When we discuss our services with clients, one service that most people are unaware of is LIGHTING. Lighting really completes the package. It provides emphasis on the beauty of the plants and landscape materials in their nighttime environment. Probably one of the most underrated features of landscape lighting, however, is that it maximizes the quality time spent in your outdoor living space. And given that we ALL are desperately awaiting the warmer weather, planning now for a little landscape lighting will be a good way to stay outside longer during the best months of the year.
For a good write up on expanding your nighttime living space visit FX Luminaire’s page at: http:// www.fxl.com/lighting-basics/benefits-landscape-lighting
When creating a landscape planting and lighting plan, we like to focus on the uniqueness of particular plants. For instance, a Hamamelis × intermedia ‘Diane’/Diane Witch Hazel has a naturally beautiful form. Adding an up-light beneath this shrub shows off the twists and turns of its multi-stemmed branches, which contrasts with its broad leaf. Plus, when the leaves are gone in the late winter/early spring, this plant shows bright copper-red flowers. Looking at it when the sun is about to go down, paired against the snow, with a little added up-lighting – Wow, beautiful! The Magnolia virginiana/ Sweetbay Magnolia is a tree that is fun to up-light because it captures the uniqueness of its leaf, which is silver underneath. Our other favorite candidates for up-lighting include the Acer palmatum dissectum/Japanese Maple because of the way the light plays with its maroon foliage, interesting branches, and leaf shape and Betula/Birch species for their well-known white/exfoliating bark color, sometimes exfoliating, and for the simple, bright green, and sometimes quaking leaves. How wonderful is it to see the night-time environment that these plants live, made possible by low voltage landscape lighting.
In addition to up-lighting plants, our landscape lighting plans also consider featuring unique architectural pieces on the house, pillar lighting, lighting inside of retaining walls and/seat walls, and lighting that addresses safety.
If you are interested in greater use and enjoyment of your outdoor environment during the nighttime, please get in touch with us to include lighting in your landscape design.
