Firstly I shall talk about the path stake lights. I live close to a city center yet my nook is not close to street lighting. No bad thing I hear some of you say and I agree except that when it is dark it is very dark. The front pathway into the house in particular can be very dark and whilst we know the way into the house it is not great for visitors.
The first thing that struck me about these lights was the weight. As mentioned above I have purchased many solar lights and most (if not all) have been made of plastic. These lights have a sturdy glass lantern. I was already impressed and hopeful that they would give as good light as such quality might indicate. When setting them up I did something I rarely do, I read the instructions. What instructions might such lights need you ask? Well, the key seems to be to switch them off and let them charge for a day or two before letting them switch on.
I was hugely impressed by the results and love the pattern that the light makes. I placed these near the coal bunker so that we have a bit of light when we go to get coal in for the fire in the evening. They are too pretty for this really but they do work very well. They retail usually at £19.99, as I write this I can see they are currently reduced to £15.99* which I think is a bargain.
Secondly I received a festoon of party lights. These are plastic bulbs which feel very light but also are very sensible. If I have a string of lights in my garden I do not want to worrying that the glass bulbs will knock into each other and smash creating a broken glass hazard in my garden.
I strung the lights over the pergola so that they would light the way to the Dancing Lawn.
Again I followed the instructions about letting the battery charge for a couple of days before switch on. It is quite remarkable how following the instructions really helps things work. One day I will learn from this.
I know these photographs are not great, but it shows the lights working as night falls. They do not give off a huge amount of light but they do look pretty and that, let's face it, is the aim. All I need now is a solar disco glitter ball to hang off the apple tree. These usually retail at £19.99 and again, are currently on a promotion at £12.59*. I think they are good value.
Festive Lights is a family run firm based in Lancashire. They started selling Christmas lights (hence the name) but now sell home, decorative and garden lighting. The company boasts ‘Gold Trusted Merchant’ status from independent reviewer Feefo, which recognises consistently excellent customer service. It’s also a member of the ‘Google Certified Shop’ programme, demonstrating a company that provides reliable dispatch and an outstanding shopper experience.
Both sets of light have now been functioning in my garden for a week. I am very pleased with them and I can fully recommend them.
*Price promotion states it has five days still left to run.
