Outdoor Lighting Guide

Gardens and backyards are great places to relax and unwind in. You can breathe the fresh air and rest your eyes on the greenery after a stressful day at work. However, once night claims your garden, its beauty is lost in the darkness unless you reclaim it with outdoor lights. The use of outdoor lights has evolved from just lighting the pathway and the door to illuminating the charm of your outdoor space. If you’ve taken care to properly landscape your garden, then you would definitely want it appreciated even at night.

Outdoor lighting is done for two reasons: Task and accent lighting. Task lighting means you’re lighting your outdoor space for practical purposes. For example, you want to go about freely at night without stumbling on your flower beds or you want to be able to find the door without groping around for it. Accent lighting means you draw attention to particular places in your yard, like a fountain or a sculpture.

Now if you’re ready to flood your garden with lights but you’re unsure as to how to go about it, read on to get ideas on how to get started on your illuminating project.

First, decide which places in your garden needs lighting. Take a walk and survey what areas you want to emphasize and what areas must have lighting. You can list them all down and then decide which ones to prioritize. Imagine what you want your garden to look like at night and then make a lighting plan. The patio, deck, and walks should be lighted as well as any highlights of your outdoor space.

Next, select the type of outdoor lights you want to use. There are five types you can choose from: Uplights, downlights, pathlights, backlights, and specialty lights. Uplights are placed on the ground. They point up to highlight important points in your yard. Downlights are placed above an object and are used to simulate natural light. Pathlights are used along walkways. These are low lights and they are used to guide a person through the yard. Backlights are placed behind an object so that it casts a silhouette. These lights are hidden from view. Specialty lights add accent to your space. These can be outdoor post lighting, torches, outdoor string lights, and underwater lights.

In outdoor lighting, you have two choices for power sources: Solar and electricity. Solar power is a renewable source and there’s less fuss in setting them up. You just stick them on the ground and come nightfall, they’ll light up your garden. However, solar lights are not as bright as electric ones. And if you’re in a place that doesn’t have a lot of sunlight exposure, then these lights may not work for you. Electric lights need wiring and a transformer, but you’ll have brighter lights to be sure.

Check the capacity of your transformer and get one that can accommodate your lighting options. It would be advisable to invest in low voltage lighting as they are brighter than line voltage lamps. Determine the length of cable you’ll need. This is determined by the number of fixtures or lights you’ll have.

When you go to a hardware store, be sure to check with the salespeople about the fixtures you’re going to get as well as the proper way to wire them. Always check with your original lighting plan, but don’t hesitate to make changes if you feel your original plan can be improved.

Last Updated on Thursday, 19 November 2009 04:42