Landscape Lighting - What YOU Need to Know!

Landscape lighting can take your already beautiful landscape to the next level.

Why let all the hard work and beauty disappear as soon as the sun goes down? Or why limit the time that you can use the space to just during the day?

With some strategically placed lights in your front and/or backyard you can really highlight your homes best features and prized plantings and trees and create a space you can use at any time. Some examples of elements that can be showcased with light are trees, planting beds, architectural components of your home, walls, patio areas, water features, swings, etc.

Often times many people don’t know where to start when it comes to creating a beautifully lit outdoor space so we have created this little post about some benefits of landscape lighting and things you may want to consider when creating a plan for your outdoor lighting.

First off lets talk about the Benefits of Lighting:

There are many benefits of installing landscape lighting but to us, these are the top 3:

1. Safety and Security

a. Lighting is a great deterrent for thieves because it makes it significantly harder to

hide in the shadows creating a greater chance that neighbors will notice or you

might see them from inside the house.

b. It also creates greater visibility throughout the entire yard which will decrease the

chances of family or guests hurting themselves while navigating your yard at night.

2. Curb Appeal and Added Value

a. Lighting increases the value of the home which is good if or when you choose to

sell as it is often a big selling point for many potential buyers.

3. Additional Time to Use and Enjoy Your Space

a. In adding some outdoor lighting, you are extending the time you are able to use

your outdoor space.

Next: These are some things to consider when making a lighting plan for your yard

You can add landscape lighting on your own or you can hire a professional to help you create the best plan for lighting your yard. Whatever choice you make we have compiled a list of things that you should consider when you are planning to add some outdoor lighting.

First, start by thinking about the features that you love in your yard. Maybe this is the beautiful paver patio in your backyard, or the gorgeous tree in front of your home, or the rose bushes along your driveway. Highlighting these features could be a great start because the light will be showcasing the areas that you are most proud of and want to see no matter what time of day it is.

Next, you could add some light on areas in your yard that may not draw the eye much during the day like a simple wall or a gravel area. In adding light to these simpler areas, you can create an intriguing visual with a whole new personality hidden in the new contrast created from the playful combination of shadows and light. This takes a standard stone wall to the next level, giving you two unique visuals depending on when you are looking at the element (day or night).

Lastly, consider adding functional lighting throughout your yard. This could be some lighting installed along a paver pathway or up some stairs to a deck, or installing lighting around a patio area for entertaining purposes. These types of lights can help you, as the homeowner, to ensure that you and your family and guests can move about your yard at night without any risk of injury.

Pro tip: Once you thought through what elements your would like to highlight and for what areas you functionally need lights one of the best things that you can do is grab a good, high-powered flashlight with a dimming optic and try lighting up the areas you think might look nice. Play with the angles, brightness levels, and heights so that you can ensure that you get the correct kinds of lights for each component.

Agassiz Landscape Group are Illuminologists and specialize in installing Touchstone Accent Lighting. If all this overwhelms you and you are not a DIY type, please call us. We are happy to create and install the perfect landscape lighting plan for your home.