Garden light plays an essential role in bringing a garden to life at night, enhancing the play of shadow and contrast between forms and plants. It can also highlight features that might not stand out during the day, such as a pond or a stately tree.
Lighting can be very subtle, creating a soft, ambient glow or bright enough to improve visibility along paths and water features. It can also be used to illuminate tripping hazards and keep wandering feet out of flower beds. The key to successful garden lighting is balance, ensuring that the overall scheme is well-integrated.
The most common garden lights are spotlights and stake lights, which can be battery or solar-powered. They are ideal for highlighting specific plant shapes and colors. For a more dramatic effect, consider using LED uplighting to draw attention to trees and other larger structural features.
Another common type of garden lighting is a pond or waterfall light, which typically provides colored illumination to make the feature more pronounced at night. Waterfall lights can also help to create a more natural, peaceful atmosphere in the garden by softening the sound of running water.
Before you purchase a garden lighting system, be sure to know how much sunlight your garden gets each day. This can vary greatly depending on geographic location and weather conditions. One easy way to determine the level of light is by holding your hand up at noon to see how crisp and defined the shadow is.