Outdoor lighting does more than just illuminate the night; it enhances the landscape and draws eyes to important features like a patio, pool deck, barbecue pit, or stunning engravings on a turn-of-the-century home’s exterior walls. The best lighting fixtures are discreet and unobtrusive, allowing the elements they highlight to take center stage. For the best effect, select fixtures with a translucent rather than a clear glass covering for diffuse, glare-free light.
If you want to spotlight a garden feature, aim two or more lights at it to reduce the harsh shadows that occur when only one fixture shines on it. This technique, called silhouetting, works well on small features such as fountains and trellises. It’s also a good way to highlight a structure or pathway in your garden by illuminating it from multiple angles.
For paths that crisscross your landscape, use a series of ground lanterns to cast a soft illumination that helps people navigate in dim or dark conditions. Choose solar or battery-powered options that eliminate the need for electrical cords and allow them to work even if spattered with rain.
If you have taller plants or structures in your garden, use bullet lights—small fixtures on a stake that drive into the ground to mount bright pins of light over longer distances. For shorter features, such as shrubs, try well lights, which look like mini flashlights that push up and wash the foliage and surrounding areas with light.