Improving Your Landscaping

Posted on: 7 August 2020

As you plan your landscape design, you likely will give a lot of attention to choosing the right trees, shrubs, and flowers. But what about the landscape lighting? The right lighting elevates any landscape, but the wrong lighting could render it less interesting, less safe, and less useful. How can you make the best lighting plan for your space? Here are five key elements to include.

1. Safety Lights

First and foremost, landscape lighting should be about promoting outdoor safety. This may mean installing motion sensor overhead lights that activate when people walk down a path or exit the house doors. It should also provide sufficiently strong pathway and outdoor entertainment lights so that people can easily move around at night without tripping or falling. 

2. A Variety of Choices

Modern technology means that landscape planners have a wide variety of lights to choose from. Use this array of options to find the right element for each spot in your yard. A beautiful tree, for instance, is the perfect place to install up-lights for a moonlight effect on limbs and leaves. Solar stake lighting, on the other hand, is an excellent way to mark a path and provide light for walking without directing too much light into the surrounding landscape and detracting from it. 

3. Entertainment Area Lighting

The most important places to use the right lighting is anywhere people will gather outside in your yard. If you have a tight budget, spend your money to render this area safe and practical for evening use. If people aren't drawn to the outdoor lounge areas and able to use them safely, they are unlikely to get the full use from your entire backyard. 

4. Energy Efficient Options

Another benefit of modern technology is that lighting is more energy efficient and inexpensive than ever. Use low-energy solutions like solar lights and LED strings instead of more intensive choices. You'll use the lights more often and they won't be marred by concerns about the electric bill.  

5. Fun Additions

Finally, have fun with your landscape lighting plan. Consider adding colors using different bulbs or LED lights. Place lights to strategically highlight your favorite flowers. Or craft a string light 'handrail' for an outdoor path rather than traditional lighting. A bit of whimsy or lighting choices that guests haven't seen make your yard unique and striking.  

If your landscape makes good use of lighting in these five areas, the result will be beautiful and practical. Learn more about modern light choices by meeting with a landscape designer in your area, like those at Estate Landscape and other locations.