional illuminance for a garden path should come from garden lights or path lights.
2. Colour temperature: unify first, then design the mood
CCT
Impression
Application
2700–3000 K
Warm, relaxing
Residential estates, park slow paths, courtyard seating
Task areas and security zones where identification matters (use sparingly; reads harsh)
RGB / RGBW
Colour, dynamic
Festive scenes and landmark nodes (control separately from base white light)
Colour temperature must be consistent within one field of view. "3000 K" from different batches or makers can differ visibly. For large schemes specify one batch and one bin, and sample-check on delivery. This is the single most common source of complaints.
3. Ingress ratings and materials
Location
Recommended rating
Notes
Standard outdoor, ground-mounted
IP65 / IK08
Baseline for exterior use
In-ground (recessed)
IP67 or higher
Must handle standing water and drainage
Underwater (fountains, water features)
IP68
Must be a dedicated submersible luminaire on a low-voltage circuit
Coastal / high humidity
IP65+ with upgraded materials
Prefer 316 stainless or die-cast aluminium with quality powder coat; 304/316 fasteners
Common materials: die-cast aluminium (good heat dissipation, rich shapes, cost-effective), aluminium extrusion (clean lines, used for columns), 304/316 stainless steel (316 for coastal), and steel columns (hot-dip galvanised plus powder coat). Diffusers are usually PC (impact resistant) or PMMA (high transmission, weather resistant); outdoor grades must be UV-stabilised. Glass diffusers need assessment for impact and breakage risk.
4. Glare control: the top quality metric in landscape lighting
Hide the emitting surface: place the source above or below the comfortable viewing zone, or use diffusers, anti-glare louvres or deeply recessed construction so no bare lamp is visible.
Cut-off and shielding angle: garden lights should use cut-off or semi-cut-off distributions. Insufficient shielding generates complaints even when illuminance targets are met.
Limit upward light ratio (ULR): reducing light sent straight into the sky lowers light pollution, helps meet dark-sky and ecological reserve requirements, and keeps light where it is useful.
Avoid "brighter than the path": over-dense lawn or in-ground lights create a row of hot spots. Reduce quantity and wattage, and increase shielding.
On residential schemes the usual complaint is not "too dark" but "too glary" and "light comes into the bedroom". On the side facing windows, prefer downward distribution, lower mounting heights or low-level lighting.
5. Power, earthing and waterproofing details
Prefer low voltage: for water features, areas reachable by children and low-level luminaires within hand's reach, use SELV 12 V / 24 V.
Split circuits: separate lawn lights, garden lights and water-feature lights so they can be switched by schedule and isolated for maintenance.
Waterproof joints: exterior joints need a waterproof box plus potting compound or dual-wall heat shrink. Water ingress at joints is the most frequent landscape lighting failure.
Earthing and RCD: exterior circuits need residual-current protection; metal poles and luminaire housings must be reliably earthed.
Serviceability: luminaires should open for lamp or driver replacement without breaking the paving. Modular construction markedly reduces lifetime cost.
6. Common mistakes
Choosing by appearance only: attractive housing with uncontrolled distribution means complaints on day one.
Using lawn lights as the main lighting: the path ends up underlit and unsafe.
Mixing batches: CCT and output differences are visible to the eye and the scheme looks patchy.
Ignoring tree shadows: check against the landscape plan, avoid mature canopies, and allow for pruning or offsetting positions.
No provision for bases and ducts: landscape lighting is usually installed after paving; without early ducting the later cost rises sharply.
FAQ
How tall are garden lights and how far apart should they be?
Mounting height is commonly 3–4.5 m, with spacing at roughly 3–4 times the height, i.e. 12–18 m. Use the lower figure for slow residential lanes and the higher figure for main campus loop roads, then confirm with an illuminance calculation.
What wattage should a garden light be?
LED garden lights are typically 20–40 W depending on height, spacing and target ground illuminance. Because LED efficacy is high, do not simply increase wattage — check that the distribution actually puts light on the ground and that glare is controlled.
What wattage for lawn lights and how should they be laid out?
Typically 3–10 W at 0.6–1.2 m mounting height, laid out as accents at roughly 6–10 m spacing. They provide edge definition and ambience rather than functional path illuminance.
3000K or 4000K for garden lights?
Use 2700–3000 K for residential estates and park slow paths where a relaxed feel is wanted; 3500–4000 K suits entrance plazas and retail frontages needing a crisper look. Keep CCT uniform within one field of view and specify a single LED batch.
What ingress rating do outdoor landscape luminaires need?
IP65 and IK08 as a baseline for standard ground-mounted units; IP67 or higher for in-ground; IP68 dedicated submersible units on low-voltage circuits for water features. In coastal areas prefer 316 stainless or die-cast aluminium with a quality powder coat and 304/316 fasteners.
How do I stop light spilling into residents' windows?
Three measures: use cut-off or semi-cut-off distribution to limit output above horizontal; lower the mounting height or switch to low-level lighting on the side facing dwellings; add anti-glare louvres or diffusers and adjust the shielding angle. Also reduce the upward light ratio to limit light pollution.
Zhongshan Haohong Lighting & Decoration Co., Ltd. · QIJIUJIU ｜ mjzh@hhlighting.cn
General technical reference only. Project-specific values must follow the design documents and local codes.