Are you bored with the same look of your garden’s landscape? Want to make it appealing? Landscape lighting is the solution. Great lighting can convert an ordinary landscape into an attractive place to spend your time. But how to choose the right one for you? No worries, we are here to help you out. In this article, we will explore landscape lighting types and their benefits.
What is Landscape Lighting?
Landscape Lighting is outdoor lights used to illuminate pathways and walkways of gardens or landscapes. It can be used for multiple functions like illuminating, highlighting features of your garden, and most importantly, ensuring your safety at night. There are various landscape lighting fixtures available to choose from to fulfill your requirements and taste.
Landscape Lighting Types
Let’s explore the different types of landscape lighting you can opt for.
1. Floodlights
They have high brightness power with a wider beam. It is most suitable for casting light on driveways, decks, or garden walkways. They are worth using for illuminating and covering larger areas.
2. In Ground Lights or Well-light
Inground lights are circular-shaped lights installed in the ground, used to illuminate walkways and driveways for safer navigation at night. These lights are best for adding sophistication and quality ambiance by elucidating an entire structure or tree from beneath.
3. Spotlights
They emit a narrow-focused ray of light to highlight the architectural details or landscape features. Spotlights vary in the amount of brightness and the area they can cover. They are often used to illuminate landscape features like plants, statues, walkways, walls, fountains, and more.
4. Outdoor Post Lights
Outdoor post lights are commonly used lights helpful to highlight the pathway from the entrance gate to the exit gate. These lights are calm and not excessively luminous. Outdoor post lights are typically available in both tall and short sizes. Shorter outdoor lights are suitable for small pathways while the taller one is useful for brightening long walkways and driveways.
Also Read: Warm White vs Cool White: Which Should Be Used in Your Home?
5. Path Lights
They are similar to shorter post lights with the required amount of brightness, mostly used in backyards and gardens. Path lights are used to illuminate the path or walkway for a safer walk at night.
6. Step Lights or Deck Lights
Step lights as the name suggests are used to accentuate outdoor stairs or steps for a safer walk towards your garden or backyard. These lights are also useful in illuminating the stone walls or architectural structures of your garden.
7. Pond Lights or Water Lights
These lights are highly recommended for highlighting the underwater features inside the ponds or swimming pools at night. Pond lights are water-resistant lights, designed for underwater use. These lights beautifully highlight water features, functioning just like uplights that enhance focal points.
There are some waterproof LED lights designed to be submerged in water, enhancing the beauty and allure of outdoor water features. Just like a spotlight or strips of LED tape, they are perfect for creating a captivating ambiance.
You can also take a look at 10 Benefits of LED Lighting on the Environment.
8. Hardscape Lights
These are small LED lights used to highlight the hard features of your garden such as rocks, walls, stairways, or other structures. These lights are designed to quickly and easily fit into any structure.
9. Accent Lights
These lights illuminate the main attractions in your yard. Shining light from below creates a captivating and magical effect on objects. Also termed as up lights, they are great for highlighting particular features in your home or yard, such as walls, rocks, or trees.
10. Down Lights
As the name suggests, these lights provide downward illumination from above. Downlights are lights that are placed above an area to highlight it. These lights illuminate your whole yard, instead of just one specific area. The lights will make your entire yard easier to see, but they can also be used for specific purposes like moonlighting.
Moonlighting refers to the practice of strategically illuminating a tree with light, creating captivating shadows from its branches and leaves. This creates a natural moonlight effect and enhances your yard.
11. Deck & Patio Lights
Deck and patio lights are specifically designed for active social areas, providing a similar function to downlights. These lights stand out to be an extension to the color palette of your patio or deck. You can use these lights in sitting and social areas of your house as well.
12. Wall Lights
They are designed specifically to illuminate walls and their surrounding areas. These lights, when installed on the wall, bring a touch of designer elegance to walkways and spaces, thanks to their unique and seamless integration into the wall.
13. Lanterns
Among the different types of landscape lighting, lanterns closely resemble traditional lamps. They provide an ideal option for illuminating your backyard. There is a wide variety of shapes, designs, and styles when it comes to lanterns. Choose either rustic or modern lanterns based on your taste and preferences, but when selecting lanterns for your outdoor area, prioritize quality.
Also See: How to Set Up Smart Light Bulb in Your Home?
14. Light Posts
Light posts are standalone lighting fixtures that are especially perfect for illuminating patios. You can mount them anywhere because of their versatility. For bright outdoor lighting in your yard, choose light posts with floodlights. For those seeking a cozy and delicate ambiance, opt for regular light poles with a gentle lighting intensity.
If you’re looking to recreate the aesthetic of streetlights along your driveway, light posts are the ideal option to bring that landscape lighting theme to life.
15. Garden Lights
The lights resemble exquisite mushrooms with their downwards and slightly outward illuminating glow. Such a pattern enables everyone to have a look at the beautiful plants instead of spots from looking at bulbs. You can display your favorite and most beautiful plants to the world by placing them in natural areas.
16. Bollard Lights
These posts have lights positioned right at the top without any shield or cover. Bollard lights are versatile outdoor landscape lights that are capable of emitting light in all directions.
17. String Lights
Ideal for placing between trees and over hardscapes, allowing you to fully appreciate and enjoy them. They offer a subtle illumination, enhancing the beauty of a picturesque setting.
Also Read: How to Keep Solar Lights From Falling Over?
Benefits of Landscape Lighting
After learning about the landscape lighting types, if you are still unsure whether to get them or not. Here are the benefits to consider and help you make an informed decision.
1. Deter Property Crime
Outdoor path lighting and landscape lighting can make your home brighter, which can deter potential intruders. Criminals avoid well-lit homes because neighbors can easily see them. Additionally, it could be inferred that you possess both surveillance cameras and a robust security system to complement the lighting setup.
2. Design an Outdoor Area
By incorporating ideal lighting and carefully selecting outdoor furniture, you have the power to transform your outdoor area into an inviting space that beckons you day and night. Outdoor path lighting can make your flower beds, bushes, and other decorations look beautiful at night.
3. Improve Exterior Appearance
Many homeowners often prioritize curb appeal only when selling their homes. However, it’s equally important to maintain an appealing exterior appearance while living in the house, and with landscape lighting it is possible.
4. Increases Aesthetic Appeal
Adding landscape lighting to your property enhances its aesthetic appeal. The lighting enhances the charm of your yard and outdoor structures. It illuminates the various features of your backyard, such as plants, statues, paths, and seating spots.
5. Maximize Safety
Outdoor lighting systems provide numerous advantages, but perhaps the most significant ones are safety and security. Properly lighting the pathway to your home significantly reduces the risk of your loved ones or visitors stumbling and falling.
With the correct spacing between landscape lights, you can ensure that your walkways are as safe as possible. The lights will automatically switch on and off, giving you peace of mind, plus, using motion sensors with your lighting system saves energy.
Also See: How to Protect Solar Lights from Rain
How to Choose the Right Landscape Lighting
Below are some major factors which you should consider before making any choice.
1. Make a Lightning Plan
Making a proper lighting plan is essential as it will help you trace the perfect locations to install your lights. Installing lights in improper directions at unnecessary locations is one of the major blunders homeowners make. This may create too many blind spots in your garden.
2. Do Proper Estimation
An estimation of the numbers and size of every feature in your yard such as trees, shrubs, statues, plants, or other architectural structures is important. This will help you get an idea about the most suitable type and the number of lights required.
3. Formulate Your Budget
Formulating a budget is important for a reasonable and easy purchase. It will help you choose the right type of lighting without draining your pocket. Moreover, a formulated budget will also allow you to balance your expenses.
4. Consider Compatibility Between Outdoor and Indoor Lighting
When choosing landscape lighting, it is essential to consider compatibility. This is to ensure that your outdoor lighting and indoor lighting do not clash with each other. A proper balance between the two is essential for achieving an appealing outcome. So, choosing a warm lighting theme is suggested which will help you to get your desired result.
Additionally, check out our blog – Soft White Vs. Warm White: Which Should You Use in Your Home?
5. Think about the Seasons
Landscape lighting is affected by different seasons. For example, during the winter season, the foliage usually gets lost. Consequently, the requirement for lighting also falls as compared to other seasons.
In that case, choosing landscape lighting with dimming features is recommended. This will give your lights the flexibility to operate in every season.
We hope by now you have a clear understanding of the different types of landscape lighting and which type would make your backyard more luminous and attractive. Choosing the right landscape light will not only prevent the chances of you or your loved ones from stumbling but also enhance the aesthetic significance of your landscape. To access more informative content, keep exploring our blogs.