If you are giving your lawn a makeover, consider adding some landscape lighting to enhance your property. Basic landscaping can definitely add appeal to your lawn, but it is only visible during the day. Lighting up your property at night can attract more eyes to your home at night. If you host parties often, having lighting around your lawn and patio area can truly comfort your guests so they can enjoy their night. Here are some ideas to consider for lighting up your landscape.
Ways that Landscape Lighting Can Be Used
There are several ways to get started lighting your lawn. These four ways are popular and not too complicated to set up:
-Silhouetting: Give your viewers some landscape drama by placing lights directly behind plants and trees, but aim them at adjacent walls, such as your house or a fence. This is a great way to show off any exotic plants with unique leaf shapes.
-Grazing: Show off unique textured areas and create indirect shadows using this method. Simply shine your lighting directly upwards along the walls of your house or against tree trunks. Be sure to space the lights evenly, about one foot apart, to enhance the blending of the lights.
-Moonlighting: Add some unique looks to your outer viewing area by placing lights in trees. The lights will focus downward, creating a soft and natural view. This helps to light up those darkest corners of your yard, but can also be used to blend other lighting projects as one.
-Uplighting: If you have trees for accent or just want to add some attention to them, consider this method. Angle the lights from under the trees straight up into the sky to give a dramatic effect; for thicker trees like pine, place lights further outwards of the tree line.
Types of Lighting for Your Landscape
Treat your yard to some different methods of lighting and make use the best options where you can. Using lighting further out in the yard can be difficult for wiring purposes, so consider using solar lighting. Solar lights use rechargeable batteries, but they get their energy from the daylight sun. This helps to cut back on energy costs. They can be found in many various looks from your basic black and clear designs to unique looks like ladybugs solar lighting.
Low voltage lighting is another great way to save on your energy bills. These lights can be designed into unique architectural looks so your lawn can have added character. One area to utilize these lights is placing them into the steps of your deck or around the perimeters. The lighting gives off enough light to see the pathway without blinding you. It is great for deck parties.
Areas of Your Landscape to Use Lighting
Cannot decide where to place your landscape lighting? Depending on what you have and how large your yard is be sure to keep it simple. Too much lighting can be overkill and take away from your landscape design, but too little lighting can void any dramatic effects that you may want to create. Areas to consider placing your outdoor lights are:
-decks
-fences
-pathways
-on your house
-in trees and around plants
Adding landscape lighting to your home can be a tedious task, but consider any of the above ideas when getting started. They are just simple ideas to help you, but if wiring and placement are too much for you, consider calling your local landscaper for assistance.
