Lighting Techniques That
Beautify Your Landscape

Down lighting or Area Lighting

Mount lighting units high up in trees or on the house to cast broad illumination over wide areas. Floodlighting enables you to entertain in your backyard or outdoor area after dark, and does double duty for security and safety. For highlighting flower beds, paths or steps, the down light is positioned close to the ground.

UpLighting

Lights aimed upwards (sometimes buried in the ground) create a highly dramatic effect akin to the theater Use it with interesting trees, a statue or textured wall surfaces. Autumn leaves or swirling snow provide spectacular views.

Moonlighting

Like down lighting, but using soft light sources positioned very high up, this technique simulates the lovely effect of moonlight filtering through branches, casting attractive shadow patterns.

Spread or
Diffused Lighting

Where you require circular patterns of light on flowerbeds, larger shrubbery or ground cover, spread light cover a wider area with low-level illumination.

Some units, such as these bollards, cast softly diffused lighting for patios, decks, driveways and pathways. Wall brackets provide a similar lighting function.

Accent or Spot Lighting

These lights focus a controlled intense beam to highlight the focal points in your garden: flowers, small shrubs and statuary. This creates sparkling islands of interest in your landscape lighting plan.

Shadowing

Light the object from the front and below to project intriguing shadows on the wall or other vertical surfaces.

Grazing

Positioning the light close to an interesting surface can bring out the texture of tree bark, a masonry wall, wood shingles or an attractive door.

Silhouetting

When you conceal lights behind and below a tree or bush, you achieve that same wondrous effect as seeing it on a ridge silhouetted against the sky at dusk.

Cross Lighting

Illuminating a tree or statue from two or more sides reveals the three-dimensional form in a striking perspective.

Pool and Fountain Lighting

Underwater lighting creates dramatic effects in pools and at fountains. Install a dimmer for turning lights up to add excitement. Note: Water may be used as a mirror by lighting the area behind the reflecting surface.