Doing a good job of backyard lighting can not only make the yard sway at night and increase utilization; it can also bring a higher safety index to residents. Today, let's take a look at how to have a backyard lighting that is both beautiful and practical!

1. Plan as early as possible

The key to garden lighting is to deliver power to the right place before putting in plants, so you really need to know where you want to light at the beginning. Once you design the effect and choose the lamps, you can design other features and the location of plants, but the premise of everything is to plan the location of the power supply, because if there is no power, there will be no light.

2. Consider the appearance and style

Consider whether you desire to enhance feelings of safety, intensity, profundity, or thrill. This will serve as a guide for the lighting selections you make. The design of the residence is a prudent initial consideration. To commence the lighting endeavor, we can assess the entire area and contemplate the ambiance we wish to establish, aiming for a cohesive link between landscaping, solid elements, and the dwelling.

3. Budget

We recommend that you spend at least 5% of your total garden design budget on lighting needs, which will not only allow you to create a well-lit outdoor landscape, but also ensure that you can make full use of your garden after dark.

4. Choose quality accessories

Garden lights can be subject to a variety of extreme weather conditions, so it is important to choose high-quality accessories that will last and be worth the investment. It is recommended to use lights made of high-quality brass, which is naturally corrosion-resistant and can withstand Canada's changing weather conditions. Brass also provides an ideal base for a variety of surface finishes, for example, it can be powder-coated or electroplated in matte black, nickel, copper and bronze.

5. Learn about the different types of lighting

Generally speaking, outdoor light fixtures should be hidden, with the focus on the lighting, not the fixture. There are exceptions, including ornamental lights such as sculpture lights and string lights.
Here are the main types of outdoor lighting you need to know.
Spike lights: For garden vegetation where you want to illuminate plants or specific features.
Bollard lights: Ideal for lighting paths or driveways.
Spotlights: Suitable for illuminating the trunk of a tree or highlighting architectural features.
Projector lights: Use to create interesting and playful patterns on walls and floors.
Light strips: Use to see through light on steps, backlight garden vegetation and illuminate areas under built-in seating or grills or on patios.
Sculptural lights: Consider fun or interesting accessories that are features in their own right, such as hurricane lights and LED balls. Light strings: Can create a shimmering canopy and highlight entertaining areas.

6. Add concealment with black

Matching the color of a fixture to the setting never works as well as you would like. Generally, if we want to hide a light, we should choose black or dark gray with a matte finish that won’t reflect light.

7. Understanding the Protection Rating Index

The IP (Ingress Protection) index tells you how well the light penetrates water as well as solids like dust. This rating is particularly important for outdoor lights.
The IP rating of a fitting has two numbers. The first indicates the level of protection against solid objects, which in a garden setting could be dust or fine soil particles. Here, we recommend choosing a fitting with a maximum rating of six, which would fully protect solids.
The second number indicates protection against water ingress. A six rating means the light can handle the heaviest rainfall. However, if the fixture is located in a lower area and is likely to be submerged for some time, you’ll want to go for an eight for water ingress rating.

8. Choose LED Lights

LEDs have become the standard for most lighting applications, including outdoors. They are energy efficient, long lasting and reduce heat output. When choosing LEDs, be aware that yellow light is more relaxing than white light and can sometimes take away from outdoor tones and textures.

9. Choose the Right Lighting Positions

Garden lighting needs to be balanced and comfortable, not confusing or overbearing. For example, floodlights tend to dominate a garden and can be overwhelming and uncomfortable.
Ask yourself some simple but important questions to ensure you’re using landscape lighting correctly. "Do you need to guide visitors along a path at night? Do gates need lighting? These questions will help determine whether vertical or horizontal lighting is needed. Horizontal placement helps people see obstacles or tripping hazards, while vertical lighting can help you identify the facial features of approaching people. It also highlights the depth of obstacles, such as steps.

10. Safety is the most important

It is very important to illuminate dangerous areas in the garden, such as paths, stairs, retaining walls or step slopes. When lighting a path, you only want enough light to guide the way, but you don't want it to be dazzling or blinding. Lighting between 300 and 400 lumens will provide enough lighting for safety.

11. Use lighting to highlight your strengths and minimize your weaknesses

Start by identifying your garden’s best features and any areas that need to be emphasized, such as beautiful trees or sculptures. Then create a lighting hierarchy to establish depth and harmony. It’s recommended to choose lighting tones that best enhance the features you want to highlight.
In our project, we started by adding luminous washes to create an evenly lit canvas. We then created layers by carefully highlighting individual elements. It’s important to do this gradually, and remember that sometimes it’s better to keep things simple to create a balanced and pleasing result.

12. Use lighting to add visual depth

The greatest value of lighting your garden is that it can expand your living space. Most people don’t realize the value of garden lighting as part of their interior design and only turn on the lighting when they’re outdoors. However, if you light your garden and have lots of windows looking into it, on a cold winter’s evening you can turn on those lights so that your garden is included in your living space.

13. Don’t Over-Light

One of the biggest mistakes homeowners make is to over-light their garden. Outdoor lighting isn’t about recreating Times Square in your garden, but about highlighting its features to make it attractive and appealing.
It’s important to include dark areas in your garden to create contrast and balance, and to do so in a way that helps protect the environment. A movement that promotes darkness outdoors is growing rapidly and is known as the Dark Sky Movement. It supports the use of fewer lights and avoids light pollution.
Adherents of the movement encourage the sensible use of lighting to make the night sky more visible and reduce the use of energy and electricity. One of the main causes of light pollution is the use of fixtures that direct the light beam upward. More and more landscape designers are integrating shielded lights that direct light downward, as well as filtered fittings and hooded tie-down fixtures.