Lighting Directory

Getting Started with Garden Lighting PDF Print E-mail

photo courtesy of Vista Professional Outdoor LightingGarden lighting has come a long way since the basic porch and garage lights. Easy to install low voltage systems as well as solar landscape lights have made it easy for any homeowner to have a professional looking landscape lighting installation. Outdoors lighting fixtures used to be un-pleasing to the eye and rather drab and mechanical looking so they were often hidden during any landscape or garden light installation. Those times are long gone with a variety of manufactures (see our garden lighting manufacturers) making garden lighting as beautiful as it is functional.



Low Voltage garden lighting packages provide an inexpensive way to illuminate your pathways or garden beds. The starter packages will contain cables, connectors, lights, photocells, a timer and transformer which is everything you’ll need to get started doing a DIY garden light installation.  Most kits can be combined to meet the number of lights you’ll need to match your outdoor area. Other options are solar landscape lights that require no wires or if you’re needing to light a large landscape you should consider a line voltage system. Line voltage systems often require a qualified installation by a professional.

The first step in any lighting job is to come up with a design. Even if your going to hire a professional lighting designer you should go ahead and sketch out a plan before hand to get an idea of the size and cost of your garden lighting project. If your unsure of any light placements in your plan, use lanterns or tiki torches in place where you’ll be installing your other lights to get a sample of what your yard will look like once you’ve installed your garden lighting.

You should make note of any pathways, stairs, and entrances to make sure they are well lighted for safety when enjoying your patio or garden at night.

Less is more when it comes to choosing your garden lighting. You don’t want to create hot spots where multiple lights intersect causing unpleasant hues and that harsh feeling on the eyes.  Unless your going for a certain lighting effect (learn about garden lighting terms) you’ll want to avoid glare that happens when lights are not focused properly.

The next step is to purchase your lights and necessary equipment to run them. Most garden lighting kits will contain all the needed lights, cables, timers and transformer as well as detailed instructions.  You can buy all the components individually but you’ll need to be mindful of the number of lights, distance and voltage drop. You’ll need to multiply the length from the transformer to the light by the total wattage of all the light fixtures on the cable run. Take this total and divide by the cable constant of the wire gauge. (Watch a video about garden lighting installation)

Once you’ve put in your lights and everything is working, don’t bury any cables until you’ve spent a few evenings outside at night making sure your garden lighting installation is what you want. You can always move things around until your happy and then hide the cables. A well planned and installed garden lighting installation should give you years of enjoyment at night.