As anyone who knows a thing about plants knows, light is one of the key components of healthy plants. Lighting can make or break your garden, and influences which plants you can grow. Whether you use natural or artificial light, it’s important to understand how to choose the best lighting for your garden.
From lights that are designed to deliver the most subtle lighting effects to lights that substitute the lack of bright sunlight, lighting options are available in enormous variety. For instance, directional up-lighting or spotlighting works incredibly well to highlight a focus object such as a sculpture or water body. Pin-sized light beams (hung as single lanterns or groups of lanterns) can instantly create an almost dreamy and fairy-tale like setting. Floodlighting is for those who seek a more dramatic effect. Candle and tea lights help create a soft and romantic feel to the ambience. In essence, the perfect lighting scheme has the power to transform even the most barren of spaces. So imagine what it can do to a fully flourishing garden such as yours!
In an attempt to help you brighten up your garden space, I’ve listed some lighting options you can consider.
1. Accent Lights
Accent lights can add a subtle glow to your landscape. Relatively dim in illuminating objects, they are often used to mark a place. What’s more, given their low level of illumination, they run for longer periods, sometimes, lasting for a couple of nights while surviving on a single day’s charge. Choose an accent light that specifically uses amber LEDs can create a softer tone to your ambience. These lights work great to illuminate a coffee table sitting in the corner of your garden.
2. Path Lights
You’ve probably seen them in celebration events, often used to illuminate a pathway leading to the central focus area. Synonymous to its name, path lights are great for lighting pathways such as walkways and driveways, and come in the form of ground lights, flange mounts, and hanging lights. Choose lights that have an on-off switch as this will help you control the amount of light you want to use. Additionally, make sure you choose a light that is energy-efficient to save up on your electricity bills.
3. Spot Lights
Spotlights are the brightest range of lights and hence come at the cost of being the costliest too. Designed to throw a beam of bright light in a single direction, they help illuminate bright light on marked objects. Make sure you choose a light that is most energy and cost efficient. You might also want to check on the durability of these lights as changing them regularly might not be an economically viable option.
Note
In addition to the above options, you can also reach out for professional help and install lightings that are designed for specific garden spaces. However, bear in mind that installing professional lighting options might incur an addition cost as well as increase your electricity bill. While solar lighting is one of the cheapest and quickest ways to install outdoor lighting, they might not be viable for people who live in countries with insufficient sunlight. Your best bet is to make sure you research well and choose options that are viable both aesthetically and economically.
