In Conversation with Parker & Bartley

Here at Garden Club London, we are proud to work with some of the best in the industry, and Josh, Luke and the team at Parker & Bartley are very much among the best in our books.

From residential projects and show gardens to training and technical advice, they are always on hand with the knowledge, experience and practical insight to make sure our gardens look just as good after dark as they do in the day – if not better. Having worked together across a number of projects, we know first-hand the value of having a team who understand not only the technical side of garden lighting, but also how light can completely transform the way a space feels.

Founded by childhood friends Josh Bartley and Luke Parker, Parker & Bartley has grown over more than a decade, with a simple focus on quality, good people and doing the basics brilliantly. We caught up with them to talk all things garden lighting, from smart controls and practical considerations to their favourite effects, current trends and what’s next for the industry.

What’s the story behind Parker & Bartley? 

Luke and I are childhood friends. We started training to be electricians at the same time and spent several years working for companies, starting at the bottom, learning all of the important skills of our trade from our seniors; delivering work you’re truly proud of and, of course, how to make a good cuppa!
After qualifying we set up Parker & Bartley. We are very fortunate that nearly all our business comes through recommendations and word of mouth. Cheryl came onboard and has put much needed systems in place, it’s now far more organised than when it was just the two of us! It’s organically grown over the years, and we really are lucky to have such an amazing team, in the office and on the ground engineers. We’re grateful P&B has been running for over a decade now and long may it continue…

What practical elements do garden designers and homeowners need to consider when adding lighting to a garden?

Existing external supplies are always helpful when considering landscape lighting. If they test safely, this negates the need to run cabling within the property, or back to the consumer unit. It’s worth noting that high consumption items like patio heaters, hot tubs and saunas draw a much higher load and you will more than likely need cabling back to your consumer unit, something to bear in mind if you’re looking to keep building works within the property to a minimum.

How easily can garden lighting systems be integrated into existing home control systems,

Absolutely. Landscape lighting circuits can be run back to existing home systems such as Lutron Homeworks panels. However, if cabling through the property is not a possibility, you can also look at an RF option which can amalgamate with your existing setup. There are a couple of brilliant systems on the market which can be specified, one being the Light Symphony controllers. These are standalone but can work via an app on your phone or tablet, they have smart astronomical timers, long range remotes and can even pair with your existing Alexa and Google controls. We’re lucky to be living in a time when the possibilities for lighting control are almost endless.

What are the best ways to protect lighting and systems from foxes and vermin?

We’re big fans of flexible conduit, in either plastic or metal formats. They’re great at deterring the troublesome garden animals we get in the UK. We also think they offer an added layer of protection from the elements, particularly as we now experience temperatures reaching 40 degrees in summer and below zero in winter.

What are your favourite effects or fixtures?

We love indirect lighting, when you cannot see the light source itself, only the feature you want to highlight. GCL have mastered this effect, look no further than their project in Maida Vale. The steps literally look like they’re floating from certain angles. We also feel tones of lighting can really change the mood of a space, we tend to recommend 2700k to clients to offer that inviting, cosy aesthetic.

What are the most common trends you see?

This one may be controversial, as it appears to be popular on social media platforms at present, but we’re not a fan of a recessed LED strip which isn’t indirectly lighting anything. When they’re just set into the middle of a floor shining aimlessly upwards, whether it be outside or within the home. We just feel it’s a poor use of light and can give off the feeling of a runway. Of late, we’ve seen lighting designers move away from specifying as many recessed down-lights. But we have been installing more 5-amp outlets, along with surface mounted spotlights and fittings. Recessed up-lights are being specified more, we find that lighting shining up from the floor can make the space feel grander and more interesting.

What innovation will we be seeing in lighting in the future?

There has been a push towards innovation in LED lighting optics, rather than manufacturers solely pursuing more lumens. A great company is Soraa, they have been testing the boundaries of LED lighting, and their colour rendition is second to none. They’re often used in prestigious galleries to highlight artwork; we’ve found their lamps are regularly specified in the projects we’re involved in. Companies are now offering a more sustainable manufacturing process for fittings. 3D printing is using recycled materials, and some fittings now contain 75% of bio-circular content which is great for the environment.

What makes Parker & Bartley different?

We don’t feel we do anything special or contrarian. We just try our best to do the basics very well; we find like-minded people to work with, who have a ‘we over me’ mindset. You can be the best engineer in the world but if you do not have the right attitude, you’re not for us. We turn up on time, looking professional and we prioritise quality of work, this always comes before profit. In turn, we have been fortunate to work with some of the most regarded in the industry.