Landscape Lighting Techniques
TECHNIQUES
There are a variety of techniques one can use to highlight features. Depending on placement, brightness, and material. It is possible to craft a complete mood or feeling from the design you choose. Here are a few common techniques used in landscape lighting.
1) WALL WASH
· Directs focus on shapes, textures, and height differences in landscape and hardscape areas.
2) UP LIGHTING
· This is when light is directed upward to illuminate features to grab one’s attention. Perfect for use with trees, shrubs, and columns
· This is a technique where two beams are directed from opposite angles to create a 3-D visual experience that adds depth to an object.
4) GRAZING
· This technique is perfect for architectural features and stonework. Lighting directed at a rough surface produces shadow effects and texture to really bring out the imperfections of a surface.
5) SHADOWING
· Shadowing allows you to utilize lighting to project the outline of a tree, plant, or other structure on to the surface behind an object. This can be achieved using a well-placed up light.
6) SILHOUETTE LIGHTING
· This effect is essentially the opposite of shadowing in that light is projected behind an object to produce an outline of the object in front creating a backlit effect where the actual object is outlined. Click here to view some options that are ideal for silhouette lighting.
7) MIRROR LIGHTING
· When a water feature is involved, mirror lighting can create strategically lit background areas that reflect the landscape off the water.
8) 1) MOON LIGHTING
· Placing a fixture above rather than below can create an effect that catches details of branches and casts details of leaves or branches onto a surface below. This technique mimics the effect of natural moonlight.
· Perfect for permanent and semi-permanent installations like driveways, sidewalks, large mature trees, walls, and flagpoles. Also useful in turf areas where one can mow right over without worrying about maneuvering around lights.
· Two or three directional up lights can create an illuminated effect on a flag casts a three-dimensional glow along with shadows that accent any flag. Different effects can be created based on flag size and pole height.
11) PATH LIGHTING
· Most common landscape lighting technique. Illuminates pathways and landscape beds to accentuate plants, boulders, and softscape details to really emphasize elements of an existing landscape. This is what people typically visualize when thinking of landscape lighting.
12) HARDSCAPE LIGHTING/DECK LIGHTING
· No stonework or hardscape is complete without lighting. Using a step or wall light can easily highlight retaining walls, outdoor kitchens, steps, decks, and benches.
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