Benefits of Landscape Lights
Have you ever taken your family for a drive during the winter holidays to see all the houses magnificently decorated in strings of holiday lights? Although a seasonal example, it is just one of the ways that our impressions of a home can be impacted by lighting. Why not take the time to create a year-round landscape lighting plan that will having you smiling each time you pull into your driveway?
Benefits of landscape lighting are in three primary areas:
- Beauty – Outdoor lights can create an ambiance and elegance in your yard that cannot be created any other way. By selectively highlighting certain areas and leaving other areas in darkness you can create drama and add an entirely new dimension to your landscape. You can choose lighting fixtures that compliment your garden design and add to the overall beauty of your yard. Landscape lighting also can add a great deal to the resale value of your home.
- Extending the usefulness of your home – Having landscape lights allows you to spend more time in your yard. A late-evening dinner on the deck is just not the same without landscape lighting. Imagine sitting on the deck, coffee in hand, talking with loved ones while gazing at your garden, beautifully lit for evening enjoyment. There is something serene and elegant about evening lights that draws you outdoors to enjoy them and the natural beauty they are enhancing.
- Security and Safety – One of the most important, yet overlooked aspect of outdoor lighting is security and safety. Having well-lit paths help homeowners and visitors navigate the property more easily. Lights can be put on timers to turn on when you arrive home from work, making unloading the car full of groceries an easier task. Flood lights on motion sensors can help avoid accents as well as help cut back on crime.
Landscape lighting offers a wide variety of benefits that will truly maximize your enjoyment of your outdoor living space.
Landscape Lighting Power Sources
- Low Voltage Landscape Lighting – Most landscape lighting is of the low voltage variety. This type of power source is easy to install and easy to maintain. The lights can be installed by a homeowner, although most manufactures recommend that you have a professional install the transformer.
- Solar Landscape Lighting – Solar landscape lights are becoming more and more popular. A small solar cell powers the lights, providing inexpensive and environmentally friendly lighting year-round. These types of lights are generally more expensive to purchase, but the cost will quickly be recouped since you will not have to pay for electricity.
Types of Landscape Lights
- Path and Spread Lights - Path and spread lights are designed for use along pathways, or where you need a wide arc of light that points toward the ground. These types of lights come in a truly huge variety and will match any kind of garden or landscape design you can think of.
- Deck Lighting – Deck lights typically attach to your deck or the side of your home in some fashion. They provide ambiance for a porch or deck setting and are available in a wide variety of styles. You can install deck lights on steps, railings or siding just as an a few examples. These types of lights will add a great deal to the ambiance of your deck and will allow you more flexibility in outdoor dining and social events.
- Specialty Lighting – There are lights created specifically for lighting statuary, potted plants and other specialty situations. There is even statuary with built-in lighting. Garden ornaments often have a lighting aspect to them and can create a variety of moods from elegant to whimsical.
- Water Lighting – Water features are a dramatic element in any landscape and it is important to give them the attention they deserve with proper lighting. There are a variety of water lights from underwater lights to spotlight and accent lights that are water resistant.
- Accent / Spotlights – Accent and spotlights are used to call attention to a particular feature of your landscape or garden. These are also occasionally referred to as up-lights. A good use of accent lights is to place them at the base of trees to create interesting shadows, or use a spotlight to call attention to a fountain or statuary.
A well thought-out landscape lighting plan will use a combination of the types of landscape lights available to get the most pleasing effect possible.
Types of Bulbs
- LED Bulbs
LED landscape lighting is relatively new. Although it is an energy efficient lighting source, there is no set standard to the type of bulb you can purchase. Make sure to look at the lumens output on the bulbs to ensure you are getting a bulb bright enough. As a point of reference, a 60 watt incandescent bulb puts out about 850 lumens of brightness. LED lights also tend to be whiter than their Halogen counterparts, so take that into account when planning your landscape. You can get a warmer LED light – the warmth of the light is typically rated by a Kelvin – the higher the rating, the cooler or bluer the light is. If you are looking for a cool light, something in the 5000K range will be suitable, for a warmer light try something in the 2700K range.
- Halogen Bulbs
The vast majority of landscape light bulbs on the market are halogen. They produce a bright, intense light, they are energy efficient and they typically have a warm light quality. Bulbs can be expensive and you have to be careful not to touch the bulb itself when you install them.
The best way to decide which type of bulb is right for your setting is to see a few side by side and compare.
Summary
Every homeowner owes it to themselves to get the most out of their landscape by adding dramatic landscape lighting. Landscape lighting projects can be created to fit any budget, and with low voltage landscape lighting, you can add a little at a time as your pocketbook can afford it. Landscape lighting truly is one of those things where, once finished, you will ask yourself “Why didn’t we do that years ago?”
photo credit: Ian Muttoo
