Types of Landscape Lighting

Different Types of Landscape Lighting

There are several basic light fixtures that you can install in your garden or backyard to enhance its appeal at night. Let’s take a detailed look at the different types of landscape lighting you can use.

1. Floodlights / Spotlights

Floodlights and spotlights are often confused with each other. Basically, the two differ when it comes down to the width of the light beam. Spotlights provide a narrow, concentrated beam of light which is usually around 45 degrees. These lights are easier to aim and excellent for highlighting specific features, such as landscape or architectural details. 

On the other hand, floodlights have a wider beam and can spread up to 120 degrees. If you want to cast light on general areas, such as driveway or garden walkway then a floodlight is more suitable.

It is important to know the specific width of the beam spread so you will know the best position to fix a spotlight or floodlight. 

2. Inground Lights

An inground light is also called a ‘well light’ because it is installed directly into the ground. It is a circular-shaped light fixture and mostly used to brighten up driveways or walkways. These lighting fixtures are incredibly useful to add sophistication and character to the exterior at night. The upward facing light can easily illuminate an entire tree or structure. 

You can also use inground lighting in combination with spotlights to create a stronger lighting solution. The fixture of these lights is mostly hidden underground and its actual lighting effect is what users look for. These lights are highly recommended for use to mark driveways for safer navigation during the night. These also come in varying weight resistances so that they can bear the pressure of a vehicle passing over them. You can even choose an LED version for clear and crisp lighting. 

3. Outdoor Post Lights

Outdoor post lights along with bollard lights are excellent to accentuate the pathway from the gate to your home. These are cool ambient lights and are not overly bright like spotlights. Tall outdoor post lights are ideal for lighting up driveways and long stretches of walkways in the garden or backyard. Shorter-sized outdoor post lights are recommended for lighting small paths and alcoves. 

Before installing, you will first need to determine how many outdoor post lights you will need. To do this, you should first measure the diameter of the light spread around the post. The next post should always be outside this space. The height of the outdoor post light fixture will also help to ensure optimal function for the light. 

4. Path Lights

Path lights are among the most common outdoor fixtures for backyards and gardens. They are similar to post lights but they help to create light markers that can outline a path or walkway. Path lights help to improve curb appeal and also make it safer to walk on paths at night. 

To choose the right path lighting you will first need to take the height into consideration. For an even, nice glow your path light should be installed at a height of 14 inches at least. 

5. Deck / Step Lights

Deck and step lights are highly recommended to accentuate the architectural details of your home exterior. These are excellent for use as safety lights on steps or stairs leading down to your backyard or garden. These light fixtures can be installed directly into the yard’s hardscape or into the deck. These lights are also effective in lighting down stone walls or lighting up entertainment areas of the backyard. 

6. Pond Lights

Pond lights look and work similar to spotlights. However, the main difference is that these are completely water-resistant as they are designed for use underwater. These lights are extremely popular to light up swimming pools from within. You can also use these inside ponds to highlight the landscape feature even more during the night. 

7. Hardscape Lights

Hardscape lights are comparatively more recent. These are tiny LED lights with flanges or brackets. These can be quickly installed onto or into any structure. Hardscape lights are recommended to down light stone walls or light up specific features in the garden or backyard. 

Top Landscape Lighting Tips

You may feel overwhelmed after seeing so many types of landscape lighting fixtures. The best way to determine the appropriate light fixture for your yard or garden is to use a flashlight with a dimming feature in the garden at night. You can experiment and decide the best-suited lighting angles for different aspects of the landscape. 

Here are some expert lighting tips that you can use to enhance the appeal of your garden or backyard:

Up Lighting

Up lighting is one of the most popular techniques to add a dash of drama on tall garden features, such as trees. You can focus the light fixture from ground up on a thick tree trunk or illuminate the underside of a tree’s canopy. 

Spotlights and well lights are recommended for use in up lighting.

Silhouetting

Silhouetting is a fantastic option which creates dramatic shapes that may be hidden during the day. To make the perfect silhouette, you should install the light behind the item in focus and point the light towards where you decide the main vantage point is. Make sure to fix the light such that its fixture is not visible. 

You can use well-lights and spotlights for silhouetting in your garden or backyard. 

Shadowing

Shadowing is just the opposite of silhouetting. In this, you need to place the light between the main vantage point and the item in focus. Make sure to aim the light beam towards the item. This lighting trick works extremely well when you have a flat surface such as a wall behind the item to show the shadow being created. However, you can also create a soft, mellow effect using this trick. 

Conclusion

There are various types of landscape lighting available today. Now you can easily jot down your landscape lighting plans and start working on it. However, it is always advisable to seek professional help for installing landscape lighting fixtures to ensure that they are used in the best-possible way.