Lighting Tips for the Garden

Lighting Tips for the Garden

Lighting Tips for the Garden

There are many different tips and tricks when lighting any garden area. It is important to identify which key areas of the garden you want to highlight. A pergola or seating area, where you plan to eat and relax outside, mainly needs downlights as this is the most effective way of lighting this type of area. Avoid strong uplighting as it can dazzle viewers and spoil the desired effect. Uplights can be used but they must be used against the uprights of the pergola or maybe even small trees and shrubs outside the pergola boundary.

Garden lawns can be difficult to light because they usually need a large spread of powerful light which can ruin the overall image of the rest of the garden. It is best to keep the lawn area in darkness because it does tend to frame the other areas of interest which are lit and provide strong emphasis on depth. Drive ways can be lit in a variety of different ways from LEDs to downlighting from trees. When lighting this type of area it is important to get the balance between practicality and beauty which can transform a house and garden.

Large trees are always fantastic to light and really make a garden stand out. There are lots of different ways of lighting trees but it is always governed by its surroundings. Imagine a large tree in the middle of the lawn; this would require recessed lights in the ground with another three or four in the tree to catch the main canopy. The only time that tree lighting would not be advisable is if there was a strong light source that could potentially interfere such as a street lamp.

Retaining walls and path walls are fantastic to light as they add definition which again provides depth to the overall effect of the garden lighting scheme. They can also add to the practical use of paths by subtly lighting them in a very soft and welcoming manner. Water features are another must when it comes to lighting your garden. The use of water can add both movement to the light and reflect mirror images which can turn your scheme into something incredibly beautiful.

Remember to always conceal the light source when lighting your garden area, by either tucking it behind shrubs or branches or with a glare guard on the luminaire. Ideally, guests will be unable to view where the exterior light originates. You should avoid installing garden lights in the undergrowth of low shrubs or tall grasses, when exterior lighting. The beam of light requires unimpeded passage from the fixture to the focal point so there are no distracting spots of reflected light (unless you want a shadowy effect, in which case the opposite applies).

Be careful not to over-light areas, often less is more. Extremely bright garden lighting can have a terribly garish, ugly look to it. It's best to only use bulkhead luminaires for both security and commercial applications. Another effective trick is back-lighting, lighting trees in the background of a forested area can create great silhouettes in the foreground. An up lighted hedge behind a shrub or tree can have the same effect too. Remember not to illuminate every single surface when garden lighting, shadows work to define lighted areas.

Lighting the garden at night can really transform the area and create a completely different look from the garden in the daylight. I think you will notice that the night view of your garden is much more dramatic than the day view. It's important to advantage of the many different beam angles, frosted lenses and mounts available. Use the highest quality equipment and materials that your budget will allow, it will last you much longer and offer you more options.

When decking lighting is being used, it is vital that you pay attention to where people are likely to sit and try to avoid glare. As with deck lights and other garden lights, the light source needs to be positioned so that you are not looking directly at the luminaire. Lighting on the driveway should provide safe access for pedestrians and yet offer sufficient light for vehicles. A choice of lampposts or small post lights provides an excellent solution for this and can be great alternatives to bulkhead luminaires, where driveway lights are required.

When considering garden lighting it is very important that you get a good design from someone who knows what they are doing. This will save you a lot of time and money in the long run. Choose your light fittings carefully, don't be pushed into buying a high quality finish if it is going to be hidden behind a bush. The difference in finishes can be as much as 100 pounds.

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