The best garden lanterns to buy now

When the sun finally sets but you're not quite done eating, drinking and laughing in the garden, then some great outdoor lighting is a must. Whether you want to use light functionally to enable you to eat outside or simply want to add some ambience, adding lighting to your garden has to be done if you're planning to spend a lot of time outside.

Garden lanterns are the easiest way to bring life to your outside space at night – an affordable and low-maintenance solution, with plenty of options available to suit every garden, terrace or balcony.

Add garden lanterns into the mix alongside your bistro sets and garden heaters to help create the feeling of a relaxed outdoor living area that you can enjoy all year long and use for entertaining guests. With many of us looking to make our garden a natural extension of our homes, a "fifth room" if you like, adding lighting is a great way to make things feel homely and cosy.

Here, we have rounded up the best garden lanterns available to order now. Many of our picks are waterproof and all are suitable for outdoor use. Choose from solar powered to LED lights, or opt for traditional candlelit storm lanterns. Most of the solutions offer warm light, allowing your garden to glow and twinkle.

With options ranging from sleek stainless steel designs to beautifully patterned lanterns that cast intricate shadows across the ground, there’s something here for every garden and every budget...