Six years ago I decorated my garden for a party with a dozen outdoor candles that I had bought in London. They're now very readily available here but at the time the guests reacted as though I had imported the aurora borealis for the evening - most had never seen such dinky lighting. Up to then a hired string of coloured bulbs was the height in garden party sophistication but now there's a wide choice in temporary garden lighting - it is one of the big spin-offs of the extraordinary popularity of barbecuing and of gardening in general.

John Bourke describes himself as an amateur gardener but his beautiful garden in Monkstown, Co Dublin, is internationally known and open to the public during the summer. He is also a wellknown party giver who always uses his garden as an outdoor room and lights it accordingly.

"Candles," he says, "are wonderful but you'd need about 40 million of them to light a garden so it's worth getting two or three permanent outdoor lights installed in strategic places." The trick, according to John, is to pick a feature and it can be as simple as a favourite plant or a bench - "it doesn't have to be a statue or a fountain" - and train a light on it. "You are then creating a focal point in the garden," he says, advising against taking the DIY route when it comes to wiring. "Outdoor electrics are best left to qualified electricians."

When choosing a lighting fixture, he cautions against halogen bulbs saying that the effect on plants is too harsh - if there's any defect such as black spot or a dead leaf or two it will be highlighted. Instead go for a bulb which gives off a softer light. Other atmospheric lighting which he has installed in his garden to great effect are small lights, on a wall that is covered in ivy, and hidden lights in the flower beds under ferns.

The most dramatic temporary garden lights are tall bamboo torches (Woodies, £8.69). They are perfect for adding instant atmosphere to any barbecue, are reusable and fuelled by citronella lamp oil (Woodies £3.99) which not only smells wonderful but repels insects. Habitat has the best selection of candle-lit lanterns to choose from. These look most effective clustered together hanging from the branches of trees. Their latest designs include small lanterns with frosted glass (£7.95) which give off a lovely diffused light and more traditional-looking bronze-finish lanterns with clear glass (£7).

Floating candles make great table decorations and are a must if you have a pond in the garden. The best selection is from Candleberry, a specialist candle shop in Dublin's Westbury Mall. The most dramatic one it has in stock is a large candle shaped like a lotus flower (£7.95). It sells out quickly though; one pond-owning party-giver recently bought 20.

For an inexpensive, floating alternative, John Bourke makes dozens of silver "boats" out of tin foil and puts tea lights in them (less than 10p each from local supermarkets).

"When you're looking for garden lights, shop around and think laterally," he says, showing a battery-operated camping light, bought in Marks & Spencer for £10. Another of his ideas is to buy inexpensive, coloured, drinking glasses and put tea lights into them: "They'll last for the duration of the party and the effect is magical." And that's really what it's all about.

John Bourke, Fairfield Lodge, Monkstown, Co Dublin. Garden open Sunday, Wednesday and bank holidays. Admission £2.50.