Applying outdoor low voltage lighting to gardens is a specific application of low voltage landscape lighting. Every garden is unique and reflects both the gardener and the particular landscape effects the garden creates. In fact, there are just as many definitions of a garden as their are gardeners.
Most people today refer to flower gardens and not vegetable gardens when they talk about lighting. But gardens can be hedges, or trees, or cactus, or various combinations of any of these. Here in Central Florida, Chasing the Sun Landscaping does mostly Yard and outdoor lighting in Sanford FL.
Most experts agree that gardens should be lit vertically rather than horizontally. This means the lights should shine up and down, or preferably from above or below the plants to get the effect of the sun shining down on the plants or a reflection of the sun from underneath. This is considered to be the most natural way to light a garden. To achieve this effect, lighting fixtures can be attached above the garden, on trees, walls, fences or even architectural elements. This also keeps the lighting elements safe from being knocked about by children or pets.
Since the garden lighting will be displayed in the dark, it’s important to make people feel safe and comfortable at night in the garden. To do this, experts recommend you add lighting to pathways, borders and boundaries to give a welcoming effect. If you’re worried about the lights attracting insects, you can add a blue light further away from the garden to attract insects away from the garden. Insects can see a blue shade of light the best, and most will flock to that light.
As far as the type of lighting that is optimally used for outdoor gardens, LED’s are the consensus choice. LED’s offer bright light that can be supported by batteries or even solar power. Their small form factor makes them ideal to use for paths, borders, walkways, fences, statues and even above and below the garden.
When using solar LED lights, their most popular form comes in staked versions which can be hammered into the ground to act as path lighting. On the top of the lights are usually small solar panels which will store power from sunlight during the day and automatically light up the area around them for a few hours at night. LED string lights are also a good option for hanging on fences, walls or borders, offering lots of light with little work to install.