Landscaping is a gorgeous part of your home. Not only does the right landscaping craft the perfect atmosphere for relaxation in your outdoor living space, but it also adds to the overall value and aesthetic appeal of your home. Landscape lighting is an important part of creating a safe and inviting outdoor environment. Whether you are looking to create a soft comforting mood for your evening meal or looking to scare away a few shadows to improve your home’s security, landscape lighting is important. If you are wondering how to best incorporate landscape lighting into your yard, the professional design team at Landscape By Design has some tips:
Know Your Backyard
Just as there are many different reasons to invest in landscape lighting for your backyard, there are many different ways to set up your landscape lighting. Knowing what elements make your backyard special, where people most often hang out, and which areas are most neglected by your current lightscape can help you decide where to put additional lighting.
You can start by making a list of the outdoor elements you already have, such as an outdoor living room, pool, and garden. Make sure to also include any pathways that lead from one space to another. Finally, make a note of any special features you want to highlight, such as a tree or statue. Knowing what you want to bathe in light can help you be judicious in your light placement.
Lighting Trees and Other Plants
Many properties use trees or vegetation as the focal point of their landscaping. In these cases, strive to complement your trees without overpowering their natural beauty. When lighting a tree, use spotlights or well lights to help highlight the beauty of the tree’s bark and foliage without drowning out its natural color. If you are looking to highlight flower beds or the walkway around the tree but not the tree itself, you can attach tree mount lights to the trunk or branches of the tree. This will keep your visitor’s attention away from the tree itself and more on the beauty surrounding it.
If you are looking to bring attention to bushes or shrubs, placing fairy lights along their base or top can help highlight their beauty and give your yard a fantastical feel.
Lighting Water Features
Water features, such as fountains and swimming pools, can be dramatic and eye-catching focal points when lit up. There are three different ways in which you can illuminate your outdoor water features:
Above-Surface Lights reflect off the water and cast rippling patterns of light on the surrounding landscape. These lights can be hidden within stone retaining walls or in the parts of your fountain to hide the fixture and add to the captivating effect.
Underwater Lights create a softer, more magical glow. They are particularly effective swimming pools, koi ponds, or other bodies of water. Make sure to leave some shadowy spots for animals to hide when using underwater lights in bodies of water that house fish. When fish get stressed out or scared, they prefer darker spaces.
Recessed Lights can be mounted below a moving water feature like a waterfall or fountain. This creates a visual effect that is a blend of underwater and above-surface lights.
Architectural Features
There are a wide array of landscape architectural features that you may want to highlight, such as raised flower beds, outdoor sculptures, recessed fire pits, or terracing. The style of outdoor lighting that works best here is extremely dependent on what the feature is and how you plan to use that space. Here are some ideas:
- In-ground light fixtures let you shine a small, precision spotlight on a feature.
- Hardscape lights can be mounted on existing landscaping features such as stone walls.
- Lights installed at several levels can highlight both high and low features.
- Colored lights can establish different moods in different areas of the yard. LED lights can be set up to cycle colors or switch between tinted and regular white light.
Gazebos and Pergolas
These shade-casting structures are popular in warmer climates since they let the household enjoy the great outdoors without getting roasted by the sun. At night, they can also transform into an amazing feature of your property. Use lamps to outline or define the gazebo or pergola’s shape and provide pleasant ambient overhead lighting. Rope lighting is another enticing option. These fiber-optic strings are energy-efficient and put out very little heat, making them a great option for lighting wooden structures.
The right landscape lighting can help you realize the full potential of your property by day or night. Landscape By Design has over twenty years of experience making properties shine at night in Fort Worth and surrounding areas. Our experienced crew will work with your unique property and individual budget to design a landscape that’s perfect for you. Contact us today to schedule a free consultation.