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Read an article to increase your knowledge base on gardening:


Light Up Your Garden And Brighten Your Life

by: Carolyn James



Extending Your Living Space

The garden is fast being considered to be an extension to your living
space and homeowners are putting as much effort into creating a harmonious
environment outside as they are inside. A beautiful garden is also considered
to be one of the biggest selling features of a home and can certainly help
to add value and appeal.

As the short days of winter recede, many of us will be starting to think
about our gardens and dreaming up projects and schemes that we plan to undertake
when the days become longer and the weather warmer. For many traditionalists
this will mean planting borders, manicuring the lawn and cultivating a myriad
of blooms that will add colour and life to their gardens throughout the
summer, whilst others will view their garden purely as an area in which
to relax.

Garden centres are already stocked with outdoor furniture, ubiquitous
decking and the eclectic range of artefacts that are designed to help you
enjoy your garden to the full. However, garden lighting is one of the most
effective ways that you can improve the look and functionality of your outdoor
living space and increases the time that you can appreciate this natural
extension to your home. Garden lighting has moved beyond the occasional
wall lantern or halogen floodlight illuminating the patio or garden path,
blending functionality with creativity. Strategic outdoor lighting enables
you to enjoy aspects of your garden at all times of the day or evening,
all year ‘round, whether for entertainment purposes or your own pleasure.


The garden at night should be considered to be a blank canvas on which
one’s own creation can evolve. Properly placed lighting can create the most
wonderful ambience by silhouetting trees, highlighting favourite shrubs,
accenting flowerbeds or reflecting the diamond like sparkle of droplets
cascading from a water feature.

The Key to Successful Creative Lighting

The key to successful lighting is to focus in on specific architectural
features:



Uplight pergolas, archways or façades for a dramatic effect

“Wash” sides of buildings with a subtle light

Focus a gentle light across fences and walls

Highlight water features with submersible lights

Silhouette trees by placing lights below and behind them.

Bring your garden alive after dark by illuminating it with a range of
carefully chosen coloured lights:



Add warmth with tones of yellow or red

Add a green light beneath foliage to make leaves appear greener

Create a fresher, Nordic atmosphere with white or blue light. This is
particularly effective if you have a lot of pine trees.

Subtlety is the key, since a blend of too many colours can give a gaudy
appearance, unless of course you have a penchant for theme park styles.


Functional Lighting

If you are seeking more functional lighting, then low voltage fittings
are the best option. Uplighters fitted into decking or patios can add that
subtle but necessary source of light when the sun goes down, whether you
are entertaining or just relaxing. But there are always more creative possibilities.
Recessed lighting can be built into steps and fixed seating or under handrails.
Each source of light becomes a feature in itself and creates the individuality
and atmosphere that reflects your own needs and personality.

If you are an active barbecuer and you need more direct light, then
spotlights that are discretely located but focused on your cooking area
are ideal. If safety and security are your concern then there is a wide
range of functional but aesthetic lighting available to illuminate steps,
paths and driveways and help to prevent accidents after dark. Motion detectors
that activate lighting when someone passes by have proved to be a boon for
added security and safety. Another way of improving security is to have
certain strategically placed lighting linked to photo electric cells that
automatically turn on at dusk and off at dawn.

Lighting Tips

When creating a lighting scheme for your garden you should adopt the
less is more approach. The objective must always be to see the landscape
and not the lights, with the right balance between aesthetic and functional
lighting.

It is important always to use lights that have the correct IP rating
and are therefore suitable for outdoor lighting. Although the installation
of these types of light is not difficult, it is recommended that you employ
a qualified electrician for their installation.

There is a wide range of products on the market from which to choose,
but the most cost-effective solution is to buy the best quality you can.
By choosing quality products and having them professionally fitted you’ll
have something that will not only last for years, but also maintains its
good looks.

Don’t forget that you are starting with a blank canvas. Like art, there
are a few basic rules that you should follow, but in the end beauty is in
the eye of the beholder.

Be creative. Make your garden an extension to your home. A ‘room’ under
the stars!

www.thelightcompanydirect.co.uk





About The Author



Carolyn and Laurence James own The Light Company Direct Ltd, an independent,
family run business, based in the heart of the Cotswolds. The company offers
a superb range of distinctive and stylish lighting for homes and commercial
establishments via mail order and the Internet. Carolyn and Laurence have
selected lighting that represents the very best in design and craftsmanship.
They have developed close links with key manufacturers throughout Europe
and are able to offer customers many designs that are rarely seen in the
UK.

carolyn@thelightcompanydirect.co.uk

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