Why should you only be able to appreciate your flourishing garden in the light of day? Why not also make the most of its beauty at night with the help of the right outdoor landscape lighting? The question is, how do you choose the right landscape lighting for your yard? Here are a few factors to look out for.
Choosing what to highlight
Most outdoor landscape lighting highlights a specific portion of the garden, usually the most prominent or beautiful feature, such as a pond, a Zen garden, or a fountain. The portion or feature that you choose to highlight will play a significant role in the type of outdoor landscape lighting that you select.
The different types of outdoor lights
There are generally three main types of outdoor landscape lighting available. You might select one or a combination of two or more. They are:
- Spotlights: Spotlights are designed to emit a thin beam of light around a maximum of 45 degrees in width. They are a great choice if you are keen to highlight a smaller aspect of your yard.
- Floodlights: Floodlights are the alternatives for homeowners who want to draw attention to a much larger space in the yard.
- Path lights: Path lights are most commonly used to illuminate pathways and are often placed in close succession of one another. Those specializing in expert outdoor lighting installation in Cypress, Texas can also place path lights in a strategic manner to subtly light up flower beds.
Once you have selected the types of outdoor lights that you need and prefer, the next step will be to choose between fluorescent, LED, or halogen lighting. They each have their pros and cons:
- Fluorescent: Fluorescent lighting is more eco-efficient than halogen lighting. These light bulbs also emit less heat. However, they can be a hazard if broken due to the fact that they often contain trace levels of mercury, which can be toxic.
- LED: LED lighting is the most eco-efficient option on the market, but it is also the most expensive. Having said that, it will save you money in the long run as you will have to replace the light bulbs a lot less frequently.
- Halogen: Halogen lighting is the brightest type of lighting currently available, but it uses significantly more electricity and emits a lot more heat than both fluorescent and LED lighting.
The color
The color of your outdoor landscape lighting that you install will depend on the type of effect that you are hoping to create. Look out for correlated color temperature (CCT) when shopping around. It is measured on a scale called Kelvin (K). The higher the Kelvin value, the closer the lighting color will be to the natural hue of sunlight. If, on the other hand, you are after an amber, more romantic shade of light, opt for a lower value—usually 3,500K or below.
Here’s to enjoying the beauty of your garden to the absolute maximum any time you are outdoors, day or night!