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Transform Landscaping with Outdoor Lighting
from: Chris RobertsonYour enjoyment of your home increases exponentially when you
have a beautifully landscaped yard. Whether you've nurtured your
home's landscaping with your own hands or hired a landscaper to
create your slice of paradise, you no doubt experience pride and
pleasure when you see dappled sunlight peeking through the trees
or the riot of colors your perennials lend to your garden in the
morning light.
Increasingly, homeowners are going to the next level with
landscaping, and are investing time and money in outdoor
lighting. Outdoor lighting enhances both the appearance of your
home and your landscaping, as well as the enjoyment you and your
guests experience when you entertain outdoors.
Typically, outdoor lighting focuses on focal points in the yard,
though it can also be used as security lighting. Bill Locklin,
owner of Nightscaping, the preeminent outdoor lighting company,
suggests using 12-volt outdoor lighting to bring out the
features of large trees, specimen plants, architecture, and
water features. His suggestions include the following:
Large Trees: If the tree has open growth, let the light spill
down through the leaves and branches, creating interesting
shapes and contrasts in highlight and shadow. If the tree has
full foliage, like some pines, try cross lighting or using a
grazing light. If your focal point tree has an interesting bark
texture, try grazing it to accent this feature and add a greater
element of visual interest.
Specimen Plants: Consider hanging plants as well as ground
plantings for focal point lighting. Try to throw shadows of
smaller plants on walls and other surfaces for added effect.
Bonsai plants are very effective when silhouetted to accent
their unique shapes.
Architecture: Look at decorative construction techniques in
masonry and wood facades. For example, place fixtures at the
bottom of the gables and project the light up from each side so
that it meets at the tip of the peak, or place two fixtures
under the peak and aim them down to the lower edges. A home's
door can be a focal point, as in the case of hand-carved wood,
raised wood panels, pr artistic metal designs. Draw attention to
the door from overhead, being careful not to cast glare in the
eyes of those entering and exiting the building. Likewise,
objects in the atrium, such as columns, arches, breezeways,
ledges, shutters, cupolas, weather vanes, and seasonal and
holiday flags can all be architectural focal points that can
have attention drawn by professionally designed outdoor lighting.
Water Features: Fountains, fishponds, and moving streams all
lend themselves to the introduction of landscape outdoor
lighting. Filtered, crystal clean water can be lighted either
from within or from above. Dirty water is usually best lighted
from above or used as a reflecting surface to accent surrounding
features. Designer fountain lighting can add drama to a yard's
fountain.
Outdoor path lighting is also important, both for aesthetic and
safety reasons. You, your family, and your guests should be able
to safely move around your property after dark. Walkways should
always be lighted both as a directional guide and prevent people
from tripping on obstacles.
Outdoor lighting - whether it is path lighting, designer
fountain lighting, or security lighting - gives your home
another dimension, one to be enjoyed for years to come.
About the author:
Chris Robertson is an author of Majon
International, one of the worlds MOST popular
the web. Visit this
Website and Majon's
Garden directory.
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