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Landscape Lighting Tips
Outdoor Christmas Lights
If you're one of those enthusiasts who likes to celebrate the holiday season by lighting every bit of the house and every twig on the lawn, you need to check out the wonder that is LED outdoor lighting. LEDs are more expensive to buy, but durable, weatherproof, many times brighter than ordinary lights, don't get hot when they burn, and last up to 200,000 hours. Enough of these and even passing planes will be able to read "MERRY XMAS" outlined on your roof!
Other ideas for using garden string lights for a festive holiday effect:
Many people today like to use all white lights. Why not do something different and make yours all red instead?
Use an extension pole to hang lights on trees that are taller than your ladder can safely reach.
For a craft project, consider making a wire wreath and festooning it with lights to hang at the entrance to your property.
If you crave holiday lights, but lack the time or self-confidence to hang them yourself, there are companies that specialize in putting up Christmas lighting displays. If you have older or ill family members who love the holidays, and you can't be there to put up the lights yourself, consider giving them a visit from a professional. Two visits, really -- one to put up the lights and one to take them down, organize them and put them away for next year.
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Landscape Lighting: Solar and Sensors
Lamps Plus Tip: Outdoor light sensors have two primary functions: security and energy conservation. A light-level sensor can help building owners by turning lights on when it gets dark and turning them off again when the light returns. Lighting the outdoors with motion sensors is useful in cases where household members are frequently in and out at night, or where any unexpected lights-on will be investigated. They're not as effective if a burglar can see that no one's going to notice if they go on. In such cases, always-on low-voltage outdoor lighting may provide better security. Outdoor light timers are useful if you want the lights to go off or on at a specific time -- for instance, if your Christmas light display should shut down at 11 p.m. to avoid wasting electricity.
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Landscape Lighting: Solar and Sensors
Solar landscape lights are more expensive to buy than their electric-powered counterparts, but you can more than make up the difference in your electric bill. At the same time, you'll save trouble on installation -- solar garden lighting can go anywhere that catches daytime sun, without having to worry about burying cables.
Styles of solar garden lighting range from sleek modern lights to Romanesque cherubs, from little post lights that settle into your flowerbeds to post lights and hanging lights that proclaim themselves over a wider area.
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Low Voltage Outdoor Lighting
Lamps Plus Tip: Besides contributing to your home's safety, outdoor light fixtures can help beautify the grounds. Many people like to place landscape lights along driveways and pathways, to help drivers and pedestrians find their way. The trick is to do this in such a way that it's not hard to see where you are, but not to make the place look like an airport runway. Most home centers stock a variety of outdoor light fixtures, but if you don't find exactly what you want, you may want to check a landscape supply company for a wider selection. You'll also need an outdoor outlet with a "while-in-use" cover, a transformer that can support the entire load of the lighting you plan to install and a roll of 12-gauge cable, which can be buried in between the outdoor lights.
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Low Voltage Outdoor Lighting
Most landscape lighting these days is low-voltage outdoor lighting, partly because it saves energy and partly because it is easy and safe to install.
The "low-voltage" part happens when you install a transformer and connect it to an outdoor outlet to convert a standard current to 12-volt, which is safe for children and pets.
One of the most important principles in low voltage landscape lighting is the idea of using several small fixtures rather than one large bright one. This offers a gentle, pleasant light that gives a welcoming appearance without glaring, like flood lights.
