A beautiful garden can enhance any home, whether it be filled with abundant tropical palms or stunning Australian natives. The look and feel of a garden can change the whole appearance and energy of a house. But what about after the sun goes down? The beauty doesn’t have to end here. Transform your garden at night with landscape lighting while giving yourself a whole new area to use.
Benefits of garden lighting
Lighting up your landscape comes with many benefits. Not only does it give you extended space, you will also enhance your property while boosting your home’s security.
- Extended space
Lighting outside allows you to use your outdoor areas, such as your deck, patio or backyard, comfortably at night. These spaces can act as an extension of your home giving you more space to do what you love outside.
- Outdoor entertaining
An outdoor space that is illuminated in the evening creates a warm and inviting atmosphere perfect for entertaining in all seasons!
- Safety
Welcome visitors safely to your home with a well lit driveway or path. This will also keep you safe when you are putting the bin out at night, lighting up any tripping hazards or stairs.
- Security
Landscape lighting discourages thieves and vandals. Particularly when you use motion sensors to detect movement. This will scare away unwanted visitors in an instant.
- Enhanced appearance
Highlight features in your garden like trees, ponds and notable blooms. This will enhance the appearance of your garden while adding depth and energy.
Ideas for a light filled garden
When planning out garden lighting, it is important to remember it should always be functional whilst still adding ambience. Achieve a light filled garden in many different ways and areas including:
Paths and walkways
Construct a sense of rhythm and direction in your garden with repeated lighting down your paths and walkways. This nicely leads the eye in the direction you want to go.
Gardens
Invite your guests to explore your garden at night with the use of decorative lighting. Spike lights can be used to create glow around bushes, whereas lights at ground level will create nice silhouettes of focal points such as trees. This is known as uplighting.
Fences and decks
String lights can be used around your fences and decks. (As well as woven throughout a tree’s branches). Down lights are also effective on fences and help to reduce any light pollution, particularly if you have neighbours close by.
Outdoor seating
Think about where you and your guests are likely to sit outside. An ambient down light will softly light up the space without creating bright glare.
Pools
Pool lighting not only improves visibility and safety, it adds mood-enhancing colour to your property. This stunning lighting can also spill into your garden highlighting and defining the surrounding areas.
Home entrance areas
Lighting up home entrance areas is important for safety, while also being a nice way to welcome your visitors. If you have stairs, lighting can be cast across them or LED strip lighting can be used to create a visual on any dark spaces underneath the stairs.
Driveways and garages
Think about where you keep items such as bins or bikes. These are ideal places to incorporate lighting for safety and added convenience. As well as for lighting up any spiders you need to be aware of.
Use sensor lights
Use sensor lights that activate with motion. Perfect for when you arrive home or are accessing the spaces mentioned above in your driveway and garage. Sensor lights will also deter thieves.
Make it smart!
Take complete control of your garden with smart lighting. Set timers, turn your lights off and on and change settings from anywhere with the touch of a button on your smartphone!
Landscape lighting for coastal homes
For residents on the Northern Beaches, many homes are situated close to the coast where they are exposed to the harsh salt air. When you are looking for lights for your garden, make sure you are choosing products made from high grade non-corrosive materials, such as marine grade stainless steel, solid copper and solid bronze. Ensure you check the warranty against corrosion as well.
Your local Northern Beaches electrician will be able to help you pick the best quality products for your garden lighting.
Planning your lighting
Ideally, your landscape lighting will be planned from the onset, or during a renovation, to properly account for conduits and cables under the ground. It is imperative you always hire a licensed electrician to carry out the work for you. Your electrician will help you with placement of lighting, lighting your space evenly as well as the intensity of the bulbs you are going to use. Along with the trickier aspects which should not be a DIY job.
If you live on the Northern Beaches or North Shore of Sydney, contact Matt Young Electrical Services for all of your landscape lighting needs.
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