Landscape lighting can instantly transform your backyard or front yard during the night. However, you should know the art of highlighting the specific plants and trees to achieve the most desired look. If you want to illuminate the entire landscape including every plants and tree, then it may not look unique and it might not give the effect that you want. Instead plan what you want to highlight in your landscape, find out the different types of lighting in our post and contact a professional to begin.
What to highlight outside your home?
You should consider these following things when you’re deciding on landscape lighting.
Identify any particular feature like a pond or a special tree that you would like others to notice in your garden.
There can be places that may not be visible during day time. With proper lighting and shadowing, you can add some style, for example highlighting a stone with your home address numbers to illuminate at night on your frontyard.
Think about safety like a pathway or a deck with stairs and ensure that they are lit properly so that people can move around easily without tripping.
Types of landscape lighting
Now that you have decided on the places you want to highlight, you should learn about the different types of lighting to plan better. Here is a complete guide on the different types of landscape lighting.
- Path lighting
This is the basic lighting but if it is not planned prior to the execution, then it can go horribly wrong. You should think about how many lights you need to highlight the pathway but avoid cramming the place with too many lights. Try placing path lights on either side of the path but with gaps in between to create a smooth entry.
- Uplighting
Uplighting is required if you want to draw attention to any tall structure like a tree for a dramatic effect. You can use spotlights or well lights to highlight the trunk of a larger tree or the underside of a tree’s canopy.
- Silhouette lighting
For creating this effect, you should use well lights or spotlights and place them behind the item like a tree or plant. By doing this, you will be able to keep the light source away from the eyes which is the main goal here to create a silhouette.
- Shadow lighting
Shadow lighting is the reverse of silhouette and involves placing lighting fixtures like spotlights, well or floodlights in between the ideal vantage point. There should be a feature like a stone, trees or other objects where the light will be focussed on to cast a shadow.
- Wall wash lighting
Wash lighting is ambient lighting that is used to illuminate an entertainment space in the backyard. These lighting fixtures are located at least twelve inches from the wall to offer a flat or even layer of light with some texturing. For better effect, you can use wide-beamed light and position it properly between the ideal vantage point and the surface you want to focus.
- Natural moonlighting
If you have larger trees with sprawling canopies on your landscape, then you should try natural moonlighting to create an awesome effect in the lawn. You can use spotlights and place them above the tree branches that will cast light downwards highlighting the branches and leaves. In this way, the ground will also be lit appropriately.
These are some of the important landscape lightings that are usually seen in different types of homes and commercial buildings. Whether you have a small or large landscape, make sure you illuminate the area properly to display the trees, plants and wall structures. Don’t forget to contact a professional as he/she is an expert in this field to get the make sure your landscape lighting is a success.