Your garden is very impressive in the daytime. You spend a lot of time and money on this important feature and take great pride in what you do. However, if this beautiful part of your landscape is dark at night or improperly lit, no one can appreciate its true beauty. Here are some of the most common mistakes people make with garden lighting fixtures. Avoiding them can give you a brighter and lovelier outdoors.
1. Bare Lighting
In some cases, spotlights work well, and some bare fixtures can improve lighting, but if you want to avoid glare, consider lighting which cast light downward. If you want to use recessed lights, consider garden lighting fixtures with louvers or half-shields. This gives indirect light which is easy on the eyes.
2. Focusing Light in the Wrong Direction
Often times, people put spotlights on trees or statues. They think this is a good way to highlight and draw attention to special features. However, you need a good source of general light in the area. If possible, use pathway lighting to lead the way to your special features. Otherwise, they may appear to just sit in space and look out of place.
3. Thinking Too Big
Do you have a flower bed you wish to enhance with light? If so, you should consider several small wattage garden light fixtures as opposed to one or two large high wattage fixtures. Low wattage lights give you better coverage, and you do not have the glare associated with large lights. Also, small lights are perfect for highlighting specific areas.
4. Going it Alone
If you have a large lighting project planned, consider consulting with an illuminologist. These people have special training in lighting and can help you choose the right fixtures and design for your outdoor lighting needs.
