Are Outdoor Ground Lights Good For Garden?

Lights are very important for the garden’s image. Garden lights can serve as decoration, which together with giving light is their primary task. Looking elegant during the day, while at night showing your garden in a completely new light (literally and metaphorically), garden lighting that is placed in a visible place will certainly add charm to any garden.

 

In-Ground Lights

When designing garden lighting, it is worth dividing the whole space into specific zones requiring different types of lamps. In larger gardens, reaching from one zone to another involves connecting them with a path or pavement.

It is good to place supplementary lighting along with them, in the form of in-ground lights, or wall lights. They are discreet so they will not emit too much light or illuminate the garden to a great extent but they will make it easier for you to stick to the path during evening walks.

Apart from paths and sidewalks, in-ground lights are also useful for illuminating attractive spots in the garden. A unique plant or monument can be gently accentuated by the light coming from a discreet lamp fixed into the ground.

In-ground garden lamps are not to attract attention to them but their primary task is to spotlight specific parts of the garden and highlight ‘boring’ areas that might not stand out during the day.

A strategically placed lighting will add a whole new personality to them at night when lit up. So in this case, in-ground lights, or small lamps and decorative lanterns standing on the ground will work very well.

 

Ground Lights

If you decide to get a few small ground lamps, they will be perfect for illuminating, for example, a pathway or driveway, or showing off the features of a tree, plant, pond, or a wall. In larger quantities, ground lamps can efficiently illuminate the whole garden or specific areas, such as the one with a swimming pool.

 

Pond Lights

They are made to be submerged in water to make outdoor water features such as ponds, waterfalls, or streams look spectacular. Underwater light is also ideal for picking out fountain details.

You can achieve very interesting effects when you use lights in water but you also get a lot of refraction as the water takes the power of the light away, so consider the strength of the lamp. Having that in mind, you may light the water from within, to create a dappling, rippling effect, or simply shine a beam onto the water.

Make sure that the fitting rating allows the light to be fully submerged and always use a qualified electrician to install the lights for you.

 

Hardscape Lights

They are small LED lights installed onto or into structures that are used to illuminate walls with light.

 

Spike Mounted Spotlights

Small LED spotlights can be camouflaged or hidden by planting or rocks. Painted, miniature spike mounted spotlights can be ideal for highlighting small landscape features, trees, foliage, or pergolas.

Positioning these spotlights at the base of tree trunks or pergola posts is an easy way to create drama. Use a spotlight with a wide beam if you want to illuminate a big canopy.

In-ground fitting is always best. Setting the spikes into the lawn is a cheap and easy way to hide the fittings and will result in seamless clarity. However, some maintenance will be needed to keep grass from growing over them.

 

Exterior Uplights

Recessed, adjustable exterior uplights are ideal for setting into lawns or paving but you should remember to keep the grass consistently trimmed. They will create that dramatic look whenever you place them.

 

LED Marker Lights

They are multi-colored mini ground lights that can be fun for marking and adding various colors to pathways, stairs, or decks.

 

Slab Lights

They can be LED recessed ground lights to use where there are no walls, pathways, or paving features with lights that are integral to the hard landscaping.

 

Paving And Deck Lights

With the popularity of outdoor entertainment, paving and deck lighting have become more accessible, and more people are eager to install it. Slab LED lights set into the ground or deck can provide remarkable effects that can be achieved for very little money. You can have fun and use different colors.

Thanks to LEDs, these lightboxes set within decking will be cold to the touch so you can walk on them and your feet won’t burn, there’s no water ingress because everything is sealed, and they give a lovely diffused light. A strip of colored LEDs adds a party atmosphere.

Another development is remote control where you can control all your lighting from a simple hand-held device.

 

Lights With Dusk-To-Dawn Sensor

By using one or more dusk-to-dawn sensor lamps you can achieve truly impressive effects if you want to emphasize the charm of your garden at night.

Thanks to the use of LED bulbs, garden lights with dusk-to-dawn sensors can shine in many different colors. And if you decide to boldly combine colors, it can give you infinite decorative possibilities in which you are limited only by your imagination.

 

Ground Solar Lights

They are the latest trend in recessed lamps. Their advantages include no cost of use, easy installation with no need for a ready-made installation. While all other versions of recessed lamps require the preparation of the electrical installation beforehand (which should be taken into account at the early stage of design or implementation), recessed solar lights can be installed at any time.

However, you should remember that solar ground lights generate a small amount of light at the level of a few lumens, so they can be used only as a simple decoration and are not suitable for illuminating plants, pathways, etc.

 

Garden lighting, especially when combined with monitoring, can also significantly increase security around your property. Many burglars will think twice about whether to get into your home through a well-lit garden where it is difficult to hide.

Homeowners are becoming increasingly interested in garden lamps with motion and dusk sensors. Lamps with these functions provide more benefits than regular lighting, but unfortunately, they are more expensive.

Motion detector garden lighting provides safety and that is a big advantage. If someone wants to break into your house through the garden, a motion detector can spoil their plans. This is useful equipment, especially if you have a surveillance camera. But even without it, a potential burglar can get confused when it suddenly becomes bright around him.

 

First of all, the garden is a place where you’re supposed to relax during the day as well as in the evenings, especially in summer.

Many times the purpose of garden lamps is not only to light up the surroundings but also to deter unwanted insects and bugs which often attack us while we’re trying to spend a nice time in our garden at night.

The principle of operation of insecticidal lamps for mosquitoes and other flying insects uses the laws of nature. Nature has programmed these insects to become active after dusk when ultraviolet rays are the only rays that insects are attracted to.

Studies have shown that during the first hour of life, a very high percentage of newborn mosquitoes fall into the mosquito trap due to the attraction of ultraviolet so that in a couple of hours almost all insects are caught. The attraction of insects by UV-A light decreases as the insect matures to disappear completely when the female lays eggs. Then, it is attracted mainly by the smell and heat of human or animal bodies.

Saying that, by switching on UV-A insecticide lamps around your yard and house, you will significantly reduce the number of mosquitoes. Read also our in-depth article on the best ways to get rid of mosquitoes from your backyard.

Ultraviolet lamps are low-pressure mercury fluorescent lamps made of a fluorescent glass tube containing two electrodes which are the most important element of every insect lamp. This light is harmless to humans.

For example, an insect repellent solar lamp has an attribute for fighting troublesome insects. The blue UV light of the lamp attracts mosquitoes, flies, or other insects, while the delicate electric charge neutralizes insects. They are captured and eliminated by the device. When placing the lamp in the garden or on the patio, mosquitoes interested in the UV light are more likely to fly towards the lamp, thus steering away from people.

 

It’s important to think about the safety which garden lighting can provide to us. A deck with stairs, a curbstone, or a meandering walkway needs to be lit to ensure that you can move around your garden without tripping and risking injury.

Also, always pay attention to a properly lit entrance. A well-illuminated entryway to your home will safely guide you, your family, and your guests while being visually appealing at the same time.

 

Floodlights, which have a wider beam spread than spotlights, are best for overall safety and visibility in the dark. They will efficiently cast light over general areas like a driveway or front yard.

 

Ground light fixtures are irreplaceable when you want to light up the driveway, the path leading to the gate, or the alleys in the garden after dark.

 

In-ground lighting may also be used to light up driveways for safer navigation through gates and yard areas. But bear in mind that these lights need to have the proper vehicular weight ratings that suit cars that drive over them.

 

Outdoor post lights, and also the similar bollard lights, illuminate the pathway to your home. Tall post lights are great for driveways and long stretches of space ensuring that you don’t get lost in the dark. Shorter posts are better suited for walkways and small alcoves.

 

Path lights are basic outdoor light fixtures that illuminate the curbs making it safe to walk along paths.

 

Deck and step lights are used to accent the architectural details and add a safe passage to dark stairs, deck, and steps.

 

There can be different functional applications based on the type of lighting being used.

 

In-ground Solar Lights

In-grounds or small lamps standing on the ground that shine thanks to the sun’s energy are very environmentally friendly. They reduce maintenance costs and you don’t have to worry about installing electric wires and electricity consumption. They are also cheap and elegant.

 

Standing Outdoor Lamps

However, if you need a larger light source, then taller lamps standing on the ground which are powered by electricity would be a good choice as they are extremely functional.

 

LED Garden Lighting

But if you opt for standing LED garden lamps, then you will certainly get more energy efficiency and durability. Additionally, they can shine in any color and shade, which definitely increases the possibility of decorating your garden in its original way.

If you have a large garden, with different alleys and illuminated areas, LED lamps would be a very good solution. LEDs now are so functional, cost-effective, and long-lasting, they are extremely energy efficient and consume much less electricity, so they are also ecological. It is estimated that a LED bulb needs about 80% less electricity than a traditional light bulb.

Also, LED lamps are much more eco-friendly than other alternative solutions because they are less frequently replaced, and because they contain less environmentally harmful substances.

It’s favorable that almost all the electricity supplied to LED lamps is turned into light, and it is great news if you don’t like wasting energy. In the case of older light bulbs, part of the electric energy was involuntarily wasted on heat generation.

LEDs are cold to touch and can also be touched without worrying about burning yourself or the plants. And this is not always the case with traditional lighting.

On the other hand, the advantages of ordinary light bulbs will certainly be a lower price, warmer light (many people complain about the cold colors of LEDs, which makes them more difficult to create a cozy mood), and independence from weather conditions.

Unfortunately, modern LED bulbs, despite all their advantages, may perform worse when it comes to heat. The light they emit then can be distorted while traditional light bulbs do not cause such problems.

 

Outdoor Lights With Sensors And Motion Detectors

 

A garden light with a dusk-to-dawn sensor will be particularly useful where you want to illuminate certain ground areas all night long. This may be necessary for functional reasons, like illuminating a certain route through the garden at night. However, the only need for it may be solely for aesthetic reasons.

 

Are Garden Lights With Sensors Economical?

You might be having doubts as to whether the light that’s on through the night will not generate too much cost. In fact, garden lighting with a dusk-to-dawn sensor is energy-efficient since LED bulbs are usually used for these types of lamps and consume little electricity.

The difference between a LED and a traditional light bulb is huge. In the case of a bulb and a LED diode with the same number of lumens (i.e. brightness), the diode usually consumes only about a dozen percent of the electricity needed for the bulb to operate. This makes it beneficial for lamps with a sensor, and every hour of lighting is extra money in your pocket.

 

Garden lighting with a motion detector is very convenient for everyone. You don’t need to remember to turn off this type of light. On the contrary, the traditional lights can lead to the increased cost of electricity consumption if you forget to turn them off and they burn all night long.

The garden light with auto on-off sensor will light up exactly when you need it, and it will also go out by itself. This is important mainly for energy consumption, as motion detectors will ensure that light is provided in specific areas only when absolutely needed. Otherwise, leaving a light on overnight will add up to your electric bill over the course of a year.