Wondering what great lighting can do for your garden? Read on.
Garden lights are plenty in multiple colours, styles and sizes. Bet you’ll be spoilt for choice. Here are some recommedations from LED Outdoor Lighting Solutions.
Spotlights
Also known as bullets, spotlights are versatile and available in a range of outputs, beam angles and mounting options. Mostly used for highlighting trees and fixtures.
Floodlights
Brighter than spotlights, floodlights cast lots of light on an area, making it usable for security or night strolls. Normally affixed by an electrician, so don’t DIY.
Wall-lights
Similar to floodlights, but not that bright, wall-lights are either mono-colour or RGB, changing colours to create subtle effects on walls.
In-ground Lights
Well hidden, in-ground lights look great around pillars and trees, where an above-ground fixture would create a trip hazard.
Area, Path and Deck Lights
Lidded and angled down, path lights illuminate walkways. Also slanting down, area lights produce a wide beam, lighting a large area. Pointing straight up, deck lights perk up the edges of paths and decks.
To find different styles of garden lights, visit: https://www.ledoutdoor.net.au/garden-lights.html
Solar vs. Electric
Garden lighting is either solar-powered or electrical. Each option has its pros and cons. Solar fixtures are easy to install, inexpensive to buy and safe in-and-around water. Electric lights are complex to affix, costly to purchase and can’t be used where there’s water.
Getting Started With Garden Lighting
Illuminating a garden is a fun project. Highlighting certain features and creating effects with dark and light contrasts, brings your garden to life. But your garden won’t be lit and lush as you pictured it if your lighting plan is dull. For lovely, long-lasting results, this guide is it.
-
Set Goals
What do you wanna achieve? Is it highlighting plants, accentuating a water amenity, or illuminating walkways to eliminate trip hazards?
-
Pick a Strategy
Review your goals. For each one, determine what’s needed to achieve it – preferred lighting effects, type and number of fixtures required, etc.
-
Shopping List
Buy light fixtures, cables, transformers and other essential accessories. Cheap fittings are more trouble than they’re worth. Quality fixtures will return dividends with long-term use.
-
Create a Plan
Using a marker or paint, identify transformer locations, where you’ll place the lights and where the cables will run.
-
Install Lights
Setting up electric lights is pro work. DIYing is synonymous with electrocution. Try your hand at installing solar-powered fixtures.
-
Wait Until Dark
Turn on the lights, grab a glass of wine and enjoy your garden. Make adjustments as required.
Garden Lighting Techniques
The best lighting technique makes your garden and its features stand out.
- Highlighting: A spotlight is positioned at the base of a tree or feature.
- Silhouetting: Light fixtures are installed behind a feature facing a wall, creating a lit backdrop.
- Moonlighting: Spotlights are placed on trees and angled down, creating moonlit effects.
- Wall Washing: Creates soft, even effects on walls.
- Uplighting: Used well, uplights create contrasting levels of shadow and light on a surface.
- Accenting: Well positioned and angled spotlights highlight a sculpture or plant.
- Downlighting: Fixtures are placed on a wall or under an eave, shining downwards.
- Path Lighting: Stem/spike fittings are mounted on the edge of a path.