About Garden Tiki Torches and Outdoor Lighting

Use torches to light your garden at night.

Garden torches can be used for practical purposes and to set the mood in an outdoor environment. A variety of torch styles are available and they come in many different materials. Some models even have clear propane tanks set in decorative holders.

Types

Some torches are on long poles.

There are several types of garden torches. Garden torches can be made from various materials, such as wood or wicker with bamboo poles. The well-known Tiki torches have long poles that can be stuck into the ground. Tabletop garden torches can fit onto a patio umbrella pole or stand alone on a table or deck post. Most of the tabletop models burn oil. Some models are electric and have a simulated flame.

Fuel

Some garden torches use propane.

Garden torches require fuel to burn. Some use paraffin, while others burn petroleum-based oils. Gas models run on propane gas. Electric models do not have an open flame. Environmentally-conscious individuals can use olive oil instead of petroleum-based oils in oil-burning garden torches.

Uses

Gas-powered torches burn brighter than oil-based garden torches.

Outdoor lighting is the main purpose for a garden torch. Gas-powered torches burn brighter than oil-based garden torches, making them well-suited for lighting pathways and entrances. Tabletop garden torches offer cozy, romantic lighting for an outdoor meal. Large torches can be used to provide a tropical atmosphere to a pool area.

History

Tiki style decor became popular in the U.S.

According to the website of famed Tiki bar Don the Beachcomber, garden torches became popular in 1934 when Ernest Raymond Beaumont Gantt, later known as Donn Beach, opened a restaurant with a Polynesian theme in Huntington Beach, California. His restaurant, Don The Beachcomber, became so popular he changed his name to match the restaurant. The restaurant's décor included garden or Tiki torches. Restaurants with similar themes became known as Tiki bars. Starting in California, the popularity of Polynesian bars spread across the United States. All of the restaurants had Tiki torches as part of the décor. After World War II, South Pacific themes became popular in gardens and entertainment. Over time, the garden torch became a familiar fixture in American gardens.

Considerations

Placing garden torches requires some forethought. Many garden torches burn fuel and have an open flame. Care should be taken to place torches where they are far enough away from combustible materials so that garden lights don't pose a fire hazard. Small children should be supervised around burning garden torches.

References

• "Illustrated Encyclopedia of Gardening and Landscaping Techniques"; Barbara W. Ellis; 1990
• Don the Beachcomber: Our History