Garden Outdoor Lighting Safety Tips

Posted on August 17, 2011 by admin

There are a million different ways to design your outdoor garden lights for pure aesthetics. But, first and foremost, you must plan for safety, regardless of the vibe that you want to project in your garden. These simple tips can subtly transform your garden into a safe haven for you and your loved ones.

1. Make sure to light up steps that may be hidden in the dark, even if there is only one or two.

2. Always light up dark walkways. This can save many accidents and can help you rest better at night.

3. Install lights near all doorways and/or sliding doors. This can also help prevent injuries so that people are aware of shallow or steep steps to enter or exit your home.

4. If you have any foot traffic areas that tend to flood or get muddy during wet months, make sure to keep lights around, just in case. This can prevent people from slipping, and possibly injuring themselves on your property. If you have young ones who run around, this is extremely important to help prevent them from hitting their heads on concrete.

5. Generally, you want to light up your walkways with garden path lights. It is a nice way to guide your visitors around your garden, and it’s also safer so that they can see the ground. If you want to keep a romantic feeling, you can face the lights downward so that you can maintain a dim walkway.

6. If you have any wires, hoses, or anything that people can trip on, make sure to keep them lit-up. Of course, you want to avoid having that issue in the first place, but if it is unavoidable, make sure that you take the steps necessary to keep everyone safe from slipping.

7. Also, since everyone’s garden is unique, take a close look at your own garden and see what its unique needs are. There may be some things that I haven’t mentioned in this article, so look around and see if I missed anything!

Posted in Outdoor Lighting | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Conserving Energy for Outdoor Lighting

Posted on June 28, 2011 by admin

When it comes to outdoor lighting, here are a few tips to conserve energy in your home. Whether you live in a large house or a small apartment, there are always way to make your carbon footprint a little tinier on this planet.

1. Start by getting motion detecting lights. For outdoors, you can use flood lights that have a switch to be turned on only when detecting motion, or can be on at all times. If you are just wanting to keep outsiders away, it is also a good tactic to scare the unwanted visitors off of your property. Light is a burglar’s  worst enemy.

2. Put cute little signs next to your light switches. Need some ideas for what to write? Try this sassy little note. “How would you like if I turned you on and then walked away?” Or you could use a more practical one such as “Please turn me off.” This way, people who live with you will be aware that you are trying to conserve energy by turning off unnecessary lights inside and outside of your home. Also, sometimes its a good self-reminder as well. No one is perfect, so having little notes like that can help you to remember to turn the lights off if you are not using them.

3. Another great idea is to invest in high quality, energy-efficient light bulbs. These days, it is extremely practical to buy lights that will save energy. LED lightbulbs are just the answer. They are extremely ecofriendly and will last a lot longer than your conventional light bulbs. CFL’s (Compact flourescent lights) are also extremely economical and are just as bright as regular light bulbs.

Whatever your lighting needs are, there are always ways to save a little bit of money here and there. When it comes to your electric bill, a few dollars may not be that much, but it is nice to know that we can all contribute to saving the environment, one light bulb at a time.

Posted in Outdoor Lighting | Tagged , | Leave a comment

4 Tips for Your Garden

Posted on June 28, 2011 by admin

No matter how much we get done around our yard, there always seems to be more work. Unless you have a gardener that pays very special attention to detail, it seems like there is always something left to be done.  However, keeping a beautiful garden doesn’t always mean having the latest gadgets or technology. Besides a  sprinkler system, garden lights are probably the most technical pieces of equipment that you’ll ever need when maintaining your garden.

Here are 4 tips to keep in mind when maintaining your garden:

1. Go for the evergreen. Evergreen plants are nature’s cure to winter. Even though it’s natural to go with the rise and fall of the  seasons, why not have a green garden all year long? They can be extremely low maintenance and if you live in a place like California, you get to enjoy sitting outdoors with a hot cup of hot chocolate to warm your belly.

2. Invite vines. Now, you may be thinking that vines are a safe haven for spiders and other ungodly creatures, but think twice. As long you spray some organic pesticides, such as orange oil, you are guaranteed to have beautiful lush walls or posts that will make your garden look gorgeous. Depending on your climate and where you live, you may consider bougainvillea plants, jasmine, or even a berry plant.

3. Plant trees. If your yard is big enough, plant a couple of fruit trees. However, you may want to invest in some organic pesticides, because citrus trees tend to require a little more care to keep those pests out of your beautiful garden. However, if you take care of your trees, they will take good care of you in the long run. Not only will they provide tasty (even organic) fruits, but they offer shade on those hot summer months. You can even put plants that require less sun underneath them. Some plants only require partial sun throughout the day, so having a tree over them can keep them nice and healthy all year long.

4. As mentioned earlier, add a nice little touch to your plants by adding garden lights. You may consider outdoor string lights or even little path lights. They range from prices, and depending on your budget, they can be very affordable. There are so many options out there, so if you need help with ideas, you will find lots of information out there. You can go solar, which requires no trenching or digging. Otherwise, if you go electrical, you may get away with digging very shallow trenches to hide your wires.

When landscaping your yard, it’s always clever to go for simply elegant. Going overboard can make you wish you never had a garden to begin with, because of all the work that goes with it. However, if you really love working on your garden, then by all means go all out! This advice is meant for people who don’t want to spend their entire weekends gardening, but want a nice garden to enjoy.  With these types of plants, you only need to maintain them every couple of months, besides watering them. And if you have sprinklers, then that’s one less thing to worry about.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Up-lighting Your Garden

Posted on January 3, 2011 by admin

It is so amazing to see how creative you can get with your outdoor lighting decor. If you have a desire to make your garden look a certain way, just do a little bit of research on the internet, and voila, you can do just that! So, for this particular article, let’s talk about up-lighting. If you’d like to add a dramatic effect to your garden or patio, you may want to add lights at the base of objects to highlight their features. You can place base lights at the bottom of trees by making them the focal point of your garden. Or, you can place lights to highlight an architectural feature, such as a post or corner that is not very bright. The key in making that area stand out is to make the lights point upwards, hence the term ‘up-lighting’, to really create that feeling. It can even look quite romantic to have some dim lights pointing upwards on the corners of your outdoor dining area. This is an amazing outdoor lighting tool, and can be very inexpensive to accomplish.

You may also try placing base lights behind bushes or trees to add a silhouette or create shadows that add texture to your garden. Either way, when choosing which plants to showcase, be sure to examine them during the day to make sure that they have minimal structural imbalances or defects. Then, when choosing the lights, make sure that they are proportional to the size of your trees or bushes. Stake-mounted and recessed outdoor lighting fixtures are the most common types of lights to use for this purpose. If you want to hide the lights for maximum aesthetic quality, you would want to go with the recessed outdoor lighting. They will be more stable, and won’t get knocked over as easily as stake-mounted outdoor lighting.

However, if your garden is prone to more flooding, recessed lighting may not be the best way to go.  This is because drainage is so important to your recessed light’s length of life. If it rains a lot where you live, stake-mounted lighting is probably the best way to go to ensure that your lights will always work properly. But, if you absolutely insist on getting  recessed lighting, there are kinds that are sold for underwater use, and are much tougher in the rain. Even though they are more costly than spike-mounted lights, they still have their disadvantages, so when choosing your up-lights, do what works best for your garden. Before you buy them, make sure that  you already have their spots planned, and the brightness determined for the size of your plants.

Posted in Outdoor Lighting | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

3 Steps to Secure Your Home

Posted on December 30, 2010 by admin

There is nothing more valuable than having a secure home for your family. It’s much easier to sleep at night knowing that you can secure your home in these three easy steps, without having to invest thousands of dollars. Even though a security system is definitely recommended for everyone, here are some simple steps you can take to make sure that your loved ones are safe from harm’s way. The last thing you ever want to witness is a burglar coming into your home and harming you and your family.  Why make it easier for them to break in?

1. Start by securing your windows and doors. Perform an inspection, especially on your ground-level windows that can be easily reached by anyone.  You may even go as far and trying to break into them yourself to see how hard or easy it is.  You can install security screens and locks, or even window films. This won’t take away from the beauty of your home, and will provide more safety for your loved ones.

2. Invest in outdoor lighting. There’s nothing a burglar likes more than to hide in the darkness. Make this impossible for them. The three most important lights to have are backyard lights, driveway lights, and flood lights equipped with motion sensors. Not only are outdoor lights a safety precaution, but they can also add a pretty glow to your home at night. This helps visitors find your home better, and keeps your driveway and walkways well-lit to prevent injuries and mishaps. This is probably the most important step out of the 3 listed, because there’s nothing more frightening than having a stranger lurking in the shadows of your home.

3.  Get a fake security camera (or a real one if you’re really serious about protecting your home). Put yourself in that burglar’s shoes. If they see a camera outside your front door, they probably assume that you have a full-blown security system set up. Having a camera that looks real will prevent burglars from even trying. Why would they go through all that trouble when there are hundreds of other homes without those safety features? They are far more likely to rob a home that doesn’t look secure.

Just remember to always lock up your front, side and back doors. And don’t ever leave windows open, no matter how safe you think your neighborhood is. Investing in a real security system can save you many headaches down the road, so if you haven’t already taken that step, make sure you at least make it as hard as possible for any unwanted peeping toms near your precious home and family.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

Let Your Plants Shine!

Posted on December 30, 2010 by admin

So, you’ve planted your beautiful palm trees and you’ve installed that gorgeous water fountain that adds life to your garden. It’s taken longer than expected, but that doesn’t matter because it’s finally done! Now, what do you need next to help showcase their beauty at night? Outdoor lighting is your answer!

Many of us like to have guests over, and on a nice summer or spring evening there is nothing better than listening to the sound of your family and friends laughing in your backyard. So, to help create a gorgeous ambiance, why not light up your plants with some spot lights? You can add a dramatic effect to your fountain or plants by adding just the right amount of light.

You may simply want to install some lights right at the base of a tree, or a few lights that surround your fountain or any focal point that looks nice in your yard. Or, if you have a swimming pool or pond, some people find that putting walkway lights around your pool can add an elegant ambiance.. Since outdoor lights are almost always waterproof, you wouldn’t have to worry about them getting destroyed by your pool or pond water.

Strategically placing a small spot light near your trees can make any garden look more beautiful. Something to note- you definitely don’t need to get super bright lights, because that will take away from the natural beauty in your yard. Try to stick with lights that are 10 watts or less so that you can add just enough light without going overboard. Compact fluorescent lights (CFLs) are the lower intensity lights that work very well with path lights or spot lights in your garden. Another great option, which is also more eco-friendly, is to use Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs). They are a little bit more expensive, but they last longer than CFLs and they also conserve more energy.  So, whichever path you choose in lighting up your garden, just remember that a little goes a long way.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Things to Consider Before Going Solar

Posted on December 30, 2010 by admin

So you’re considering solar lights? That’s a great step in the right direction!

Solar outdoor lights are becoming more and more renowned these days. Why is that? Well, for starters, there are no tangle-prone wires required to install them in your yard. This can be a huge relief for the people who know all too well that digging trenches to hide wires can be quite cumbersome.

Another great feature of solar lights is that they are not connected to the electrical grid, so they don’t add one cent to your electric bill. You will find over time that they pay for themselves and still do their job really well. However, you must be willing to invest in a higher quality solar lights if you expect them to always be at prime performance.

The main complaint that most homeowners have is that their solar lights aren’t bright enough. If you are worried that your solar lights wont get the job done, you can always go for the traditional plug-in outdoor lights This gives you a little bit more peace of mind, because  you know that they will work regardless of whether there was sun that day or not.

Having night lights consistently is not a luxury. They provide safety to your family.  So, if you feel that you need to make sure that they work, whether it is rain or shine, going electrical might be the way to go. Your family’s safety is your first priority, so at least getting electrical driveway lights would be a great option. Then you can have the best of both worlds.

Another thing to consider when buying your solar lights, or any outdoor lights for that matter, is that they are easy to maintain and clean. Changing bulbs should not take 25 minutes. It should take 3 minutes at the most to maintain your lights every couple of months. You work very hard, so let those lights work hard for you too!

Posted in Outdoor Lighting | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Battery-Powered Lights Vs. Plugged-In Lights

Posted on December 30, 2010 by admin

Do you want some advice for getting battery-powered lights versus plugged-in lights, or even solar lights? Even though sometimes it’s the only option because there are hard-to-reach places in your yard, you should consider installing plugged-in lights compared to battery-powered lights. Here is why:

1. Battery-powered lights require more maintenance. They need to be checked at least once a month to make sure that they are still working. If you get plug-in lights instead, it’s another thing that takes care of itself. The only maintenance would be to change bulbs, and by getting LED bulbs, you will conserve a lot of energy. You might as well go for the money-saving option, even if it requires a bigger initial investment.

2. Save your money. You don’t need to keep a year’s worth of batteries anymore. Changing out your batteries every couple of months can be a huge waste of time as well, as mentioned in number 1. So, unless you have some dark corners that just are not anywhere near an outlet, save yourself a hassle and just go ahead and plug those lights in.

3. Let’s be real here. Safety. You need to make sure that your lights are working at all times. Owning a home is a huge responsibility. You need to make sure that people are not getting injured on your dark stairs or unexpected cracks in the concrete. Getting battery-powered lights are bound to burn out, and replacing them can be quite a burden. So, keep it simple and go with plug-in lights as often as you can.

If you are looking for ways to save money on your electric bill, you may consider getting flood lights for your driveway or your front door. They are equipped with motion sensors, so that they only turn on when they sense motion. This is a great alternative to keeping a light on outside all night, especially if it’s battery-powered. However, sometimes they can get annoying if they are extremely sensitive to every tiny rodent or pet that walks by. You may set the light to turn on only when a bigger object is in the vicinity.

Keeping your lighting needs simple is the best way to go when it comes to keeping your family safe and keeping your house well-lit. Sometimes, battery-powered lights can be really nice in the hard-to-reach spots in your yard, but sometimes even an extension cord is a better option so that you are guaranteed lights all year long, without having to maintain your lights at all. I’m sure you’ve got much better things to do with your time, so plug those lights in and let them shine!

Posted in Outdoor Lighting | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Outdoor Lighting Ideas

Posted on December 28, 2010 by admin

Designing your outdoor lighting can really add spice to your backyard and front yard. The whole process is pretty exciting and can really help you discover what moods you enjoy being surrounded in. Do you have a fountain? Or how about a swimming pool? Would you like to showcase your beautiful mango tree?

As you know, designing your lights can be a tough decision, but with this advice, hopefully you will have a better understanding of your individual needs.

Here are some outdoor lighting ideas for you to play around with when considering the look that you are going for:

1. Path lights are a great option to consider, and they go well with just about any look that you are going for. You can get any size you want, and the styles range from mid-western lanterns to modern chic. Solar lights are also available in this category of lighting.

2. Gazebos are a great addition to any yard. They protect you and your family from the sun and are very elegant. You may consider getting a light to put inside of your gazebo for warm summer nights.

3. You can also get stepping stone lights instead of, or in addition to, path lights. These are gorgeous and come in a wide variety of stones or brick. These are also available in the solar option.

4. If you have a pool, pool lights are great for any homeowner. They come in such a wide variety that this topic deserves an article on its own. But, long story short, you can get all colors of the rainbow inside, around and at the bottom of your pool to add whatever feel you are going for.

5. Deck lighting is very dynamic, because once you have lights out there, you may be able to enjoy a nice summertime dinner on the deck for a change. It’s nice to utilize all corners of your home, because if you don’t, then who will? You may want to consider low-voltage LED lights so that they can help to conserve energy.

6. Flood lights are a perfect addition to any garage, as they will turn on, since most of them are equipped with motion sensors. When you pull into your driveway, you can be sure that it will be well-lit, preventing accidents and injuries.

These are just a few outdoor lighting ideas that can help you to make your decisions a little bit easier. It’s nice to know that there are so many options, instead of the boring traditional lights that used to just light up spaces. Now, with all of our amazing technological breakthroughs, the possibilities for your home are virtually endless.

Posted in Outdoor Lighting | Tagged , | 5 Comments

Driveway Lights

Posted on December 27, 2010 by admin

Every driveway has unique lighting needs. The first priority, of course should be to keep your driveway well-lit to avoid anyone backing up into a bush or bicycle. Also, you want to make sure that the driveway lights fit the style of your home. However, here are a few things to remember when shopping for your lights.

1. Decide if you want less lights or more. Getting less lights can be easier to maintain, and they will be brighter. However, if they are too bright then it can be annoying. You may want to consider getting a few more lights to place around your driveway that are a bit less bright, and still easy to maintain, which leads us into number 2.

2. Getting solar lights for your driveway is becoming more popular, as people realize that this can reduce electricity costs and also eliminate wires, but the only downside is that they are usually not as bright as electrical lights. Depending on your budget, solar lights may be the right path, and they are eco-friendly as well!

3. Depending on the length of your driveway, you can always install path lights from your front door all the way to the end of the driveway. This can help make your home safer and more well-lit. It is something to definitely consider if you have a very long driveway.

4. Outdoor lamps and lanterns are also really nice, but just make sure when you buy them that the lights can be replaced easily, and that they can easily be cleaned.

Posted in Outdoor Lighting | Tagged , | Leave a comment