Garden lighting (54 photos): types of lighting fixtures. Features of lighting paths, pond and stairs. High voltage, low voltage and solar powered lighting. Garden lighting as an element of landscape design How to make lighting in the garden

Lighting for a garden or personal plot is an important element not only of beauty, but also of safety. To be convinced of this, it is enough just one walk in the backyard or garden with a hand lamp. A well-thought-out and competent lighting system makes it easy to navigate the garden area in the dark and move around it with a high level of safety. With the help of decorative illumination of flower beds, garden paths, steps and trees, you can create an individual atmosphere of a personal plot and prolong the time of communication with nature.

There are two types of street lighting:

• utilitarian (functional);
• decorative.

Consider with specific examples of landscape design projects in which garden lighting is used, how you can not only protect yourself, households and guests of a suburban or urban private home ownership, but also give a personal plot an atmosphere of celebration, mystery or romanticism.

This is, first of all, safe movement around the site and near it at night. If we consider the illumination of a personal plot or backyard from the point of view of comfortable safety, then the illumination of the porch of the house, the entrance to the garage or the area for parking a car and garden paths can be considered a sufficient level.

If we talk about the simplest and most inexpensive way to illuminate a site that is adjacent to home ownership, then it is enough to evenly arrange the lamps along the garden paths. Such lighting can become the basis for illuminating the garden, for small areas this may be sufficient.

There are several key aspects to keep in mind when designing functional lighting:

• lighting equipment should be durable, all-season, simple and convenient in terms of operation and maintenance;
• it is necessary to maintain harmony between the level of illumination of paths and other objects of the landscape. The walker will experience discomfort if it is flooded with too bright light. It is better to direct the maximum brightness level to illuminate accent elements - arbors, patios, trees or shrubs;
• it is important that the facade of the building remains the most illuminated place on the site; it is psychologically easier for the residents of the house and their guests to move from a darker place to a site with bright lighting;
• another factor of psychological comfort is the fact that even in the darkest time of the day the boundaries of the yard or plot are visible.

For the organization of functional lighting, both conventional incandescent lamps and energy-saving, fluorescent lamps with various mounting methods are suitable. The most commonly used floor lamps... These are lighting fixtures that are mounted vertically and are equipped with frosted glass diffusers, which significantly improve the quality of light of the lamps installed in them. High-tech floor lamps are becoming more and more popular, but there are also design projects with retro-style equipment.

- the organic shape of a sphere made of carbonate or polycarbonate, equipped with low-power lamps, is able not only to create dim lighting, but also to decorate the landscape design of any site.

Solar powered lighting - are charged during the day (for this they are equipped with special batteries) in order to provide dim lighting of significant areas of the backyard or garden at night. Such devices are mobile and do not require a connection to the power grid; they can be removed for the winter or transferred during the warm season to different parts of the garden in order to highlight certain objects, constantly changing the appearance and atmosphere of your site at dusk. Due to the fact that solar-powered devices are equipped with sensors and LEDs that turn on automatically, such lighting can last all night.

In order not to be mistaken when choosing lamps for a personal plot, you can use one simple rule - if the landscape design of the garden is quite diverse, it is dominated by various flower beds, patios with garden furniture, alpine slides and many other decorative elements, then it is better to opt for lamps of laconic forms or use hidden lighting (more on this later). And in the case of simple and laconic landscape design, striving for minimalism, you can use retro lamps, fancy shapes, different shades of lighting.

Recently, built-in lighting systems have been used quite widely, not only indoors, but also in private plots. You can embed lamps into stair bases, alpine slides, fountains, curbs and other landscape elements.

What is important to know when purchasing street lighting:

• be sure to ask the store for a safety certificate for the device;
• make sure that the certificate contains information about the degree of protection of the purchased product;
• inquire about the warranty period for the outdoor lighting element;
• pay special attention to the material from which the device is made. The body of the luminaire will be actively affected by the sun's rays, moisture and other weather manifestations. Check if the inside of the luminaire mount is painted, if it rusts, the luminaire will have to be thrown away. In operation, lamps made of stainless steel (painted), cast iron and aluminum alloys have proven themselves quite well.

Decorative lighting

With the onset of darkness, any, even the most beautiful and sophisticated personal plot, loses its individuality. Beds and flower beds, garden sculptures, ponds and fountains become indistinguishable in the twilight. Well-organized backyard or garden lighting can transform the exquisite beauty of nature and create a unique night image of the site, which will be completely different from the appearance of the courtyard in the daytime. It's up to you to decide which look of the infield is right for you - mysterious or romantic, filled with drama or festive fun.

An interesting decorative effect can be created by highlighting plants (trees and shrubs). For this, mini-searchlights are installed on the ground (in small recesses).

Lighting without the use of lamps

An increasing number of landscape design projects are striving to use LED lighting, which allows you to create a kind of hidden lighting, without the use of lamps, spotlights and lamps. In this case, any type of support is used to support LED low-voltage lamps - a stone, a branch or a structure of buildings and structures. LEDs are hidden in the crowns of trees and shrubs, placed in flower beds, creating a lot of options for transforming the garden in the dark.

Highlighting reservoirs

The spectacle of the thoughtfully illuminated water is mesmerizing. Multi-colored illumination can transform your pond, and monochromatic will add significance and nobility. Illumination of swimming pools, small ponds, fountains and other artificial ponds can radically change the look of your backyard.

Several design ways to decorate your garden

There are many ways to personalize your landscaping site. Why not make original lighting fixtures with your own hands or purchase lighting fixtures of an unusual design? Experiment, do not limit your imagination, but do not forget about safety and functionality.

Some important information about decorative garden lighting:

• with the help of lighting, you can zone a spacious personal plot, and create a visual expansion of boundaries in a small courtyard - warm light brings the lighting object closer to us, while cold light, on the contrary, visually moves away;
• for recreation areas (open terraces, patios, platforms and gazebos), soft diffused light of warm colors is more suitable. Subdued lighting can create a cozy atmosphere that will be conducive to communication and pleasant pastime with family or friends;
• if lamps of different colors are used in the garden, then it is desirable. So that they complement each other. Usually 2-3 colors are sufficient. A very bright white color can "take the life" of your area, be careful when using it. Red and brown colors should also be used with caution and dosage;
• you can create festive lighting in the garden with the help of garlands and LED strips placed on trees, in a gazebo or around the patio.

And finally

It is necessary to create a lighting project for a personal plot at the start of the stage of creating a landscape concept. Lighting is planned in parallel with the projects of gazebos, terraces, rock gardens, garden paths, indoor and outdoor areas, patios and other recreation areas. If you do not include the lighting system in the initial landscaping plan for the yard, then you can subsequently incur additional costs and spend more time and effort organizing it. You will need to install electrical equipment and this can lead to some landscaping redesign.

A dacha is a kind of outlet for a city dweller, a breath of fresh air, relaxation for body and soul. It is for this simple reason that the city dweller pays so much attention to the design of the summer cottage - he creates beautiful flower beds, lawns, sets various kinds of decor and pays a lot of attention to highlighting all this beauty at night. After all, it is the evening coolness after a hot and sultry day that allows you to fully enjoy the beauty of man-made nature. Garden lighting will be discussed in this article, in which, together with the site, we will talk about the principles of its self-production.

Do-it-yourself garden lighting photo

Garden lighting: five rules for optimal garden lighting

Modern people put forward only two basic requirements for garden lighting - efficiency in operation and efficiency in perception. In order for the backlight to meet these requirements 100%, you should adhere to five basic rules.

To learn how to make your own decorative lighting in the garden, see this video.

And the last, most important rule says that the location of each individual should be reasonable and carefully thought out. It should be understood that decorative lighting of a garden plot is not a disorderly heap of lighting devices, but a full-fledged composition of them, in which, together and separately, the lamps must have a semantic load.

DIY garden lighting: manufacturing principle

As a rule, at the summer cottage there is a lot of all sorts of things that can be illuminated in one way or another - this is the house itself, and, and, and, connecting the whole thing into a single composition, and even trees and so on. All this is illuminated in various ways and using different lighting devices - a lot depends on the correct choice of the light source, and special attention should be paid to this point.

Summing up, we can only say one thing - by and large, apart from various kinds of design intrigues, the choice of lighting devices for the garden is very meager. Globally, these are various kinds of network and solar lamps, and also fluorescent stones. There is not much to choose from, and that is why it is best to focus your attention on the design of lamps. Naturally, one should not lose sight of the smaller nuances, which we will talk about further.

DIY garden lighting: the choice is everything

In addition to the main nuances of choosing lighting devices for illuminating a garden, there are a lot of small ones, ignoring which does not lead to anything. It should be understood that in such matters there are no trifles, and it is they (minor nuances) in the aggregate that create a complete picture of the garden. When choosing lighting devices, it is advisable to pay attention to the following points.

What else do you need to know about garden lighting? Undoubtedly, the fact that almost any type of lighting device for a summer residence can be quite simply made with your own hands from scrap materials. You can use almost anything you like, but among the most common objects of human life, a special place here is given to various banks, bottles, etc. These are almost ready-made shades that provide reliable protection of the light source from rain. Naturally, you will have to try a little to give such a lighting device a more or less attractive look. In principle, this is the essence of the creative process, which is indispensable in this matter.

Garden lighting is performed primarily for practicality purposes, as it allows you to comfortably spend time outdoors in the dark, and also for aesthetics - the backlighting of bushes and trees looks incredibly beautiful. In this article we will look at some of the features of the organization of garden lighting.

General information

Garden lighting is a creative process akin to art. With a skillful approach, you can create incredible effects created from a combination of plants and. This allows you to turn the most ordinary and unremarkable garden into a fabulous corner.

In addition, as mentioned above, lighting will allow you to move around the garden in the dark without fear, or even spend time here with your family or, for example, with friends. True, for this you will also need an appropriately equipped gazebo.

Depending on the area of \u200b\u200bplacement of lighting devices and their functions, garden lighting is distinguished into several types:

• Home or gazebo lighting;
• Track lighting;
• Lighting stairs or bridges;
• Accent lighting;
• Festive lighting;
• Security lighting.

One of the most important conditions for lighting a garden area is to maintain its aesthetics during the day. In other words, lamps should not disturb the harmony of the garden landscape. However, they can serve as a decoration and addition to it.

Therefore, the choice of lighting devices should be approached correctly.

Types of garden lighting

All outdoor lighting devices, regardless of their type, must meet the following requirements:

• Moisture resistance;
• Frost resistance;
• Corrosion resistant.

I must say that this requirement also applies to switches located on the street, as well as to sockets. The safety of using the system depends on their observance.

Also, when choosing devices, you need to keep in mind that they are of several types:

Advice!
For lighting small areas, it is best to use compact ones with soft pleasant light.
Devices with a height of more than 60 cm will direct the light flux into the eyes, which will cause discomfort.

Garden lighting features

When performing decorative lighting for a garden, you should carefully consider the location of all lighting fixtures. Each lantern, as mentioned above, should not only fulfill its main function, but also serve as a decorative element in the daytime.

It is better to give preference to not very bright and warm light, which is able to create the most comfortable conditions for vision. Sources can be placed between decorative elements and plants. Upward light should be used to illuminate trees and large bushes, while downward light is suitable for small plants.

Track lighting

To illuminate the paths, it is best to use small mushroom lights. Otherwise, they will illuminate a large area around, but not the paths themselves.

Also, the lighting of paths in the garden can be organized using light sources built into the path itself, located on both sides of it. They will give only a hint of lighting, however, they will indicate the direction of movement. The advantage of this solution is that the lamps are not visible during the day.

Pond lighting

The lighting of the garden reservoir, if any, deserves special attention. The fact is that during the day any pond looks interesting on its own, but with the onset of darkness its beauty fades. Correctly organized lighting will allow the reservoir to serve as a decoration for the garden in the dark.

There are several options for lighting a pond:

• The most common way is to use flashlights located along the edges of the pond, which provides a clear delineation of its boundaries.
• Experts recommend focusing on the composition of plants near the shore by installing a lighting device directly in the foliage. Moreover, the luminous flux should be directed to gushing fountains, sculptures or a waterfall.
• An interesting and unusual solution is the "light from within". In this case, the backlight is installed in the reservoir. For such purposes, a special lamp with a sealed housing should be used.
• Often, landscape designers use floating lamps when decorating ponds. They can be made in a wide variety of styles, for example, to imitate animals or plants, geometric shapes or transparent spheres.

I must say that with the lighting design of the reservoir, all types of lighting can be used simultaneously.

In the photo - staircase lighting

Staircase lighting

The illumination of stair steps, first of all, should be of high quality, since the safety of movement depends on it. An excellent option is to install lamps in the steps or in the staircase fence. This approach will give the garden a special romantic setting.

Note!
When organizing staircase lighting, it is necessary to focus on all steps, i.e. each step should be lit equally well.

Features of connecting lighting devices

Garden and park lighting is of several types:

• High voltage - 220 Volts;
• Low voltage - 12-24 Volts;
• Solar powered.

Wiring is routed differently depending on the type of lighting.

High voltage lighting

The high voltage cables are laid at a depth of about 80-90 cm. The garden lighting cable should be double insulated. Moreover, the cables are not laid in the ground, but in metal or polyethylene pipes. When laying the electrical network to lighting fixtures, it is advisable not to damage the tree roots.

Note!
It is unacceptable to lay cables under the foundations of residential buildings.

Luminaires powered by a high-voltage network have a strong, even light and are capable of illuminating an area of \u200b\u200b5-6 meters.

True, the nature of the lighting largely depends on the type of lamps, which can be:

• Halogen,
• LED;
• Metal halide, etc.

The choice of the type of lamps depends only on your personal preferences and financial capabilities, since the price for them can vary greatly.

Low voltage lighting

Low voltage lighting is much more profitable from a financial point of view and also safer. Low-voltage cables can be located directly on the ground, the only thing they need to be camouflaged, for example, with stones or mulch. In addition, to avoid damaging the wiring during gardening work, wrap it with covers.

The disadvantages of low-voltage lighting devices include the fact that they do not give very much light - they illuminate the space by 1-2 meters. But, in order to connect such a lighting system, it is not necessary to have any skills and understand electrical engineering, since the instructions for installing lighting devices are extremely simple.

Solar powered

Solar powered garden lighting is attractive because it does not require cabling or digging trenches. However, in cloudy weather, such devices are practically useless. Therefore, they are hardly worth considering as a complete replacement for other types of lighting.

However, solar-powered lamps are quite suitable for decorating garden paths, lighting artificial reservoirs, etc. Since the light from such devices is not very strong, it is better to install them in small groups.

Output

Every summer resident or gardener can organize lighting of the garden with their own hands. The main thing is to correctly distribute lighting devices and adhere to the above recommendations.

From the video in this article, you can get some additional information on the topic of garden lighting.

No matter how luxurious and beautiful the courtyard of the house would be, but garden paths with an original landscape design without high-quality and technically correct lighting in the dark lose their aesthetics.

Lighting for garden paths can be organized to perform one or more functions:

• decorative;
• functional;
• architectural;
• security.

The purpose of the functional lighting is clear: it is used to increase the level of safety when moving along the garden paths at night. Security systems are designed to create the illusion of a person's presence, which prevents unauthorized access to the territory of the house if the owners have left somewhere.

The roles of decorative and architectural lighting are approximately similar: the installed systems decorate the garden plots, emphasize the ideas that have been implemented in landscape design.

Basic lighting requirements and principles of organization

When designing any lighting system, you need to be guided by the main selection criteria and the need to use a particular format. To avoid unplanned mistakes and eliminate material and time costs due to the need to redo the project, read the following requirements:

1. Think carefully about where your garden lights will be. Lamps located on the sides of the path in the garden increase the safety of movement in the pedestrian zone, visual attractiveness, and focus on the elements of landscape design (lawns, flower beds, etc.).
2. Choose the right brightness. The light in the garden should be as soft and warm as possible. This will allow you to avoid unnecessary glare, and feel completely safe when moving around in the dark.
3. Pay attention to energy efficiency. It will be wise to use devices in the garden with minimal electrical energy consumption. This will provide significant cost savings by reducing the amounts prescribed on your electricity bills.
4. The devices are used outdoors, therefore, they must be reliably protected from dust, dirt, moisture, rain and snow. Very strict requirements are imposed on products, because the operating conditions can be harsh. Any negative natural factors can lead to the failure of lamps that are not intended for outdoor use.
5. Don't forget about design requirements. In addition to the durability and high quality of the lanterns, it is necessary to ensure that the design of the lighting devices is in maximum harmony with the external design of the garden, complements the overall picture, and creates coziness.

As for the principles of organizing landscape lighting, the following should be noted:

1. The products are likely to be used throughout the year, so choose all-season equipment that will guarantee flawless operation in all weather conditions. Make sure that the maintenance of the devices is easy.
2. If you don't take light balance into account, backlighting garden paths can be uncomfortable.
3. When walking at night, a person will feel more comfortable if he moves from the dark part of the site to the lighter one. Therefore, you need to strive to create a brightly lit house facade.
4. To increase psychological comfort, it is recommended to illuminate the boundaries of the entire site.

Backlight options

Backlighting is usually divided into two main categories - functional and decorative.

Functional

It is used for security reasons and is considered the most popular. With its help, systems are organized that guarantee safety when moving around the personal plot. For these purposes, various devices can be used.

Decorative

The purpose of decorative lighting is hidden in its name. Lighting enhances the aesthetics of the paths and the entire courtyard. There are a huge number of lighting devices:

• lamps in the form of stones;
• devices hidden in the cover of the tracks;
• lanterns on trees and bushes;
• lED and neon strips;
• decorative appliances;
• architectural constructions with built-in appliances (statues, fountains, arbors).

The listed devices can be used individually or with each other.

What lighting devices to use

To simplify the selection of lighting devices for garden paths as much as possible, it is customary to classify them according to three main criteria - mode of action, design and light output.

Types of luminaires by mode of action and light output

These are the light sources used in luminaires:

1. Filament lamps are operated for several thousand hours, the luminous efficiency remains at a low level of 15 lm / W.
2. Halogen devices in comparison with incandescent lamps function twice as long, the level of light output is slightly higher.
3. Luminescent products must be used inside a waterproof case. Bulky products are difficult to maintain, and at low temperatures they can quickly fail. The light from luminescent products is usually close to the moon, the service life is about 15,000 hours, the light output is 80 lm / W.
4. The light of metal halide lamps is as close to natural as possible. With a light output of 100 lm / W, the devices will last for 12,000 hours of operation. Of the shortcomings - fast heating, which is why the lamps are dangerous for plants.
5. Sodium lamps are characterized by the highest luminous efficacy, which can reach 200 lm / W. The service life is 30,000 hours; the light emitted has bright yellow-orange hues.
6. LEDs are considered to be the most versatile and economical devices that last about 50,000 hours and have a luminous efficacy of 160 lm / W. What the emitted light will be depends on the crystal installed in the case (size and type).

Types of fixtures by design

By design, there are several varieties of lamps used for garden lighting.

Floor lamps and lampposts

Installed in an upright position, often equipped with frosted glass diffusers. The approach is considered ideal when it is necessary to increase the comfort and safety of movement in the pedestrian zone of the garden area.

The distance between the devices must be selected in such a way as to exclude the intersection of the radii of illumination. Popular devices are made in two different styles - "retro" or "hi-tech". To eliminate glare, the top of the floor lamps should be located below human eye level.

Light posts or bollards

They are used not so much for illumination as to indicate the correct direction of movement. As a result, an ideal option would be to use for lighting additional tracks.

Glowing stones

Cope well with the backlight function. The sidewalk or paving stones are laid out from a special LED tile.

LED lamps inside garden lights or architectural structures

An excellent artistic approach that decorates the garden area and allows you to place accents on various landscape design objects.

Solar powered devices

They are characterized by variable design, but are used exclusively for decorative purposes. The battery charging process is as simple as possible, tied to sunlight on a photocell mounted on the surface of the product.

Usually, devices are supplemented by a light sensor, including LED lamps after dark. LED technology consumes a minimum of energy, so there is enough charge to work throughout the night.

Spherical products made of carbonate or polycarbonate

Low power lamps are installed inside, therefore they are used exclusively for decorative purposes.

Choosing a place to install lamps

When choosing an installation site, you need to focus on the dimensions and functionality of the devices.

Lighting purpose

To increase security, it is best to place products on the sides of garden paths, at the entrance and exit of the site. Be sure to illuminate the space at the entrance to the house, the gate and the gate.

If necessary, to provide a comfortable pastime in the evenings, lamps are placed next to the gazebo, on the playground where children play, in any other recreation area, including a garden swing or a hammock.

To create additional decoration, lanterns can be placed next to the benches, around the reservoir (including the pool), near other elements of landscape design. You can install devices in any part of the porch, including steps, in order to somehow diversify the facade of the building.

Appliance height

Before installing lighting fixtures, it is important to consider their height:

1. Lanterns from 1.5 m and above will look beautiful on the territory of large estates with wide paths. You should pay attention to forged products.
2. Lamp posts up to 1.5 m in height are ideal for illuminating medium-sized paths.
3. Low lampposts up to 0.7 m are placed right next to the ground and provide high-quality lighting for garden paths. Due to the peculiarities of their design, the appearance of a glaring effect is completely excluded.

Do-it-yourself lighting paths in the country

For the independent implementation of the lighting system of garden paths and other parts of the summer cottage, you need to act consistently, carefully thinking through and completing each stage.

Project development

First of all, you need to draw up a work plan:

1. Lighting scheme is being developed.
2. Lighting devices, methods of their installation are selected.
3. Selects the cable routing method.
4. The amount of consumables is counted.
5. The work area is being prepared.
6. Mounting wiring for the lighting system.
7. The support posts are placed on which the lights will be installed.
8. Lighting is connected.
9. The system is supplemented by control and management devices.

Street lighting accessories set

Before installing a street lighting system at a summer cottage, it is advisable to stock up on the necessary equipment in advance:

1. Luminaires designed for outdoor use. Devices must provide high tightness, moisture resistance, withstand temperature drops and maintain aesthetics throughout the entire service life.
2. Monitoring equipment that automates the system, which saves time during maintenance. These are motion sensors, lighting and rheostats that reduce the consumption of electrical energy.
3. Cables and conductors, other fasteners, including terminals, ties, corrugated pipes, etc.

Determine the method of cable laying

External cable laying is carried out by one of two methods - underground or air (on poles). Each option has advantages and disadvantages.

The safest solution will be the underground laying of the cable route - in this case, the risk of damage to the system will be minimal. The likelihood of mechanical impact of the wind, the risk of breaking the route due to the fact that people passing by accidentally hit the wires, is completely excluded. The impact of any precipitation will be reduced.

On the other hand, overhead cable laying is characterized by the lowest costs - both material and time. You should choose it when the lamp is mounted on the roof or you have to connect two lampposts located next to each other.

Advice! The distribution box is best mounted indoors. Wires are led from it to the house, to outbuildings, including a bathhouse, a barn and a garage, and to a street lighting system.

Installation of lamps

Before installing the floor lamps, prepare the base. The devices must be installed on concrete elements or directly into the ground. In the second case, a special iron tip is required (it can be made from an ordinary metal corner).

A few tips from professional installers and electricians:

1. Before proceeding with the installation, you need to develop a project that should indicate the location of all the lights and lamps involved.
2. If you decide to use fluorescent lamps, you can not turn them on in the cold season, at sub-zero temperatures.
3. For country houses, which are most often visited in the summer, it is better to use solar-powered lamps. The devices are characterized by low cost, and the only drawback is the limited time of long-term operation - 4 - 5 hours for medium models.
4. The house can be illuminated with halogens and LED lamps, which are characterized by a bright luminous flux and a long service life.
5. The motion sensors and the level of illumination (photo relay) will automate the backlight and save energy resources.
6. Despite the simplicity of air laying, it is advisable to hide the wires underground, protecting them from mechanical stress using corrugated pipes and boxes.

With the help of an outdoor lighting system, it is advisable to divide the personal plot into several functional zones.

In recreational areas, install lamps with diffusers that provide a soft and warm glow. We are talking about gazebos, playgrounds, swimming pools, etc. Subdued lighting can create the most pleasant atmosphere, prompting a long pastime and communication.

When using multi-colored lamps, make sure that the number of different colors does not exceed three pieces. Bright and white lighting can only worsen the situation, it will significantly knock out of the general interior and, possibly, even "take the life" of the site. Avoid using red and brown shades of light.

Strings, LED and neon strips can help create festive lighting in the garden, but this should be a temporary solution. Bright and multi-colored shades are not suitable for long-term use.

Competent lighting of the garden area will allow you to solve several problems at once. Firstly, garden lighting will highlight the beauty of the landscape at night. Secondly, garden lighting will allow you to hide all the "roughness" of the design and those flaws that can be impossible to "shade" in daylight. Thirdly, do-it-yourself garden lighting will once again prove what a skillful owner you are, who, in addition to all their advantages, have the skills of an electrician.

Daylight does not have such capabilities; all objects in the garden are equal in front of it. But with the help of lighting, we ourselves can adjust the light "scenario" of the garden and place the accents we need in any corner of the garden. We can highlight something with light, multiplying the beauty of this object several times, and we can take something away into darkness. By the way, garden lights are design too! They also decorate the garden during the day, without light, due to their shape, style, original elements. In some ways they are close to garden figurines. But not only for the sake of "designer special effects" the garden is illuminated. It is also a safety requirement. Any corner of the garden should be safe and accessible in the evening and at night, since almost always there is at least a minimal relief in the garden.

Look at the photo - when illuminated in the garden, the site always looks festive:

But even on the flattest area without lighting, complete safety cannot be guaranteed, since a garden is a garden, and therefore you need to take into account precipitation, the possibility of ice, leaf fall, some uneven paving in the case of using natural materials, and just equipment left somewhere on the path .

Arrangement of decorative garden lighting

The location of the garden lights depends on the type of lighting.

Basic lighting has a practical function. It illuminates exactly. It usually uses the most powerful light sources. The site should be safe to move in the dark.

The main lighting is located: in places of the most intensive travel routes; in locations of garden stairs, steps; in places of difficult terrain changes; along the tracks; at the porch of the house and at the entrances to all outbuildings; near gazebos and in gazebos; in the resting corners; near reservoirs.

Additional types of garden lamps do not illuminate, but only illuminate, but this is sufficient for practical purposes. Less powerful light sources can be used here. The goal is that only the outline of the object or the path of the track are visible in general outline, the relief drop is marked.

Such lighting is installed:

• in not frequently visited places, for example, in remote recreation areas, near some utility rooms that you rarely use;
• all "additional" tracks. No track can be left without lighting at all.

Decorative lighting can be done separately, or in combination with any of the above two types. This lighting is for beauty, it is only decorative lighting. It uses all kinds of special lamps and lights designed for this purpose. Here the safety technician no longer plays a role, you yourself must determine what you want to draw the attention of the beholder to in the first place, but there are some starting points.

Decorative lighting has:

• in the most beautiful parts of the garden;
• have beautiful designs;
• on retaining walls;
• on the catwalks;
• at water bodies;
• next to rocky compositions, alpine slides;
• in your copyrighted compositions;
• next to the most expressive garden figures;
• next to the most beautiful plants.

DIY garden lighting designs

The main, visible part of garden lighting is lamps. The second part is “engineering and technical”: these are wires and pipes of small diameter into which wires are laid (for stationary fixtures). And, of course, front switches are relied on to the lamps.

On sale now you can find lamps of stunning beauty for every taste. Therefore, fixtures are hardly advisable to do on their own.

Choosing the design of garden lighting with your own hands, first of all, it is worth paying attention to electric garden lamps. They come in the form of lanterns, garden lights, hidden lights and pond lights.

As can be seen in the photo, garden lights for each variety have their own characteristics. For decorative garden lighting, a high power of light bulbs is not necessary, 25 W will be more than enough.

Decorative garden lights: lanterns and garden lights

Garden lights are needed most often in the garden! Usually these are various designs of plafonds on legs of various heights, but there are also hanging garden lights (like a sconce in an apartment). The design of the ceiling should match the style of the garden. Sometimes on sale you can find shades that seem to be created specifically for the modern or baroque style. So it is, for the most popular garden styles, shades are made in these styles. But if you have your own, author's style, the universal recommendation would still be to acquire neutral models, as they say, they "stylize for any style."

As you can see in the photo, author's garden lighting is not only decorated with plafonds. Sometimes the “legs” of ground lamps are also decorated in some manner, but this is less common, usually the “legs” of a neutral design, in the form of tubes. Therefore - there is a possibility of savings! Buy only plafonds, and "legs" can be made independently from pieces of metal pipes of the desired height. The best color to paint them is black or gray. The so-called "Kuzbasslak" is suitable for painting decorative garden lamps.

Hanging lanterns do not have "legs", they can be fixed on the walls of buildings, on pergolas, arches, gazebos, structures for vertical gardening and on trees. If you place the lamps on trees, then they need to be fixed on brackets with soft spacers. If it is a dry tree - you need to screw it to thick branches.

Garden lighting brings out the beauty of plants and elements of landscape architecture. Active backlighting is a variety of spotlights. They can be placed on the ground and can be suspended. The floodlights themselves are low lamps, they have no “legs”. The floodlights provide extremely bright light. Searchlights “highlight” those objects that need to be brought to the fore. As a rule, they are placed discreetly or hidden among the plants. But it's better not to overdo it with spotlights, because the garden is not a stadium. But soft lighting for lighting in the garden with your own hands is used more often and is welcomed in any quantity! Usually these are small lamps, placed where it is decided to emphasize something. They can selectively highlight some single plants, composition, sculpture, and other objects.

Garden lighting is often "floor", that is, mounted in paving or wooden flooring. As a rule, the backlight is hidden, the main character is not it, but what it highlights.

But there are backlights and unusual shapes, for example, in the form of a luminous horseshoe, in the form of a flat strip, in the form of a spiral, in the form of a garland! Then they can not be hidden, such backlights have an independent decorative value, they are beautiful during the day.

Hidden lights and pond lighting

Hidden lamps are purely technical devices, not decorative at all. Their device is designed to be embedded somewhere. Let's just say that they are of increased strength, and, as a rule, in a special "braid". Hidden luminaires are embedded in masonry, placed between structural elements. For example, they can be embedded in the frame of the flower garden. Usually, places for embedding are provided in advance, during construction.

Lighting of water bodies is specially designed for staying under water, such lamps are always sealed, moisture resistant. There can be nothing "independent" here! It is better to purchase lamps from well-known companies, as quality and safety must be guaranteed.

Lamps for ponds are of two types: underwater and floating on the surface of the water. There are underwater lights, they are usually fiber optic. Floating lights are round in shape and vary in size. There are huge, and in addition, colored lamps!

How to install solar-powered garden lighting

These fixtures don't need any wires and no digging! Solar-powered luminaires have a soft, not strong, pleasant to the eye light of a yellow or bluish tint. They accumulate the energy of the sun during the day, and when dark, they glow. They can not give such a luminous intensity as electric, and therefore should be used for the most part as garden lighting or in an ensemble with electric lamps.

If you don’t know how to install solar-powered garden lighting and believe that it is not easy to do this, cast aside fears - such lamps are extremely easy to install: they simply stick into the ground and it is also easy to move them to different places. As a result, you have the opportunity to change the appearance of the garden at will. They are ideal lighting for plants, they are perfect for decorating flower gardens, groups of plants, shrubs and conifers.

Solar Powered Garden Lighting Models

These lamps are the most decorative. Models of solar-powered luminaires for garden lighting are presented in the widest range, there are even samples in the form of figures, flowers, stones! This is impossible for ordinary electric lamps. There are also floating varieties! And it is a great and safe alternative to installing expensive water-based electric fixtures.

DIY garden lighting technology

Do-it-yourself garden lighting cannot be planned arbitrarily, without taking into account the electrics.

This is too serious a question. The wiring for garden lighting is concealed and does not run over the surface. This means that if you did not have a preliminary plan and laid it "approximately", then later, when buildings, flower beds and recreation areas appeared in the garden, it may be "out of place", not where it is needed. And if a breakdown occurs, you will need to find its source. Without a plan, you can only guess where and what happened. As a result, you will have to dig up the entire site, along with the beauty created by such labor.

If you made a plan, but the wiring is poorly done, your lamps will burn for two years at most, and then the scenario is the same: digging the site and organizing the lighting anew. In any case, you need a plan for the garden’s electrics: if you yourself lay the electrician, it will be your guideline, and if you call professional electricians, they will draw up a plan based on your sketch, which will then be stored with you.

The technology of lighting in the garden is not so simple and it is desirable, of course, to use the services of professionals, because there are many nuances in the matter of competent lighting, especially if your garden has a large and complex relief. If you have a lighting plan, with any problem it will be possible to solve it without digging the site, because according to the plan you will know, and in exact coordinates, where that goes. To make your electric plan, you just need to make a copy of your final “design project” of the garden and mark the location of all your future garden lamps and lighting elements, of course, only stationary ones, for which it will be necessary to lay electrical wiring with conditional icons. Draw a red circle with a cross inside as a conventional icon.

Laying stationary garden lighting

The laying of stationary garden lighting is carried out at a depth of at least 0.8 m in a corrugated hose, which, in turn, is embedded in a metal or plastic pipe of the corresponding diameter. If flower beds, rock gardens, small ponds will be located in some places, then the laying depth in such places should be at least 1 m. Directly under large ponds, the wiring should not be laid, it is necessary to find a different laying trajectory. And if groundwater lies close to your site, then the bottom of the trench into which the pipe is laid must be additionally laid out with brick or rubble.

In the same way, it’s good to be safe in the locations of especially massive objects and in the case of ordinary soils.

For all street lamps for the garden, switches must be provided, they must be designed for outdoor use. The switches can be located in the house, but they must be duplicated on the site, otherwise it will be inconvenient to regulate the lighting of the site: to turn on the next lamps, every time you need to go into the house. Sockets (also intended for outdoor use) are also mandatory on the site, it is enough to install them in several "strategic" places. This is convenient: for example, you somehow have to connect a lawn mower or trimmer.