smnoel
10-17-2003, 06:26 PM
One of the reasons that discourages people from installing and maintaining a useful and pleasing landscape is the lack of usefulness of it during the evening hours. Many of us work during the day and do not arrive home until near or after dark. However, your landscape can be used and enjoyed during the evening by utilizing an outdoor landscape lighting system in your property. A lighting system brings this and other benefits to your landscape.
Your landscape could benefit in multiple ways with the
installation of an outdoor lighting system. With a properly
installed system that utilizes the right light in the right
way, yet also done with a creative flair, your property would literally glow with beauty come nightfall. A lighting system for your landscape has some other benefits as well. Do you find your garden looking rather bare during those sparse winter months? A few well-placed lights can highlight the architectural side of those bare trees. Do you feel nervous during that after-dark walk from your car to the front stoop? A well-lit landscape makes for a significantly safer property. Treating your landscape to an outdoor lighting system will add many useful features to your property.
The most important benefit of landscape lighting, safety, is
also one of the most overlooked. Not only are burglars warded off by a well-lit property, it makes you feel safer when you're outside at night, which gives you peace of mind. Having a lighting system also keeps you safe from yourself. With some path lights illuminating your way, you are less likely to trip over the flagstones, or run into the
arbor. A landscape lighting system helps provide safety from
others and your own occasional clumsiness.
Apart from safety, landscape lighting will also increase the
usability of your yard. With more people working longer hours of the day, there is less daytime hours to spend enjoying their landscape, which in turn prevents people to see any benefit to landscaping their property. However, with
a lighting system installed, you will be able to enjoy your
garden after nightfall. With some creative lighting
enhancements, you could spend your evening home from work in
your landscape, either by enjoying a home-cooked dinner with
family or relaxing in a sitting area with friends. Having your landscape lit at night will make your property much nicer to come home to.
How about those cold winter months, when your landscape
seems to be at it's lowest point? Outdoor lights can be put
into good use during the bare winter months as well. One
good winter use of landscape lighting is to highlight the
best parts of your landscape, while keeping the out-of-season areas in darkness. This simple lighting trick can work wonders in your winter garden. Many parts of the winter property have bare plant areas where the leaves have been dropped for winter, but this is no reason to hide these plants. With some well-placed lights, you can highlight the branching structure of these plants and create a winter architectural sculpture to enjoy during the evening hours. Many plants look striking in this kind of winter lighting, including crapemyrtles, japanese maples, and oakleaf hydrangeas. By directing the viewer's eye to the points of interest of your winter landscape, and creating new points of interest on your own, you can make your property
enjoyable during the colder winter months.
By combining these lighting tricks for winter use with the tips for safety and nighttime application, the results can be spectacular. Your property can be enjoyed at all hours of the day and any time of the season. With outdoor lights you will also feel safer in your yard as you come home to relax in your garden. By using a creative outdoor landscape lighting plan, you can create a safe landscape that will be
both dazzling and functional day and night, winter or
summer.
Carrie Paulk is the author of "Lawnmower Lighting Your Way,"
which is part of the Tip of the Week program with Turf Tamer, Inc. She has written many informative landscaping articles. To learn more about landscaping tips and tricks, you can find the rest of her articles at http://www.turftamerinc.com/tip.shtm (http://www.turftamerinc.com/tip.shtm)
Your landscape could benefit in multiple ways with the
installation of an outdoor lighting system. With a properly
installed system that utilizes the right light in the right
way, yet also done with a creative flair, your property would literally glow with beauty come nightfall. A lighting system for your landscape has some other benefits as well. Do you find your garden looking rather bare during those sparse winter months? A few well-placed lights can highlight the architectural side of those bare trees. Do you feel nervous during that after-dark walk from your car to the front stoop? A well-lit landscape makes for a significantly safer property. Treating your landscape to an outdoor lighting system will add many useful features to your property.
The most important benefit of landscape lighting, safety, is
also one of the most overlooked. Not only are burglars warded off by a well-lit property, it makes you feel safer when you're outside at night, which gives you peace of mind. Having a lighting system also keeps you safe from yourself. With some path lights illuminating your way, you are less likely to trip over the flagstones, or run into the
arbor. A landscape lighting system helps provide safety from
others and your own occasional clumsiness.
Apart from safety, landscape lighting will also increase the
usability of your yard. With more people working longer hours of the day, there is less daytime hours to spend enjoying their landscape, which in turn prevents people to see any benefit to landscaping their property. However, with
a lighting system installed, you will be able to enjoy your
garden after nightfall. With some creative lighting
enhancements, you could spend your evening home from work in
your landscape, either by enjoying a home-cooked dinner with
family or relaxing in a sitting area with friends. Having your landscape lit at night will make your property much nicer to come home to.
How about those cold winter months, when your landscape
seems to be at it's lowest point? Outdoor lights can be put
into good use during the bare winter months as well. One
good winter use of landscape lighting is to highlight the
best parts of your landscape, while keeping the out-of-season areas in darkness. This simple lighting trick can work wonders in your winter garden. Many parts of the winter property have bare plant areas where the leaves have been dropped for winter, but this is no reason to hide these plants. With some well-placed lights, you can highlight the branching structure of these plants and create a winter architectural sculpture to enjoy during the evening hours. Many plants look striking in this kind of winter lighting, including crapemyrtles, japanese maples, and oakleaf hydrangeas. By directing the viewer's eye to the points of interest of your winter landscape, and creating new points of interest on your own, you can make your property
enjoyable during the colder winter months.
By combining these lighting tricks for winter use with the tips for safety and nighttime application, the results can be spectacular. Your property can be enjoyed at all hours of the day and any time of the season. With outdoor lights you will also feel safer in your yard as you come home to relax in your garden. By using a creative outdoor landscape lighting plan, you can create a safe landscape that will be
both dazzling and functional day and night, winter or
summer.
Carrie Paulk is the author of "Lawnmower Lighting Your Way,"
which is part of the Tip of the Week program with Turf Tamer, Inc. She has written many informative landscaping articles. To learn more about landscaping tips and tricks, you can find the rest of her articles at http://www.turftamerinc.com/tip.shtm (http://www.turftamerinc.com/tip.shtm)