Wrought Iron Garden Wall Lights Bring Traditional Elegance to Modern Gardens
For the Victorians, wrought iron was a modern wonder made possible by new mass production techniques; for us, wrought iron garden wall lights bring to mind the peaceful gardens of our grandparents and great-grandparents. It’s probably an idealised image but who cares!
Garden wall lamps can give style to any outdoor lighting scheme, but let’s concentrate on the Victorian style for a moment.
Those wrought iron lamps of our ancestors would have been fuelled with oil, whereas nowadays we have the choice of electricity or solar power, both of which are far more practical. Of course, if you hanker after the real thing, there is no reason why you can’t use oil or candles in wrought iron fittings, provided you bear the safety aspects in mind.
Wrought iron is no longer mass produced and, to be honest, it is likely that wrought iron you buy today will actually be mild steel, or even fibreglass. When using the term wrought iron, unless you are having something bespoke made for you, we are usually describing the decorative appearance the curlicues, the medallions, and the flowers; the sheer beauty of the artisan look.
If you’re after the effect rather than the authenticity, there is a lot to be said for modern reproduction wrought iron garden lamps, which have all of the beauty without the weight and the maintenance. They’re far safer too much rather a fibreglass light fitting fall on you than a wrought iron one!
For an authentic Victorian garden design, you’ll need more than wrought iron light fittings; you’ll need the right plants too. Victorian gardens were alive with brightly coloured flowers that included new discoveries from Africa and the Americas, fuchsia, monardia rudbekia, and agapanthus; the old childhood favourites were there too, including candytufts, poppies. pansies, and violas.
The habit of creating fancily shaped flower beds in the centre of the lawn might not go down so well today, especially those densely planted circles. Those old brick paths edged with rope stones look good though.
And Victorian lawns were renowned for their perfection close clipping and rolling into manicured strips was not optional. Perhaps you’d better just go for the wrought iron wall lamps and an occasional going over with the Flymo.
