Landscaping of the site

In the evening, your amazing garden gradually loses its appeal, plunging into darkness. Formless silhouettes of shrubs, trees sometimes cause a sense of fear. Extend its charm is capable of well-planned landscape lighting. It is very important to choose the right fixtures and not to be mistaken with their location. Otherwise, the charm of the night site will be lost.

Basic views

Landscape lighting - this is one of the important components of the exterior, which gives the site a landscaped appearance. In doing so, it performs many functions. It should not be considered that it is intended only for lighting the territory at night. Light, properly and correctly placed on the site, is able to emphasize the dignity of the estate, hide small defects and even make some "magic" in certain elements (for example, in a gazebo).

Depending on the function being performed, the following types of landscape lighting are distinguished:

• Duty (security);
• Functional;
• Decorative;
• Festive;
• Architectural and artistic.

Each of them will be a wonderful decoration for your site. The main thing is to develop competent design of landscape lighting. This will make the site unique and unique. Do not forget that lighting can become a "highlight" of the manor, but its excess or incorrect design can deprive the garden of charm and mystery.

Let us consider each species in detail.

Duty lighting

This type is designed to protect the site during the absence of owners or when they sleep. For the lighting on duty, spotlights containing motion sensors are often used. This allows you to learn about any person who appeared on the site. The sensors are triggered by movement, and the searchlight turns on.

Such lighting performs a guard function, frightening off detractors from the estate. And at the same time it perfectly saves electricity, because it is switched on only as needed.

Where to arrange such landscape lighting? Most often it is mounted in places that need protection. This is the perimeter of the territory under video surveillance, the front door, the garage.

Functional lighting

The name speaks for itself. It is designed for safe movement through the territory at night. Excellent demonstrates such landscape lighting of the photo.

Place it near the garden paths, bridges, stairs and numerous other elements that serve to move around the site.

When choosing lighting fixtures, be sure to consider the overall design. They should not contrast with the exterior. All lighting elements must be emphasized by the created ensemble. In addition, remember that in the daytime they serve as small architectural forms.

Excellent fit for this role, the light fixtures. They perfectly set out the garden paths. In addition, such a light "does not hit" in the eyes.

High poles, unfortunately, are not always able to harmoniously fit into the composition. Such lighting makes the estate more strict and muffles its comfort.

Do not forget that functional lighting should be durable, simple, economical. Therefore, it is recommended to use lamps with a motion sensor or on solar panels.

Decorative lighting

It differs from the above-described species with its functionality. This design is not intended for safe movement. A completely different role is played by such coverage. Landscaping with this design is decorated. At the same time decorative lighting creates the uniqueness and uniqueness of the estate.

There are many options for fixtures:

• Optical fiber;
• Luminous figures;
• Decorative lamps;
• Illuminated stones.

This lighting allows you to "play" with light colors. You can emphasize the forms of sculptures, fountain, ornamental plants. With a little imagination, you can make a cozy corner out of the gazebo, designed for a romantic pastime.

Decorative lighting perfectly combines with various elements of garden ornaments. Therefore, the site will look great not only at night, but also during the day.

Architectural and artistic design

An excellent example of this type is flood lighting. Landscape design benefits from this design. Lighting in this case highlights the entire facade of the house. This brings a certain zest and ensures the uniqueness of the building in comparison with the nearby dark houses.

This lighting can serve as an excellent decoration for the infield. But it is very important to plan it correctly. Incorrect selection of lamps or incorrect placement of them can make disharmony. In this case, the face of the garden will look somewhat ridiculous. Therefore, it is better to attract specialists to such design.

Festive lighting

It creates an amazing and joyful atmosphere on your site. It is thanks to this kind of his can create a sense of celebration.

For this type of lighting, LED strips are used most often. You can use neon lamps.

Landscaped LED lighting is capable of providing the most different kinds of objects. Beautifully looks contour lighting at home. The lighting of various sculptures and trees looks original. Such techniques can create a real sense of celebration, a miracle. They will cheer up not only the owners, but also guests and even casual passers-by.

Choosing fixtures

For lighting the territory special park lights are designed. They are produced in a variety of styles. This allows owners even with the most refined taste to pick up the necessary lights. However, such elements, rather, are a daytime decor, because to consider the design of a flashlight at night is quite difficult.

Thus, in order to create a harmonious landscape lighting, the fixtures should be selected of a special type.

Often use the following types:

1. Downlights. Such models are used to highlight objects. They perfectly perform the role of duty lighting. However, using such models, be sure to consider that they provide a powerful blinding light stream. In some cases, this may even be dangerous. For example, if there is a road next to which cars are passing. It is best to choose low-power models that have a soft scattered light stream.
2. Lamps Uplights. Such models direct light from the bottom up. They are used mainly to decorate the building, bushes, trees, roofs, architectural elements. Visually the models of Uplights resemble a spot of light.
3. Lamps for lighting steps and fences. For this task, you can use conventional devices that have a matte light. However, designers often use hidden models that can be easily embedded in an element. The case of such lamps is completely hidden. This allows you to create a wonderful effect, pleasing the eye.
4. Underwater lighting. Special models that have a certain class of protection. They are able to work for a long time under water. They are used to illuminate water bodies, fountains.

Track design

This is one of the important moments, without which it will not be possible to create a cozy landscape design. The lighting of the site must begin with the allocation of tracks, paths, alleys.

It should be clearly understood that this light provides safe movement around the site. Therefore, the light should not be too bright. This will not only make walking uncomfortable along the paths, but also introduce disharmony into the overall composition.

To illuminate the tracks, you can use the following tips:

1. Excellent highlight alleyki small structures in the form of columns. They do not exceed a height of 1 m. They are called bollards. Such columns are supplied with matte or white scatterers. Most often, the light from them is directed downwards. They are usually arranged in a chess sequence, on either side of the track.
2. There are special luminaries Pathlights, designed to isolate the contours of paths. Often they are placed in grass or roadside bushes.
3. Original looks like "floor" lighting. In this case, the fixtures are mounted along the edge of the tracks - in the curbs.

Illumination of design elements

Landscaping the garden will require connecting all your imagination. Some owners design the arbors, water reservoirs, alpine slides and other non-standard compositions trust professional designers. After all, one object may look different, depending on the lighting.

If you are determined to do it yourself, it is recommended that you experiment with light first. Place the lighting device in one place at a time, then transfer it to another area.

Perhaps, the following recommendations will help you correctly design your design:

1. The distance from the luminaire to the object, the viewing angle play an important role in the perception of the overall picture.
2. Trees and bushes are most often illuminated from below.
3. Benches, gazebos can be effectively highlighted if the flow of light is directed from a lantern placed on a nearby tree.

Lighting of reservoirs

This is a very simple design. But at the same time it is the most beautiful landscape lighting of the site.

For this design, listen to the recommendations of designers:

1. For illuminating water bodies, use halogen lamps. They need to be located near the surface of the water.
2. Normal light can create the impression of dirty water. To avoid this, apply a special blue filter.
3. To ensure the most secure location near the water at night, it is recommended to place lamps around the perimeter of your water body.

Additional recommendations

When planning to create a harmonious landscape lighting, consider a number of significant tips:

1. The "smart house" system is very popular. It involves lighting control from one console. Such a system is very convenient for owners.
2. For our climate, fixtures that are located above the ground are better suited. Designers do not recommend the use of lighting devices designed for penetration into the soil.
3. It is not at all rational to place lanterns equipped with a motion sensor if there are animals in the house. In such areas, it is best to use light to turn on and off photocells.
4. When planning a harmonious landscape design, be sure to cover all the stairs of the house.
5. If you want to decorate the exterior with colored lighting, it is recommended to use LED lights.
6. To visually create the sensation of a multi-level garden, use lanterns of different heights. Such an effect will perfectly provide a combination of various models of lamps: conventional, suspended, built-in, wall-mounted.
7. Beautifully looks the design of moving water in colored light. This is the kind of lighting designers recommend to use for waterfalls and fountains.
8. If you use solar lights, you can put a row of rowan berries, a bright flower or glass beads into the detachable part to give the model of colored light.
9. It is best to plan the design of the site with small "islands". Enough uninteresting and rough looks solid illumination of the site. If you focus on certain areas, you create a sense of some mystery, mystery. All designers build lighting planning exactly on the game of contrast of light and shadow.

Results

As you can see, many beautiful ideas allow you to design the lighting on the site in an original way. Do not be afraid to experiment. Perhaps, it is you who will create an unsurpassed light show on your territory!

Creative success to you!