Outdoor Garden Lighting Techniques - Part 1 of 3

There are many techniques used to light up gardens and outdoor landscapes, as there are our gardens I think. Your setup can be as simple as stick them in the ground solar lighting outlining a pathway so you can take out the trash without breaking your neck -- or you can be creating a beautiful romantic landscape within which to woo your Paramour.

Or something in between.

Modern lighting designers who work in outside spaces tend to categorize lighting effects as one of three types:

• Focal pointing is a lighting effect that draws the eyes or calls attention to a particular feature of the landscape. This is like your porch light or the lighting along the walkway.

• Ambient lighting is your background. This is a low-level lighting that only hints at what the landscape or garden contains, but does not call direct attention to it. It tends to make things look gauzy or hazy and does more for overall effect, rather than emphasizing a particular part of your garden.

• Accent and affect lighting are those little spots or small points that call attention to the details you might use this to illuminate a water feature or especially loved planting.

Specific Outdoor Lighting Techniques for the Garden

What techniques you are going to be using in your own particular outdoor garden lighting project are going to be a function of your landscape, the kinds of features you that you have included in your garden, the kinds of activities you have planned for your garden and your own personal taste. There are literally hundreds of different techniques and variations on techniques used in outdoor lighting. We are going to break them down into main categories for simplicity

• outdoor lighting for safety

Probably the biggest job outdoor lighting has escaped the homeowner and visitors safe. This involves performing a few simple functions. First, you are going to need to light up pathways entrances and exits. If your garden is of any size at all or has a layout that's complex you run the danger of unfamiliar guests becoming lost or disoriented in the darkness. Make sure that they can find the pass back to the entrance and to the exit so that they are able to rejoin your party. Another consideration is the fact that they may become injured. Don't laugh -- lots of today's gardens have multiple vertical levels, decorative low walls, lighting fixtures or may not be working, decorative rocks were used for landscaping and numerous other obstacles that can cause a nasty fall in the dark. Decks and patios have steps and other obstacles. You can go to StringPatioLights to get more info on properly illuminating them. These objects should either be well lit enough to be avoided or plunged into total darkness with contrast to the preferred path. There are few things that will put an end to your garden party faster than injured guest

• garden lighting for security

Many people install security lighting before they do anything else outside. It is understandable; nobody wants her possessions stolen or their private space violated. Nevertheless, this can be done in a way that does not look harsher unappealing. It is important to install security lighting so that it does not shine into the eyes of a homeowner attempting to put a key in the door. For the same reason a delivery man or guest should not feel like they are being questioned at a police station when they step onto your porch. Security lighting more than any other type also includes the use of motion sensors and other automated devices. If your needs are at all complex or your possessions are very valuable you may want to speak to a lighting professional concerning this aspect of your project.

• lighting up a specific area of your garden or backyard

With properly designed garden lighting you be able to throw a party in your garden or on your deck without turning your entire backyard into a neighborhood attraction. If you are having a party on your deck or patio that area should be lit brightly enough that your guests can move about and get food and drinks, dance converse or whatever suits their fancy without danger of tripping over one another. Solar patio lighting will ensure that a good time is had by all. The remainder of your outdoor lighting can then be used to provide effects that enhance the beauty of your outdoor space.

Keep in mind that simply flooding a square or circular area with bright light creates an extremely harsh effect. You do not want to have a series of floodlights glaring down on your guests. For the best effect, you will want to vary the intensity and the type of lighting, even to the extent of including some fixtures that you may normally see in the home. If you do, use floodlights make sure that they are angled and properly shaded so as not to produce glare. Lighting that produces sessile glare is actually a detriment to the safety of your guests, as they will move about shading their eyes from it. Rather defeats the whole purpose.

This is all I have time to write about today, so here ends part 3 of 10 in my series on properly lighting your outdoor garden. This is also part 1 of a 3 part mini-series on lighting techniques. I hope you found the information useful and that you'll join me for the rest of the series.