I think the look of flickering candlelight is magical and is never truly imitated by artificial, battery-run candles. However, and this is a BIG however, I cannot abide how candles damage furnishings and decorations, not to mention burn your house down. I've heard all the talk about keeping the wick short, and buying smokeless candles, but I'm not convinced. Also, they are expensive, and it's even more expensive decorating once your carpet, curtains, and ceiling has gone black. Then, not to be ignored, there is the ongoing question about the
impact of candles on health (BBC link) through over use. I also think artificial battery-driven tea lights might be less expensive in the long run. So, that's what I've chosen to use in my garden room. Not only that, you can use these candles outdoors and they won't blow out in a slight breeze!
Below, artificial, battery-run, bright tea-lights in small glass candle-holders. I bought them online, from Amazon, a box of
24 'OMGAI' LED lights (Amazon UK link). What struck me is that they were inexpensive when you realise that there is a CR2032 battery in each little candle.
When I lived in the Caribbean, I bought the below candle holders. I believed that they had been imported from Africa, or that their country of origin was Africa, but they look more Indian to me. What do I know? I like them wherever they came from, but I have never used them. The candles inside are still the original candles, 15 years old or more, never been lit. Never plan to light them, but I have popped a little OMGAI tea light into the top of each. Cheating, I know. :)
Now, I know this is nothing to do with gardening and lighting garden rooms, but that horizontal slab of white on the table above is actually a gigantic chunk of Pillar Coral which I found rolling around on the edge of the Caribbean sea. It would eventually have been smashed by the sea, so I gave it a home. I treasure it and the memories it brings me.
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| Chunk of Pillar Coral |
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| Chunk of Pillar Coral |
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| End view of chunk of Pillar Coral |
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| End view of chunk of Pillar Coral |
