Lights for the garden can be as simple or as complex as you want them to be. You can add yard lights to help people see to get to your door or you can go into more elaborate details with spotlights and silhouettes. The choices are as wide open as your creativity wants them to be.

Pathway lighting is a good idea to include for both form and function. Pathway lights for the garden add safety and security by lighting the walkways in your yard. Pathway lights should also be included around any water features to prevent accidental falls. Lighting choices include staked solar lights, low voltage lights, pole lights, recessed lights, spot lights, moonstones and more.

In addition to pathway lighting, your lights for the garden plan should include either a post lamp or floodlight for the driveway. You and anyone visiting your home need to be able to see the driveway to get in and out of it safely without destroying your flower beds.

Sunflower Solar Light Photo by Crystal Church

For the garden areas itself you have many options that add ambience and lighting to your yard. There are many companies that have decorative lighting options such as fairies, gnomes, gazing balls, dragonflies and other garden lights that will bring your yard to life when the sun goes down.

Water features with added lighting creates a magnificent display of shadows that dance on the water. Using submersible and floating lights which are available in soft, subtle hues you can create an enchanted pool for your guests to enjoy.

Retaining walls and other stationary areas of the garden can benefit from the use of spotlights used for silhouetting plants or focusing on a particular tree or statuary piece in the yard. Using lighting techniques such as up lighting or down lighting you can bring light and life to the garden.

For security reasons your yard lighting plan should also include either floodlights with motion detectors or light poles with photocells to add light to dark corners of your back or front yard. This is helpful in deterring intruders from using these darkened areas to sneak up to your house.

Lights for the garden are as integral a part of your landscape design as pathway stones. Both should be included for safety and aesthetic reasons. Creating your garden light design is your opportunity to add your personality to your garden and make an outdoor living area to enjoy year round.

Dragonfly garden lights are available in both solar powered and electrically hard-wired lights. The popularity of dragonflies has always been immense. Various cultures believe different things about them. The Navaho Indians believe the dragonfly symbolizes pure water. Japanese warriors viewed it as a symbol of strength.

Whether you like dragonflies for their ancient meanings or just their beauty, they make wonderful additions to the garden and pool area. You can add dragonfly garden lights to bushes and hedges making them appear to be perched there.

Silver Mesh Dragonfly Outdoor Garden Lights from TCH.net

During the daylight hours the dragonflies will add an earthy decorative touch. When the sun goes down the dragonflies will glow with subtle light adding a charming touch to your landscape. If you have water features in your yard, such as a pond or pool, you can purchase floating, solar garden lights. As these lights float across the pool, you and your guests will be delighted with how they appear to glide across the water.

Dragonfly garden lights are also available that are decorative pieces, light up at night, and function as water sprinklers. In addition to being functional they are quite decorative, some are made using fiber optics which creates a color changing light at night.

These unique garden lights are available in string lights that give the appearance of dragonflies in flight, staked lights that can be grouped in clusters or placed strategically throughout shrubbery and as larger individual lights that stand alone.

Decorating with garden lights in the shape and style of animals or other objects is not a new concept. Fairies, angels, and garden gnomes have been garden favorites for many years. Often these are found holding gazing balls that light up at dusk.

Animal garden lights can also be seen in gardens in the form of turtles, frogs, ladybugs and many more. Garden light suppliers realized that decorating with lights is more than plain lights and have created lighting for every taste and personality.

Finding the variety of dragonfly garden lights that are available is as simple as a search of the Internet. You can order them from specialty shops, home and garden shops and craftsman who hand make them. Many local home improvement and home furnishing stores carry dragonfly garden lights.

Dragonfly garden lights are full of form and function. They bring beauty and light to your garden areas creating enchanted areas you and your guests can enjoy on warm summer nights under the stars.

-Sharon V Chapman

The simplest and most cost effective way to add lighting to your path is to use solar pathway lights. They are cordless, inexpensive, and easy to install. You can purchase them at the local home improvement store and install them in less than a day. Most are staked so installation is simply a matter of sticking them in the ground next to your pathway.

Once installed solar lights require very little maintenance. You will need to wipe the solar panels off occasionally if dust builds up on them. Battery replacement is every two or three years. Because the sun supplies the energy required to charge the batteries there is no monthly costs associated with operating them.

Traditional electric hard-wired garden path lighting is another choice. This is the most expensive option due to requiring electricity which needs to be installed by a professional. If using electrical lighting you can have them set on a timer to keep from having them on during the daytime.

LED lights are brighter than any of the other lights available. They can run from a battery source or be connected to an electrical power source. The lights give off a bluish tint and make an attractive addition to the lawn and garden area.

Moonstones are another option for garden path lighting. Moonstones are LED lights that are encased in a frosted cover giving the appearance of a moon stone. These can be used as path way lights or they can be purchased that are durable enough to withstand foot traffic. These create the path and light it up at the same time. Not only are they a safety feature, they are quite attractive as well.

Rope lights create a dramatic effect when used as garden path lighting. You can outline the shape of the pathway stones or the actual path itself. Rope lighting produces a low light that is ground level. This lighting is softer and less harsh than other lights.

After deciding on a lighting source for your garden path lights you need to decide on placement. Post type lights can be place at each path marker or every other marker, depending on how much light they emit and how the dark the area is you are lighting.

If you are using post lights that are eye level or higher, you may want to space them further apart. Perhaps one at the beginning, one midway and one at the end of the path, again, base this decision on how much light the pole lights supply to the path.

Garden path lighting should be a consideration when designing your landscape plan. Not only is it a decorative enhancement, it provides safety for you and your guests.

Westinghouse garden lights come in a wide variety of designs. There are designer series that allow you to create a centralized décor patter. Westinghouse garden lights are available as electric wired or solar lights.

Energy Star®, the rating given for energy efficient appliances and lighting, is incorporated into Westinghouse garden lights as well, insuring that you are using the most efficient outdoor lighting while at the same time adding elegance to your lawn and garden.

Outdoor Collections

The Riverbend™ Collection from Westinghouse features a textured rust patina finish on solid brass in black with water glass and tiffany accents. This collection is available in wall lantern, hanging pendant lights and post lanterns.

The Nova Scotia™ Collection is comprised of wall lanterns and a post lantern that are made of textured black steel with honey art glass and feature photocells for automatic on/off at dusk and dawn.

The Studenburg™ Collection is scrolling curve patterns available in either a vintage bronze finish on steel with clear crackled glass or a Florentine bronze finish on solid brass with clear seeded glass. This collection has a vintage look that never goes away. The Studenburg™ Collection comes in a variety of designs as well as traditional basics.

Westinghouse Crackle Glass Solar Garden Light

Westinghouse garden lights in the Olde Town™ Collection are reminiscent of the lamp posts from days gone by. Historic style combined with Westinghouse quality is showcased in these lanterns with curved top handles and stately bottoms with a pointed pinnacle. This collection includes a hanging pendent or a two-light lantern post in burnt sienna on aluminum with clear seeded glass panels.

The Village Manor™ Collection will transform your yard into a royal garden. Oil rubbed bronze on cast aluminum complements the seeded glass linen to showcase the natural feel of the outdoors. These are available as wall mounts or post top lanterns.
Westinghouse garden lights are also available in solar lighting systems. The solar lights are distributed through IDC. Westinghouse solar lights feature amorphous solar panels that allow for continual charging even on cloudy days.

The Bedford™ Collection is a two-piece solar garden light set perfect for landscapes. The lamps feature a hammered pewter finish and aluminum construction with a grid glass lens. The lamps use a natural white light LED bulb.

Westinghouse garden lights in the Kimberly™ Collection add a sophisticated touch to your outdoor lighting scheme. These solar path lights come in hammered pewter and stamped aluminum construction and a ribbed glass lens.

Westinghouse garden lights continue the tradition of the Westinghouse Corporation of continuing innovation and commitment to improving quality of life. From electric powered to solar powered Westinghouse garden lights have you covered.

-Sharon V Chapman

Why Use Solar Lights for Garden

Outdoor solar lights for the garden are available in a large variety of styles and designs. Originally, people associated solar outdoor lights with cheap, black, plastic stake lights that lasted one season if that long. Not anymore. As interest in solar lights for gardens grew, so did the variety of lights available. Solar pond lights that float, lamp posts, submersible pool and pond lights, table lights, and many more styles abound.

In addition to the variety of styles available there is also a large variety of materials available. You can choose from copper, brass and cast iron or aluminum and forged steel they are available in numerous colors from earthy tones to vibrant hues. You can even find solar lights in garden statues and gazing balls.

Sunflower Solar Light Photo by Crystal Church

Versatility in lighting is another good reason to use solar lights for the garden. If you want ambience and mood lighting, solar lighting can provide that. If you want enough light to play horseshoes by on a summer night, solar lights can provide that too. The various bulb wattages and colors that are available in solar lights for the garden make almost any lighting desire a reality.

Perhaps one of the greatest aspects of solar lights for the garden is that practically anyone can do the installation. This is one of the biggest reasons people choose them. Due to their budget they can’t afford to hire a professional to install electric outdoor lights and yet they want to move forward with their outdoor landscape plan.

Solar lights for the garden are either staked, hung or attached to a wall or other stationary object. Some are literally just placed in a stable position, for example, a solar powered gazing ball. All it requires for installation is being placed in a sunny area and you’re done.

Along the same lines as ease of installation is the ease in rearranging the solar lighting décor. If you decide to rearrange your garden set up, rearranging your solar lights for your garden is a breeze. Simply pick them up and move them. There are no wires to worry with and not hunting for an electrical outlet. The only consideration you have to keep in mind is the sun.

Should you need to put a light in a shady location, there are solar lights for the garden that have a separate solar panel to collect the energy. It is either wired to the light itself or you attach it at dusk. Either way these make is easy to add light to a shady location using solar power.

Solar lights for the garden allow you to be Earth friendly and have the landscape of your dreams complete with gazing balls and lighted pathways. Enchantment awaits.

Down Lighting

Down lighting is the use of garden spotlights pointing down. This effect projects a pool of light onto the focal object such as a tree fountain. Down lighting can also be used to provide safety lighting for pathways or generally darkened areas of the landscape.

Cross Lighting

Cross lighting refers to placing the garden spotlight to one side of the focal object so that the light shines across the object. The spotlight can be mounted on the ground or attached to a building or tree.

Moonlighting

Using garden spotlights in clusters with lower voltage bulbs and attaching them in the top of a tree in order to produce shadows from the lower limbs and greenery. This produces a delicate, speckled light over a patio, path or driveway entrance.

Mirroring

Mirroring is an especially brilliant use of garden spotlights. Placed in pairs in front of a body of water and aimed at a feature in front such as tress or statues, the light reflects back onto the pool or pond creating a mirror of the object shined on.

Uplighting

Uplighting is the most common use for garden spot lights. It creates a more dramatic effect than other lighting techniques using spotlights. Uplighting reverses the daylight effect and provides a wider coverage of light starting from the bottom and going upwards.

Grazing

Grazing is used to play off a texture of surface of a feature, such as an artistically designed plaster wall. The garden spot lights are positioned at an angle very close to the surface to be grazed the emphasis is created by the strong shadow from the light.

Washing

Washing is a direct opposite effect from grazing. Washing uses garden spotlights to create an even coverage of light to define a particular space or create a backdrop for other scenery such as a fountain or garden statue.

Silhouetting

Silhouetting uses garden spotlights to create outlines of the object in focus by lighting the surface behind it. This is not the same as haloing or backlighting. The light source must be in the background shining through the object to produce the silhouette.

Spread Lighting

Spread lighting uses low level lighting from mounted garden spot lights with canopies attached to provide a circular pool of light to illuminate a pathway, low lying terrace, or plantings. This type of garden spot lighting differs from path lighting in that the light source itself comes from underneath a canopy.

Garden spotlights can be used in a variety of applications to highlight features of the garden or just add a dramatic effect to a previously unnoticed area of the garden.

While garden landscape lighting is visually appealing, it also has functionality. It provides safety by providing a means of being able to see walkways and obstacles in walkways. Garden lighting also provides security by lighting the dark areas around homes. Most would-be-burglars are not interested in being exposed in even the smallest amount of light.

With families working and running errands until later and later hours of the day, having garden landscape lighting allows them to still have time to enjoy being together at home in the dusky hours without being in the dark. Pool time or just relaxing on the porch is more enjoyable with the addition of soft lighting in the garden.

Garden landscape lighting does not have bankrupt you; there are very economical sources that can be installed by even the average do-it-yourselfer. One visit to your local home improvement store will show you just how cost effective outdoor lighting can be.

The most economical form of garden landscape lighting is solar staked lights. These lights are available in various heights and designs. Operating on batteries that are charged by the sun, they are inexpensive to purchase, easy to install and have no maintenance cost. Solar staked lights are a great way to start your garden landscape lighting project and stay within your budget.

Designing Your Lighting

As you design your landscape lighting plan you should keep in mind the design of your house and the features of your landscape that are already present. The idea is to enhance your lawn and garden, not overpower it. You don’t want the neighbors complaining that your yard is lit up like the 4th of July every night.

You should start with the driveway and walkway to your door and the porches or doorways into your house. Your driveway should have enough light to see to get into and out of it safely. There are garden landscape lighting options such as rustic post lamps or hanging lanterns that are appealing and functional.

Pathway lighting can range from small post lights to recessed lights or even moonstones. The choice is strictly a matter of individual taste and style. Porch lighting should complement your homes design. While typically porch lights have been bronze or brass, you can find them in a variety of materials and style. The antique lantern look is popular as are more modern shapes and designs.

As you design your garden landscape lighting keep in mind both form and function to create the perfect balance. You can be artistic or simplistic, the choice is yours. Let your creativity light the way to your garden landscape lighting plan.

-Sharon V Chapman

Recent technological advances have made the use of fiber optic lighting an option when choosing lights for gardens. These lights use no electricity and are safe for use around water and in the weather without fear of being electrocuted. Fiber optic lights only require one light bulb which also makes them an economical choice.

Gazing balls are another way of adding lights for the garden that use fiber optics. Typically they contain a solar collection panel to absorb the sun’s energy during the day. At dusk the fiber optics bring a soft light that adds romance and mystique to the garden area. These gazing balls perform double duty as beautiful décor during the day and soft light at night.

Adding lighting to pathways using fiber optic rope lights creates a dramatic entrance to your home. You can follow the curvatures of paths and drives creating dramatic effects at dusk. Fiber optic rope lights are also decorative when used on decks to outline the shape of the deck. For those who are artistically inclined there are shapes available with rope lights attached, including fireflies, butterflies and other animals.

Sunflower Solar Light Photo by Crystal Church

In addition to fiber optic lighting, another choice that saves energy and is cost effective is solar lights for gardens. These lights collect their energy during the day to charge the batteries that power them at night. Through the use of photocells they turn on and off according to the light outside.

Solar lights are available in practically every size, shape and design that standard electric outdoor lights are. There are also solar lights for gardens that are designed to look like natural flames, such as solar powered tiki torches and paper lanterns.

Water features are beautiful when lit up. There are solar lights for the garden that are submersible and that float on top of the water. These create reflections that dance across the top of the water illuminating it with spectacular visual effects.

A recent addition to lights for the garden is garden rocks or moon stones. These lights are typically LED lights encased in frosted heavy duty glass or an unbreakable type material. The light effect is said to resemble moon stones. They can be purchased heavy duty enough to walk on. Moonstones are great for pathways in that they provide a lighted path leading around your garden.

Lights for gardens are available in many types, forms, designs and power options. From electrical, to fiber optic and solar, homeowner’s can design their landscape to include a variety of lighting options. Adding lights for the garden allows you to extend your living space to include the outside areas of your home.

-Sharon V Chapman

Outdoor wall light on your porch walls accompanied by post lighting for your drive creates a welcoming entrance to lead your guests from the street to your front door. Using timers, photocells, or traditional switches you can have your pathways lit up at dusk.

Adding garden wall lights is a study in both form and function. At the same time you are designing and planning your artistic masterpiece for your lawn you are also adding a security feature to your home. Burglars tend to shy away from lit up yards.

Garden wall lights come in a wide range of styles and materials. You can choose from the very plain to the most intricate of designs. Materials range from the tried and true bronze to cast iron and pretty much any other material that can withstand the weather and heat from the bulbs.

Lighting types vary from wall sconces, post lighting, and lately even chandeliers. Wall sconces are most often found on porch walls, garage walls, or gazebos. One popular trend in wall sconces are natural gas powered sconces whose light comes from flame, reminiscent of the days of old. These are often designed in the style of old hanging lanterns.

Chandeliers are becoming popular choices for gazebos and patios. Chandeliers that are designed for outdoor use occasionally come with ceiling fans mounted to add a breeze to the porch.

Fixture designs can be found in styles from ultra modern and art deco to old world traditional and gothic style. Using the style and theme of your garden and home your garden wall lights will become a part of your overall house design.

Garden wall lights can be equipped with several user options such as dimmers, motion detectors or photocells. Photocells are particularly popular due to eliminating the need for turning the lights on and off. The lights come on at dark and turn themselves off during the daylight.

Homeowners can add spice and variety to their garden wall lights with their choice of bulbs. There are energy efficient bulbs, fluorescent bulbs and colored bulbs. Using LED lights that are available in a variety of colors homeowners can complement the garden area, pool area or more with the garden wall lights.

Lawns that require retaining walls have a unique opportunity to use garden wall lights to add focus to the area or bring an air of mystic to the garden. Recessed lighting built into the retaining well is a particularly pleasant lighting arrangement.

Planning your lighting design is a creative process that has many possibilities. Garden wall lights are not just for porches. They can be used for porch walls, garage walls, retaining walls, gazebos and more. From sconces to chandeliers the choices are vast. Use your creativity to enhance your lawn and garden and show off your personality.

-Sharon V Chapman