Elegant silk lanterns, paper lanterns and floating candles add a touch of beauty to your garden and patio.

Warm summer evenings spent outdoors entertaining friends and family always have a wonderful atmosphere. Decorating your patio and garden with gorgeous silk lanterns, paper lanterns and floating candles gives an even more magical ambience to the occasion, and creates an interesting conversation point. Silk lanterns and paper lanterns can be festooned around the porch, the eaves of the house, or even in the trees. You can place your floating candles in your garden pond or water feature, in a bowl on the table, or even in the pool for a romantic, mystical effect.

Silk and paper lanterns have a strong association with traditional Chinese, Vietnamese and Japanese culture. If you’re planning a special Chinese New Year or Asian cultural celebration, colorful traditional lanterns are a must. Some traditional designs have a special symbolic significance. In Vietnam for example, the traditional fish trap shape brings good luck. In Japan, the koi carp is a symbol of long life and good fortune, and the Chinese hold fishes to be a symbol of wealth.

Where to buy silk lanterns, paper lanterns and floating candles.

It’s very easy to find authentic, handcrafted lanterns, either imported or locally made.

You’ll find a huge range of lanterns and candles from Asian import stores, homewares suppliers and party decor stores. The internet gives you access to a vast range of styles and colors, and it’s very easy to order online.

Silk lanterns and paper lanterns come with a range of frame materials, including traditional wood or bamboo or the more economical steel wire. Most are designed so that they can be easily collapsed for storage or shipping. The range of colors and shapes available is quite extraordinary, including everything from balloons, helixes and pumpkin shapes to stars and fish.

A lantern is usually designed to be used without a light source, as distinct from a silk or paper lamp which has an electric bulb inside. These definitions tend to be used fairly loosely however, so it’s a good idea to check whether the lantern should have a light source or not.