Garden lights can add a lot to your landscaping after dark. Make sure to choose the type that works best for your needs.
What Is the Purpose of the Lights?
Garden lights may serve several purposes, but the most common are safety, ambience, and security. The good news is you don't just have to choose one purpose since there are options available that can provide for multiple purposes at once.
Safety lights are typically used to mark out pathways and steps, light up an address, or mark out safety concerns such as the edge of a pond. Ambience lights highlight features in the garden that you want to enjoy after dark, such as statuary, large trees, or a fountain. These lights may also use color to add to the ambience. Security lights allow you to easily see into the garden while also providing enough light to discourage trespassers.
How Will the Lights Be Powered?
There are two main power options — solar or hardwired. Solar lights are equipped with integrated solar panels that collect energy during the day so they can be powered all night. Higher quality lights may be hooked into a battery bank system that allows them to store excess power so they can use it on cloudy days. The panels may be integrated into the lights themselves, or there may be separate panels that can be placed in exposed areas. Solar lights can be installed anywhere since they produce their own power.
Hardwired lights must be wired into your home's electrical system, so you will need an electrician to bury the wiring and hook up the lights. You never have to worry about not having enough power, but keep in mind the lights won't work if there is a power outage. There are also lighting styles that are powered by solar but have hardwired backup.
Do You Need Control Over the Lights?
Lights come in active and passively control varieties. Active controls means that you can either turn them on and off at will, or you can control them via a timer or control panel. There are even smart control options that allow you to operate the lights from afar using a computer or smartphone.
Passive lights simply come on when the integrated light sensor detects that it is dark, and they turn off once the sun rises again in the morning. This is the simplest form of control and is quite common on the most basic of solar lighting choices.
Contact a garden lighting service to learn more about the lighting options available.
