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Creating A Theme With Garden Lights
Planning and equipping a garden with lighting that can enhance the many qualities that are seen easily during the day can be very challenging. An individual must take time to plan on the location and use of their garden lights before they begin the process of installing them.
Deciding which areas in the garden should be highlighted when it is dark is the first step towards installing garden lights. An easy way to find out where the lights should be located around these areas is to take pictures from the angle that the lights will be installed. This is much easier than trying to move the lights and will allow an individual more flexibility in deciding how many lights to use in specific areas of the garden.
Part of the process of installing lights is also identifying and lighting the perimeter of the home. Those areas that are not well lit at night or have older lights and fixtures should be re-configured for the newer lower voltage halogen lights. Halogen security lights burn for up to 5, 000 hours and can have additional safety features built in which will protect a homeowner and the property.
In a region where the sun does not shine year round solar lights will work in areas that do not depend on light at night. One would not want to use solar lighting exclusively on a walk or pathway if the lights were not going to work effectively. However, most of the solar pathway lights are more affordable than low voltage lighting and one may want to consider distributing them evenly along a pathway so that there is always light available.
Getting a plot map of the lot that has the details of the buildings and gardens that are on it will help you if you are going to need to install low voltage conduits for your lights. Mark the map with the areas where you want perimeter lighting to go. These lights will be brighter and are sometimes called security lights. They most probably will be mounted on the walls of the home and will be connected directly to the home's electrical current.
Pathways and steps in the garden should have low voltage garden lights and create pools of light. For safety and effect each pool should overlap with a soft glow of light. When selecting lights to be used on pathways and steps be sure that no light is coming from the top of the encasement but rather only reflects on the path. Getting low voltage pathway and stair lights that have the proper casing to be weather resistant and provide the correct lighting will be a little more expensive but well worth the extra cost.
Up lights will provide the items in your garden with the attention that you want them to have. These lights are generally low voltage but brighter than the lower lights that are used for ground shrubbery. Some individuals prefer to install these lamps with the lights directed towards boulders or other natural elements so that the lay of shadow and light provides visitors with a different look in the garden than they would see during the day.
Down lights produce a soft downward light that can be made brighter with a dimmer switch. One would want to use these lights at the entry ways as well as in areas where activities will be going on such as a patio. These lights are brighter than one uses for decorative purposes but not as bright as a light bulb.
When a plan has been drawn and a person has figured out how big the task will be to install garden lights they may choose to call a professional for assistance. For large yards there may be the need to lay electrical conduit and test outlets which should always be done by someone knowledgeable and trained in this area. For the smaller garden one may want to begin the project themselves by purchasing the necessary kits to do a small part of the garden to see if it is something they feel comfortable doing.
About the Author Before you decide on the garden lights that are right for you , be sure to check out Abel Brockman's website about garden lighting and finding solar garden lights that are right for you.
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