1. Switching position
2. Power type
3. Tips for garden lighting
4. Lighting effect
5. Light material
6. Light Type
7. Bulb Type

The first two I covered in part 1. Now I will go on to discuss 3 and 4.

3.Tips for garden lighting

The first thing you need to do is to create an outdoor lighting plan. This should cover the lighting effects you are trying to achieve. Decide on the features or areas you want to light including decking, paths and driveways, patios and terraces, Pergolas, arches and gazebos, Planting and shrub borders, Statues and focal points, steps, trees and water features. A good idea is to buy a torch which when twisted at the top gives a floodlight or spotlight effect and play around with this at night to create differant moods and effects. The following are other things to consider-

Paint a picture with light and shade:

When designing your scheme try to think of it in its entirity, rather than as separate parts. All the elements should fit together and be in balance. Remember that things visible in the day can be left in darkness, so you have the opportunity to make dramatic changes to your visible landscape.

Less is more:

Shadow is as important to your scheme as light, so dont try to light everything. Instead retain some mystery. Also keep it subtle- very bright garden lighting can look brash and artificial.

Hide the light source:

It is the lighting effect you want to see, not the fitting. So wherever possible, hide the light source – behind a shrub, perhaps a rock, a pot or a wall.

Experiment with lighting effects:

Try throwing shadow onto walls, creating reflections in ponds or using backlighting to create interesting effects. The possibilities are endless.

Create a scene:

Create a different look with outdoor garden lighting at night compared with the appearance during the day. The night view will often be more dramatic than the day view. We use the term picking out for selecting what you want to highlight-at night you will only see what you illuminate, not the surrounding area.

Create depth:

Give your lighting scene a 3 dimensional effect by illuminating the background as well as foreground features. You will need more then one light for this, however the effect will be much more dramatic.

Wattage and beam angles:

The wide range of beam angles, wattages and options such as frosted lenses means you can tailor each light source to create a precise effect.

Quality:

Use the highest quality equipment and materials your budget will allow.

Avoid glare:

Angle the light beams away from your lines of sight. Where this isnt possible use glare reducing accessories such as glare guards.

Careful placement:

Avoid installing garden lights under or within low shrubs or tall grasses. The beam of light needs a clear path from light source to the focal point. With garden lights the light source needs to be positioned so you are not looking directly at the light.

Placing near plants:

If your installing plants in the winter, remember that your herbaceous plants will grow much larger in the summer. Try to avoid placing lights where they will be swamped.

Maintenance:

Keep your lights looking good. With stainless steel regular washing will remove stains from salt spray etc. With timber bollards you should re-stain when they get faded.

Taking care of your cable:

Avoid accidentaldamage by keeping your cable on the surface where it is visible or bury close to walls out of reach from spades.

Heat:

Halogen light sources generate a lot of heat so care should be taken when considering there location, particularly at low levels where little hands can pry or pets sniff.

4. Lighting effects

Waterfeature lighting

Some water features look better at night, but all are enhanced with outdoor lighting

Mature tree lighting

 Uplighting of mature trees adds drama and vertical emphasis in a garden lighting scheme

Smaller trees can be effectively lit with low voltage spotlights

Deck lighting

Outdoor lights in decking can look very impressive

Grazing of walls

Lighting used to empasise texture of walls

When you have decided you are going to install lights in your garden, there are a few things to consider.

1. Switching position
2. Power type
3. Light type
4. Light material
5. Lighting effect

Switching Position

The first thing to decide is where you want to position your switches or what type of switching method to use eg. Timer, Photocell or remote control.  Ask your electrican to separate the circuits as much as possible so you have different switches for different sets of lights. Separate switches will also allow you to create different moods within the garden.

Power Type

There are three areas to be considered here – High voltage, Low voltage and solar power.

* High voltage systems must be installed by a qualified electrician. The main advantages of 240 volt installations are,

1. No need to use transformers
2. Easier installations because no need for transformers
3. No need to worry about voltage drop in 240 volt cables
4. There are some good energy efficient 240 volt compact fluorescent lamps available

One of the main disadvantages is that cable must be buried and armoured to avoid accidental damage. Only the last 2 meters can be a flexible cable. This results in less flexibility and more ugly junction boxes. Another big disadvantage is that lamps blowing can often trip out a circuit breaker, this rarely happens with a 12 volt system.

* Low voltage systems have many benefits and in my opinion the best alternative. Electricians are more familiar with 240 volt and may shy away from low voltage installations, dont let them put you off. the advantages are.

1. Safety – 12 volts is safe for children and pets
2. A bigger range of good quality, smaller fittings to choose from
3. Easier installation of cables in borders because all cables are flexible
4. A better range of fittings to choose from
5. A lot
6. Easier to fix broken cables
7. Can tolerate dampness or lamps blowing so less likely to trip circuits

* Solar lights are also a good option due to advances in technology. The advantages of solar lights are

1. They are easy to install
2. They are free of maintenance
3. They have no running costs
4. You can install the lights yourself
5. They are safe for children and pets

Uses: Hardy Biennials which can be transplanted into beds in autumn. Hardy perennials which can be transplanted into pots in Autumn. Nearly all named varieties of perennials fail to breed true from seed. But you might not mind having a mixure of colours. The real problem landscapers might have is that you might to wait some time before perennials reach flowering size.

Landscapers Tips

• Prepare nursery bed – this is a special plot of ground set aside for raising seedlings. Follow the rules for preparing the soil for hardy annuals.
• Prepare seed drills – follow the rules for preparing drills for hardy annuals. The drills should be 1 foot apart and labelled with the name of the varieties grown.
• Irish garden designers should, as soon as the seedlings reach a good level,be thinned to about 2 inches apart.
• Plant out in autumn when the plants are 1 1/5 – 2 Inches high. Lift up each plant with a trowel and transfer it with its soil ball to the bed or border where it is to flower.

Uses

• Half hardy annuals for bedding out in late spring
• Hardy annuals for growing in cold and wet sites
• Hardy annuals for early flowering
• Perennials where trueness to varietial type is not important.

Timing  - March – April

Containers

Landscaping designers should use a seed tray, pan or ordinary flower pot. Drainage holes or cracks are necessary. Wash used containers before filing – soak clay pots overnight.

Compost

Landscapers can use a peat based seed compost which provides an ideal medium for germination. Fill the container with compost. Firm lightly with a piece of board. Sprinkle the compost with water the day before seed sowing – it should be moist when you sow the seeds. Scatter them thinly and cover with a thin layer of compost, small seeds would not be covered. Firm lightly with a board. Now choose the standard under glass method or simple windowsill method.

Standard Underglass Method

• Place a sheet of glass over the tray or pot and put brown paper on top. Keep at 60 – 70 degress Fahrenheit. Wipe and turn the glass every day.
• As soon as the seedings break through the surface, remove the paper and prop upthe sheet of glass. After a few days the glass should be removed and the container moved close to the light. Landscaping gardeners should keep the compost moist but not wet.
• As soon as the first set of true leaves have opened the seedlings should be pricked out into trays, pans or small pans filled with potting compost. Landscapers should handle the plants by the seed leaves, not the stems. The seedlings should be set about 1 half inches apart. Keep the container in the shade for a day or two after pricking out.
• When the seedlings have recovered from the pricking out move they must be hardened off to prepare them for the life outdoors. Increase the ventilation and move the container to a cool room or to a cold frame. Then move outdoors during daylight hours. Finally leaving them outdoors all the time for about 7 days before planting out.

Business Directory Ireland