The use of lighting in landscape design

Landscape lighting is able to decorate a house or yard. Additionally, it can perform security functions. To equip the backlight in your dacha, you need to figure out what elements can be highlighted, what lighting options exist, and how to choose fixtures.

The use of lighting in landscape design

Landscape lighting is necessary not only for design, but also for convenience. Lamps are placed along the paths, at the entrance to the premises, in the garden, this allows you not to stumble over a stone or other obstacle. Lighting is important in the presence of plants that are easy to crush in complete darkness.

Light fixtures are needed to protect private property. Choosing between a lighted and a dark area, the thief is more likely to climb into the territory of the second. Together with CCTV cameras, lamps become the main elements of security.

What is illuminated in summer cottages

Just randomly placing light sources is unlikely to create a good composition. You need to determine which elements need highlighting:

1. Outline selection. Lamps can mark "boundaries" garden path, flower beds, small structures. For this, an LED strip is usually used, it costs little, does not spend a lot of electricity and is easy to install. You can also use special lamps powered by solar energy.
   Highlighting flower beds with LED strip.
2. Footpath. Even a neatly paved pedestrian zone becomes dangerous in the dark. Either point models built into the path itself, or lanterns-pillars running along it, help to solve the problem.
3. Trees. For a tree, you can make a bottom light, and it will become the centerpiece of the garden or adjoining territory. Another interesting solution is to select a group of trees and create a recreation area based on them.
4. Fence. With the help of light, you can highlight the entire area. In this case, either a flood stream or a scheme with small spotlights aimed at the fence, which are installed along the entire contour of the area with a certain distance from each other, is suitable.
   Selection of the fence and trees near it.
5. Decorative reservoirs and pools. It is very important not only for decoration, but for safety. It is better to use lamps with different modes and filters. It is also important that they have a high degree moisture protection.
   Just a few lights completely change the look of the pool.
6. Veranda. For many, this is a favorite place to relax in warm weather.Lighting can be ordinary - a lamp on the ceiling, or you can experiment, for example - spotlights on a fence, columns, and other elements.
   Side lighting on a small veranda.

Types of landscape lighting

Landscape lighting of a suburban area may differ in illuminating elements, types of lamps, area, power consumption, and other characteristics. The main element of the classification is the functional.

What are the options depending on the function

According to the functionality, the following types of landscape lighting are distinguished:

1. General. Needed to illuminate the area. It is carried out using poles, wall lamps, light sources installed on the fence. With high-quality general lighting, you can even comfortably perform any work in the evening.
2. Decorative. Not so much functional as a creative kind of arrangement. With the help of special columns, diode strips, and other simple sources, individual elements on the territory are emphasized. Christmas garlands are also decorative lighting.
   Decorative selection of the site.
3. Technical. It is necessary for convenience and safety. Technical lighting includes lamps near garage entrances, utility rooms, greenhouses, vegetable gardens, wells. For it, high-quality devices with the possibility of adjustment should be used.
4. Security. The better the area is lit, the less likely it is that thieves will appear. The light should cover literally every meter of the territory so that there are no dark corners left. Good lighting will protect not only from people with malicious intent, but also from wild animals.
   Security lighting should provide the required level of facility security.
5. Marking. Used to indicate certain elements.You can highlight benches, steps, the entrance to the gazebo, street taps, an outdoor shower and everything that needs to be marked.
   Step markings.

In addition to works with the territory, landscape lighting includes home decor. To emphasize architectural forms, horizontal lighting is used with garlands, ribbons, and built-in lamps.

Additionally, small spotlights and lanterns, the light from which will go to the walls of the house. In this way, security functions can be strengthened.

Features of landscape lighting of plants

There are several ways to arrange plant lighting, there are single-level and multi-level schemes. To create different effects, both bright bulbs and models with subdued light are used.

The owner of the site arranges everything the way he likes, but there are some recommendations, they are based on the shape and size of green spaces.

So, for a large tree, you will need many lighting points, and for small plants, one light bulb may be enough. For high plantings, floodlights are used, it installed at a distance of several meters from the trunk.

Illumination of plantings of different sizes.

The height of the tree can also affect the location of the lamps. So, on a tall plant you can hang downlight, it will act as an artificial moon. But it is better to use a hanging lamp scheme on a single tree. When installed under a plant or behind it, the silhouette will be highlighted, the contours of the tree and its shape will be clearly visible. It is interesting to decorate plantings in winter. When there are no more leaves left and the branches are bare, you can hang them with multi-colored garlands.

Emphasizing lush trees and bushes will not be superfluous. Spotlights are advised to be placed at such an angle that there are no bright glare on the leaves. This can be achieved by directing the light flux onto the tree trunk.

The nuances of choosing fixtures

A variety of models for a summer cottage can be confusing, so you should study in advance the main points that you should be guided by when choosing:

1. Purpose. For the street, only street lamps are suitable. Yes, they are more expensive than internal models, but the ways to work at any temperature do not allow moisture and dust to pass through. Quality luminaires must meet the IP65 standard or higher.
   Outdoor fixtures must be protected from water.
2. Voltage. If it is possible to install a step-down transformer, then you can buy light sources for 12 volts. Such lighting will be safer, and cabling can be done at shallow depths. But such a transformer is expensive and takes up space; without it, you will have to use 220 volt lamps.
3. Lamp type. Models that work on the principle of incandescence consume a lot of energy, while creating a "warm" light. If you need just such, then you can take them, if not, it is better to put halogen or LED lamp.
4. Colorful temperature. A special characteristic that determines the hue of lighting, measured in Kelvin. So, lamps up to 3300 K will produce warm white, options up to 5000 K - neutral, and above 5000 K - cold.
   The higher the heating temperature of the metal, the whiter the light.
5. Functional. It is necessary to choose fixtures taking into account where they will be installed, what functions they will perform.To illuminate the entire yard, you will need a high-powered high-power lamp, and for plants, fences and small structures, you will need medium-power lamps installed in the "floor". To mark steps and paths, weak lamps will be needed, because their main task is to show that they are there, and not to illuminate the area.
   It is better to use lamps of approximately the same color temperature.

In addition to technical characteristics, you should pay attention to the design. After all, only at night the main function of the lamp is lighting, and during the day it becomes part of the decor. Therefore, it is better to use not "bare" light bulbs, but models with beautiful shades.

Lanterns should look nice.

Installation of landscape lighting

The easiest option - inserted into the ground solar powered lamps or with batteries. They are usually equipped with a sharp end so that they can be inserted into the ground. Not a lot of problems and LED strip. It comes with a power supply, and is also equipped with adhesive tape, which will allow you to fix it on different surfaces.

Solar-powered LED lights charge during the day and stay on at night.

The situation becomes more complicated when connecting a lighting system from several points or when arranging a full-fledged lamp of a floor lamp or wall type.

The video will talk about the 5 most popular methods of landscape lighting.

Preparing to install a floor lamp

This lighting option has high power, it is able to illuminate the yard, parking, recreation area and other large areas. Work is performed in the following order:

1. First you need to dig a hole under the foundation, tamp the bottom with sand.
2. Installation of formwork with a tube for the power wire.
   Section of the trench after completion of work.
3. Pouring concrete.
4. After drying, a connection cable is threaded into the previously installed tube.
5. Everything is connected with terminal clamps.
6. The lantern with a support is installed on the foundation, fixed with anchor bolts.

Light pole connection diagram.

Read also

Features of installation and connection of street lamps

 

Fixing wall models

Instruction:

1. The power cable is brought out through the wall in the right place.
2. Drill holes for fasteners.
3. Screws secure the back of the lantern.
4. Connect power wires.
5. Install the front of the lamp.

Street sconce with Edison lamp.

Scheme with built-in lamps

Such spotlights are installed in small depressions in the ground or concrete. Power cables must pass through these recesses, they will be in the ground and must be in a protective box.

Scheme with built-in lamp.

After installing and connecting the recessed lamp, the edges of this recess are concreted.