Using Garden Lighting
Gardens are common in many houses and can provide a place where nature is always present, even if you live in a city 
full of concrete and steel structures. Wouldn’t it be wonderful to appreciate the scenic beauty of gardens at both daytime and night? Sunlight need not be present to see a garden’s appeals. Outdoor lighting can make people enjoy gardens at whatever time.
Garden lighting comes in two main types. The first, low voltage garden lighting is economical and shock-free, so it is safe to use for people with children and pets. Although it can be connected to your main utility, low voltage lights come with power packs in various sizes and are controlled by an automatic timer. These are commonly used by homeowners who want to light outdoor pathways and grounds.
The other type is solar garden lighting. Unlike the first type, solar lighting fixtures may be expensive at first but then, because it uses the sun as a power source, it does not add to your utility bills. Solar outdoor lights have a small solar panel at the top and use a sensor to tell whether it is dusk or dawn to switch them off and on when needed.
Planning is always needed in putting up outdoor lights in the garden. First, think of the places which would need lighting, like paths, walkways and steps, or places where people are likely to bumps into objects. Although outdoor lighting clearly has aesthetic purposes especially at night, they can also be used to add safety and security.
Garden lighting can also be used to highlight specific parts of your back yard, like gazebos, fountains, ponds and pools.
Here are some techniques which can be used with lighting your garden:
- Uplighting – usually used focus attention on specific areas using a bullet or well type of lighting fixture.
- Downlighting – a technique where specific objects are lighted from above.
- Back lighting or silhouette – often used to light walls or other large outdoor surfaces. The light fixture is placed between the wall and a plant or shrub so that the objects in front will make a shadow.
- In-wall lighting – incorporated into a wall of a bordering a building, pool or walkway to add visibility.
- Floodlighting – used a wide range of structures like walls and garden ponds.
If you are using light fixtures for your garden, take this advice:
- Check them periodically to make sure the light fixtures are not covered by leaves or branches. The foliage may need cutting or pruning to get maximum light output from the light fixtures.
- For homeowners with swimming pools, make sure that the lights and cables are installed at least five feet away.
- Clean the fixtures and the lenses regularly to make utmost use of them.
Outdoor lighting can be used to give a festive, party atmosphere to your backyard or make your house distinctive, as well as to discourage potential burglars or intruders to make your home safe and secure.
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