Not only do lights enhance the appearance of your landscape, but they are also practical. Security and safety are important factors with lighting. Lighting your walkways will create safety for your friends and family. A lighted yard is also a deterrent for unwanted individuals.

With that in mind, let’s look at some of the most common techniques and types of outdoor lighting we can use to enhance the beauty of our garden.

This includes solar lighting, up lights, down lights, spot lights, accent lighting, flood lights, and spread lighting. Let’s go through them one by one!

Solar lighting is easy to install as well as very economical. There are an array of styles which will meet your needs – as in, pretty  much any other style of lighting can be found in a solar counterpart.  There may be the upfront cost for the lights but no monthly fees for electrical usage which is always nice. Combine these nuggets of wisdom and you’ll understand why solar lighting has become very popular in the last few years – especially since the price has gone done over the years and solar technology becomes cheaper and well – better!

Lighting can enhance the landscape in many creative ways. One way is to use up lighting. Up lights shine upwards onto statues, trees, walkways, or other garden decorations. Another lighting technique is down lighting. Down lights installed above a structure which shine downwards onto the object you want lit up. It gives the effects of a full moon on a dark evening.

The garden spot lights are designed to highlight a specific tree, fountain, or statue. On dark nights, this makes the object quite visible. Accent lights are placed near the ground to provide subtle illumination. This lighting can be spread through your landscape which enhances the beauty of the space. Flood lighting creates silhouettes in your garden adding visual interest that is not seen in daytime hours.

The technique of spread lighting illuminates larger areas such as shrubs, flower beds, borders or landscapes. This lighting allows individuals to enjoy their gardens in the evening hours.

As you can see, this variety of different lighting types and techniques allows for a vast amount of creativity for landscape enhancement. It can also be challenging when selecting and placing décor lighting for the best possible effects. Define your goals for a garden lighting scheme. Well spaced, bright lighting is needed if you are opting to attain safety and security. If you are looking for ambiance, then a few, specially placed lights is all that will be needed.

The brands of garden lights are almost as numerous and the styles, colors and designs. However, there are several moderately priced brands worth considering as you work on developing the perfect garden lighting plan for your home this season.

Wilshire is a middle-market to upper-end provider of classic exterior lights. They are a name known for quality, with an original focus on sales to the hospitality industry. Now many of their designs are available to the home market, especially their outdoor line of products. From wall sconces to post lights, they offer classic designs to base a top-notch garden light design.

Kichler is another quality provider of outdoor lighting. Produced in Cleveland, Ohio since 1938, Kichler lights can meet every garden landscape light need. Their offerings include something for every need and budget. Kichler is an established company that is not afraid of innovation. They were one of the first mainstream lighting companies to adopt LED lights into their exterior lines. Many of their products are low-voltage and energy star rated. Their outdoor line of products includes wall sconces, pendant lights, pier mounts, deck mounts, spot lights, and recessed well lights.

Nuvo is a slightly less costly line that has an amazing variety of choices available. With twenty two collections and twenty five finishes. From matte black to brushed silver, there is a color and finish for every garden design. The Nuvo garden lights cost 30% less on average than Wilshire and Kichler. Overall reviews of this brand are very positive considering how cost effective much of the line truly manages to be. Their lines include low voltage and security lights as well as the more decorative flush, hanging and wall lights. Their pathway lights are well designed and clean in line.

Unique Arts offers a comprehensive line of high-quality solar garden lights. Their designs vary from an executive post lamp to staked copper lanterns. Many of the solar lights are as decorative as they are functional. From lit house numbers to solar powered crystalline flowers, these energy efficient lights never increase your power bill but provide 8 to 10 hours of lighting to your landscape.