Professional landscapers know how to create stunning effects and unique ambiance with outdoor lighting. With a little knowledge about landscape lighting techniques and help from general contractors, you can create a magical landscape for your home.

Landscape lighting fixtures come in a wide variety of styles and finishes, so it’s easy to find fixtures that will enhance the beauty of your home and landscape. You can find halogen, LED, solar, and underwater fixtures that are easy to install and reasonably priced to fit any size budget.

Up-Lighting

Up-lighting fixtures are used to highlight trees and shrubs from the ground up. By locating one or two fixtures at the base of the tree and aiming the light upwards, you will accent the main structure trees and shrubs. To highlight tree canopies and shrub foliage, move fixtures about 8 to 10 feet back for a broader light beam, then aim the light higher up.

Down-Lighting

Down-lights are often placed in trees and under the eaves of the house or roof line to give soft light from above. They can be used in the landscape to highlight special outdoor features like pools and spas, arbors and garden beds. When installed under the eaves, they can highlight doors and windows, patios, architectural design elements.

Grazing

To highlight interesting architectural materials and textures on the house, fences and retaining walls, place up-lights about six inches away from the structure with light beams directed upwards. The light will accent interesting materials like wood, brick, slate and flagstone and cast soft shadows that add visual interest to the landscape.

Moonlighting

Moonlighting creates a visual effect that resembles natural moonlight filtering through the trees. To create this effect, place down-lights high-up in trees and aim the light downward toward the ground. As the light filters through tree leaves and branches, it will cast interesting shadows on landscape areas below. To create multiple shadows and textures, place several lighting fixtures high-up in tree branches and cross the light paths as they go downward.

Shadowing

Up-lights and wall washers are used to cast shadows on certain features. You can wash a tree or outdoor fountain with light, so it casts a shadow on a nearby fence or retaining wall. The play of light and darkness creates an intriguing visual effect, especially if the object is moving in the breeze. For a more dramatic effect, place the fixture low to the ground and angle the light fixture upward.