Solar Garden Lights » Lights

Garden Lights

admin — Sat, 17 Apr 2010 13:19:29 +0000

Once you design a landscape that gives your home beautiful curb appeal, you certainly want those who pass by to admire your design. After you spend time creating the perfect place for a garden party or a solitary retreat, you will want to enjoy the benefits of your design as much as possible. One way to attract attention to your front yard landscape or to extend the use of an outdoor garden is to illuminate the area in the evening. You can do this with the addition of solar lights or with low voltage lighting placed in your garden area.

Low voltage lighting is available in numerous styles. An aluminum lantern with a halogen bulb is just on of your many options. You can get post lights, path lights, or spotlights in low voltage lighting that will enhance your outdoor garden space. Mini accent landscape lights can decoratively illuminate any outdoor area.

Solar lights are an excellent lighting option for a garden space or outdoor landscape. Solar spotlights can be used to accent a particular shrub or a sitting area. Path lights can lead your guest through your garden in the evening. Solar lanterns can light up specific areas for entertaining. If your garden space is enclosed with a fence, you might want to use solar sconce or lantern lighting along the fence.

Soft illumination gives your garden a magical feeling at night. Adding something such as blue glass solar globe stakes intermingled with the flowers creates a very inviting evening retreat. Horizontal bar solar lights placed along a pah or garden border provide indirect illumination that gives the garden a tranquil feeling.

If you want to use lighting to add more color to your garden there are solar garden lights in various colors and festive designs. Lights such as the blinking sunflower or blinking lilies design add some whimsy to your garden in the evening. Solar lights with butterflies, dragonflies, flowers, frogs, and many other designs add art to your garden in the daytime and lighting to your garden at night.

One other option for bringing light to your outdoor garden design is the use of candles. A candle inside of a tin lantern with holes in its side can create a mesmerizing and relaxing affect in the garden. Post lanterns placed throughout your garden gives it a very soothing, somewhat vintage atmosphere.

Even though the garden may be void of flowers in winter, you can still use lighting to create magic there. Place a spotlight on a shrub or tree whose bare branches are artistically beautiful. Illuminate a piece of garden art on a snowy evening.

Adding lights to your garden gives you the opportunity to take full advantage of its beauty any time of day or night.

Outdoor Pole Lights

admin — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 01:17:44 +0000

Sprucing up your outdoor living spaces can add value to your home, as well as providing your family with a scenic space for gathering when the weather is warm. Lighting is one of the key features when you are landscaping your property, so you may want to consider your choices carefully. Outdoor pole lights are one of the many options to choose from that can transform any space into a luxurious outdoor area.

Installing Your Outdoor Lighting

Depending on the type of lights that you have chosen, solar or electric, your installation can be completed quickly. Solar pole lighting fixtures can simply be placed into the areas where you need lighting. There are no cords to run, and nothing to hook up. The solar lights will begin storing natural energy from the sun to illuminate the area, while the electric lights will need to be connected to a power supply.

If you have chosen electric pole lighting for your landscaping needs, then you will first want to plan your lighting scheme. Since you need to dig trenches for the wiring, you will want to plan carefully. Electric lighting is not as simple to move as solar powered lights, but can be a very reliable source of lighting even in the winter months. You can choose a combination of solar and electric, as well.

Your Lighting Options

With many different options available today, your outdoor lighting scheme can reflect your personal sense of style easily. One option that you may not have considered is choosing to install a dimmer switch on your outdoor lighting fixtures. This will allow you to set the mood, whether you are planning a family game night outdoors, or a romantic dinner under the stars. Outdoor lighting is a tool that you can use to create the perfect atmosphere for any situation.

Pole lighting is the perfect choice for patio areas, walkways, driveways and more. The lighting from these types of lights is excellent for tables, as well, since the illumination will fall down on the area. Night time picnics and dinners are much nicer when you can easily see what is going on, and pole lighting is an option that is simple to install and maintain for these areas.

Outdoor String Lights

admin — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 01:16:09 +0000

String lights specially manufactured for the outdoors manage to create a mystique for your garden or add to the theme for your event. The wide variety of string lights available virtually guarantees that everyone will be able to find a string that suits him or her. String lights can be used to dress up a back yard or patio, to accent garden topiary, or as an accessory for an outdoor party. Three different types of string lights in particular will pique your interest.

Solar powered string lights offer several advantages. The primary advantage is that the locations in which they can be used are not limited by the availability of electricity. As long as the sun can reach the charging panels, these lights are bright and true, taking full advantage of LED technology. A gazebo at the back of the property or a tent at the beach can both be beautifully lit by solar lights, without using a long line of unattractive extension cords. Another advantage is that using them does not charge anything to the electric bill.

Novelty string lights are used to enhance theme parties. Some options available are animal (fish, parrot, flamingo), food and dining (steaks, chili peppers, grapes), drink (martini glass, beer bottle, soft drink can), sports teams (to include college sports), hobbies (racing or fishing), brand names (Coca-Cola or M&Ms), garden party (bees, flowers), or lantern strands. These lights will add pizazz to a tailgate party or a themed birthday party. Some of the lights, such as a flower, are surrounded by material so that a soft glow is emitted, but the mini-LED lights are cool enough so that the material will not burn.

Commercial-grade string lights are typically used at an outdoor location such as a marina or to gracefully illuminate the outdoor dining areas of restaurants. These lights generally use size C7 or C9 bulbs, which means they are rather heavy. They will require more substantial mounting brackets than regular string lights. Commercial lights are meant less for ambiance than to brilliantly illuminate areas where people will be walking. These are heavy duty lights and are long-lasting.

Outdoor string lights are great for lighting patios, yards, decks, courtyards, marinas, and restaurants. They add a dazzling array of color and light to any dark area, and are fairly inexpensive to purchase. Many may be purchased by the spool or can be cut to order, so any length can be had. So when you’re planning the next block party or BBQ, plan on adding some light!

Outdoor Ceiling Lights

admin — Wed, 14 Apr 2010 01:14:37 +0000

Nothing adds usability and beauty to a porch or deck like good lighting. There are so many styles and types of lighting available it can be overwhelming to decide what to choose. The first step in choosing outdoor lighting is to determine where you plan to affix the lighting. Freestanding lights, tabletop lamps, and tall or short lanterns are common outdoor lighting choices, but an important type of lighting that many homeowners overlook is outdoor ceiling lights. Ceiling lights have the convenience of being easy to wire into a power source and not getting in the way of outdoor activities.

Just like with other types of outdoor lighting, there are scores of different models and styles of outdoor ceiling lights. Think about the color of your house and surrounding decor, the size of the area that needs lit and the height of the ceiling.

Some outdoor lights are simple and basic. If your outdoor lighting is an afterthought and your space is already decorated, a simple light is your best bet. A straightforward light won’t detract with its surroundings and it won’t clash with them, either; it’ll provide light without making a statement of its own. If your outdoor area is relatively plain, a decorative light will add character to the space.

Consider how bright you want your outdoor area to be when buying lighting. If you want your area well lit with soft light, you’ll need more individual bulbs than you would if you wanted it well lit with bright lights. Think about how many lights you are going to need to install overall and factor that into your lighting choices. If you are going to be using many lights closely placed, you will probably want simple design. If you are opting for one or two bulbs far apart, a more decorative design will add style without looking cluttered.

Because many covered outdoor areas have lower ceilings than indoors, make sure you don’t end up buying a light that hangs too low once installed. Take a look at high how the ceiling of your area is and how small a light needs to be to not be dangerous.

Adding lighting to an outdoor area can significantly change the feel of the space, either for good or bad depending on the choices you make. Consider the current feel of your area, how you want it to look, and what it can accommodate before heading the lighting store for ceiling lights.

Solar Walkway Lights

admin — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 01:09:56 +0000

Creating a well-lit walkway is now both simple and energy efficient with solar lighting options that harness the natural power of the Sun to create landscaping light. There are many different reasons that you may want to light your walkways, with safety and aesthetic appearance being at the top of the list.

Benefits of Solar Powered Lights

The most obvious benefit of using lights that operate on solar power is that you will reduce your energy costs. Renewable energy, such as solar power, is also a great way to reduce your carbon footprint for a cleaner, healthier environment. Solar walkway lights are easy to install, and easy to maintain over many years.

To install your solar powered landscaping lights, all that you need to do is place the lights where you need illumination. There are no wires to install or maintain, so the installation can be completed quickly and easily. The solar lights also do not require any regular maintenance, either. You will find that solar powered lights rival electric landscaping lights, but are much simpler to install and care for than their electric counterparts.

Styles for Your Garden

Along with being simple to use, solar powered lights are also available in many different styles. Choosing the perfect lighting fixture for your gardens and walkways is based on your personal style. You may prefer a light that can easily be hidden in shrubbery, or you may choose a fixture that fits in with your landscaping theme for aesthetic purposes. There are choices that include black wrought iron, as well as durable stainless steel.

It is important to remember that solar lights do need to have some sunlight in order to work to their full potential. Partially shaded lights will still work, however, they simply won’t be as bright as those solar lights that are in full sunlight during the daylight hours. Many home owners find that it is best to choose fixtures that work well with their landscaping theme, so that the lights can be placed in open view for full sunlight.

There are also solar lighting choices that work via a remote PV cell, however. These lights are more complicated to install, since there is a wire that runs from the fixture to the remote battery. This option is a good choice if you would like to have hidden lighting, but still want the convenience and eco-friendliness of a solar powered light.

Using Solar Power

Solar power is an excellent option for landscaping. Your solar lights can last for several years or more, without the need for replacement or repair. There are many simple solutions to outdoor lighting, and solar power is one of the simplest and most efficient of all the options on the market today.

Yard Lights

admin — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 15:22:21 +0000

Yard lights have grown more and more popular in the last few years. They are more affordable now than ever and really add a pleasant aesthetic, or appeal to a property. When installing yard lights walk around the property and make notes of what needs lights and areas that just need to be highlighted, this will provide a plan and an estimate of how many lights will be needed.

There are several advantages of having yard lights, the most popular is just the atmosphere, or mood that comes with lighting up the exterior area of a home. It creates a cozy, welcome atmosphere which enriches the appearance of a walkway, yard, garden, pool, fountain, landscaping, and adds value to a property. Yard lights help create the perfect mood for outdoor entertaining, and lengthen the hours of outdoor time, as well as, accentuating certain areas of your yard, whether it be a particular area of landscaping or a walkway. The obvious benefit of yard lights is they provide light for dark areas on walkways or steps, making your yard a safer area by preventing trips and falls. Also, a well lit area does a great job of discouraging intruders.

There are two main types of outdoor lights: electrical and solar. Installing outdoor electrical lighting requires burying grounded electrical wiring and hooking it up to your main electrical source. For electrical outdoor wiring a professional electrician will probably need to be hired. The simplest lighting installation is solar, which can easily be done by the homeowner. Solar lights provide more changeability due to the fact they can easily be taken up after installation and moved somewhere else. Solar lights have a small solar panel and rechargeable batteries which require little maintenance and best of all, they are affordable and environmentally friendly, but if not in an area with full sun exposure, or on cloudy days solar lighting is not as dependable as electrical lighting.

In conclusion, yard lights are more affordable and easier to install now more than ever before. Besides adding a sense of pride to your property, curb appeal, creating mood lighting, providing better lighting in dark areas, they also discourage intruders.

Unusual Garden Solar Lights – Attention Grabbers

admin — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:25:32 +0000

There are all kinds of unique solar garden lights that you can get for your garden that can really set your landscape apart. An unusual light is the solar brick light pictured to the left. I find those to be very attractive and cool. You can find them at: http://www.solarlightstore.com/solar-specialty-lights/stepping-stones/bricklight2pack.cfm

There are also floating solar lights that you can put on your pond or in your swimming pool to create a great ambience at night time. You can find this type at: http://www.solarlightstore.com/solar-specialty-lights/pond-lights/floatingsolarlight.cfm

And finally to my favorite specialty light at the Solar Light Store. The Pogoda Solar Lantern which combines a great unique style along with a powerful functionality. The weathered stone on the lantern provides an attractive natural look that would fit nicely in any stylish garden. You can find this lantern at: http://www.solarlightstore.com/solar-specialty-lights/statuary-lights/pogodasolarlantern.cfm

These unusual garden lights can work really well with an affordable vinyl fence.