The Magic of Landscape Lighting

Landscape lighting is the practice of highlighting the landscape with light that makes it come to life after dark. It extends the homeowners ability to enjoy his outdoor spaces for a longer period of time. Properly designed, it can make the outdoor nighttime a magical place (think resort) in one’s own backyard. It can also add curb appeal, even at night, by highlighting your home’s front exterior. Many different lighting effects can be accomplished with low voltage LED lights and the following techniques: wall washing, moonlighting, shadowing, up lighting, down lighting, path lighting, niche lighting, mirror lighting, silhouetting, grazing, back lighting, and step lighting.

When lighting a landscape we can create effects that cannot be done during the daylight hours. In other words, it can be like having an entirely different landscape for the nighttime by highlighting features not seen in daytime. We can accent textures, create silhouettes, or dramatize the landscape to give it a feeling of being at a resort. Up lighting the house or outbuildings can accentuate the architecture. We can spotlight rocks, statues, water features, landscape accessories or focal points.   Up lighting trees can create interesting light and shadow contrasts while showing off the bark and branching form of the tree. Wall washing can softly illuminate a wall or fence while shining the light through the plants creating interesting shadow patterns. Moonlight can be imitated by positioning lights with soft illumination in the trees pointing downward. Paths, steps and walkways can be illuminated drawing attention to safety concerns but also to bring out colors and textures in the hardscape. The possibilities are endless and a good light designer knows how to capitalize on your specific landscape to bring out its potential.

Here at Able Landscape Company, we exclusively use CAST LIGHTING products. The outdoor landscape is a harsh environment. Lighting fixtures must endure heat and cold; moisture and drought; rain and snow; acid and alkaline soils; and all sorts of physical and chemical abuse. Bronze is the only metal that withstands these challenges. It is also the most beautiful metal, aging naturally to a fine patina, bleeding gracefully into the landscape. Bronze, cast in sand, results in a distinctive textured surface that withstands physical and chemical abuse better than any other metal. CAST LIGHTING fixtures are constructed of solid bronze and heavy-duty copper, with stainless steel power supplies and marine-grade wire. No other landscape lighting system comes close in durability and longevity.