Best Candles for a Patio Evening (and Keeping Them Lit Outdoors)
There are few nicer things than candlelight on a patio on a warm evening, the soft glow turning an ordinary backyard into somewhere you want to linger. Burning candles outdoors comes with a couple of quirks though, mainly the breeze that keeps blowing them out and the fact that scent behaves differently in open air. With a little know how, a candle becomes the perfect finishing touch to an evening outside. Here is how to do it well. We make 100% beeswax candles, and the full collection is here as you read.
The appeal of candles outside
Outdoors, a candle is mostly about atmosphere. The flame adds a warm, flickering glow that string lights and lanterns cannot quite match, and it makes a patio or deck feel intimate and inviting as the sun goes down. Whether it is dinner outside, drinks with friends, or just a quiet evening alone, candlelight sets a mood that turns an outdoor space into a proper room for the evening. That ambiance is the main reason to bring candles outside.
Keeping them lit in the breeze
The biggest outdoor challenge is wind. Even a gentle breeze makes a flame flicker wildly and can blow it out, so the trick is to shelter the flame. Burn candles inside a hurricane glass, a lantern, or a vessel with high sides that shield the flame from moving air. Placing candles against a wall, on a sheltered part of the patio, or grouped together also helps block the breeze. A glass jar candle already gives the flame some protection, which is one reason a contained candle suits outdoors better than an exposed one.
Scent works differently outdoors
Indoors, a candle fills a room with fragrance, but outside there are no walls to hold the scent, so it disperses into the open air almost immediately. This means an outdoor candle is far more about the glow than about perfuming the space, and you should not expect it to scent a whole patio the way it would a living room. Up close you will catch the fragrance, but the open air carries most of it away. Choose an outdoor candle for its light and its character rather than to fill the yard with scent.
The bug question
People often hope a candle will keep mosquitoes away, and it is worth being honest here. Repelling bugs is a specific job done by citronella and similar candles made for the purpose, and a regular scented candle is not a pest control device. Our candles are made for clean burning and beautiful scent, not as insect repellent, so if bugs are your main concern, a dedicated citronella product is the right tool. For ambiance and glow, though, any good candle is lovely on a patio.
Beeswax in the summer heat
Outdoor candles often sit in warm weather, and here beeswax has an advantage. Soft waxes can soften or even slump in summer heat, especially in direct sun, while beeswax has the highest melting point of common candle waxes, so it holds its shape and stays firm in the warmth far better. That high melting point makes beeswax a sturdy choice for outdoor use in summer, when a softer candle might struggle. Still, keep any candle out of direct sun when it is not lit.
Safety outdoors
An outdoor candle deserves the same care as an indoor one, plus a little extra. Set it on a stable, heat safe surface away from anything that could catch, like dry foliage, table umbrellas, cushions, or napkins that could blow into the flame. Keep candles away from the edge of a table where a breeze or a sleeve could knock them, and never leave them burning unattended when you head inside. A windy evening makes a flame less predictable, so stay mindful of it.
Which scents suit a patio
Since the scent is mostly for up close enjoyment, fresh and summery fragrances suit an outdoor evening best. Adi, a bright citrus blend, feels made for warm evenings. Out of Office, with spearmint, pineapple, and coconut, brings a breezy, vacation feel. Zesty offers an ocean breeze and citrus lift. Any of these adds a lovely summery note when you catch it near the candle.
| Outdoor challenge | What to do |
|---|---|
| Wind blows it out | Use a hurricane glass or lantern |
| Scent disperses | Burn for the glow, not to fill the air |
| Summer heat | Beeswax holds shape, keep out of direct sun |
| Bugs | Use a dedicated citronella product |
A great scent can carry the memory of a place, indoors or out:
Smells exactly as it did on the sampler I tried at Washington Square Park a year or two ago. - Jason M., Out of Office Candle
Common questions
How do you keep outdoor candles from blowing out?
Shelter the flame from the wind by burning candles in a hurricane glass, a lantern, or a high sided vessel, and place them against a wall or grouped together away from the breeze. A glass jar candle already shields the flame somewhat. The collection comes in glass, which helps outdoors.
Do scented candles work outside?
For glow and atmosphere, yes, beautifully. For scent, less so, since the open air disperses fragrance quickly and a candle will not perfume a whole patio. You will catch the scent up close, but outdoors a candle is mostly about the light and the mood.
Do candles keep bugs away?
Only candles made specifically for it, like citronella. A regular scented candle is not a pest repellent, so for mosquitoes you want a dedicated product. For ambiance and glow on a patio, any good clean candle is lovely.
The bottom line
Candles make a patio evening magical, mostly through their glow. Shelter the flame from the breeze, enjoy the scent up close rather than expecting it to fill the yard, lean on beeswax to hold up in the heat, and use citronella separately if bugs are a worry.
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