Koi ponds and water features can be found in a lot of people’s yards these days. They come in all sizes and shapes. They are made of a variety of different materials such as concrete, brick, block, stone and even rubber liners. The one thing you can say about people who own ponds is that they love their hobby and they will stop at nothing to get their water feature exactly as they want it.

It is because of this hobbyist drive that new products are conceived of and manufactured every day. Pond lights are a good example of this. The scenario used to be that if you wanted a light to see your fish, you would turn on the porch light in the evening and you would be all set. This is not the case any more.

Leaps and bounds have been made in the garden lighting industry. There are fixtures that can be permanently fastened to the water feature’s structure itself. There are other lights with long cords that are simply placed into the water and are plugged in outside of the pond. Some are even manufactured with colored lens that will enhance the look of the fish.

For those enthusiasts that really want to put on a light show, there are even computerized lighting systems. These computerized systems can be used to power the lights that enhance any portion of a pond. From deep lighting to very shallow lighting, you can always see the fish well. These lighting systems can also be used for an assortment of other effects too.

So whether you have a small pond or a large pond, there is going to be a lighting system out there for you. Most of theme can be installed by the average home owner during a typical weekend. They will add a touch of elegance to any water feature and definitely help you see your fish.

Garden lights are designed to handle most of what mother nature can throw at them.  However, you can help make them function better and avoid damage by taking a few precautions.  These simple suggestions can help keep your lights working year round.

In summer, lawn care can cause damage if you are not careful.  Make sure that all wires are either buried or placed where they won’t be cut by lawn mowers or trimmers.  If they are buried, take care not to cut them when digging in flower beds.  Even if you are careful not to hit them directly with power equipment, be aware that debris can be thrown at high speeds from lawn mowers or trimmers.  These projectiles can cause serious damage so it is a good idea to sweep up small stones near your lighting before doing yard work.  Also avoid getting fertilizer on your lighting as it can damage the finish.

In fall, leaves can obscure or bury your lighting.  With low voltage lights, causing a fire is of little concern.  However, if damp leaves are allowed to accumulate around lights with metallic finishes, the finish can be stained so it is best to remove leaves as soon as possible.

In winter, the obvious issue is having your lights buried in the snow.  Snow removal is probably the most common source of damage to garden lights.  Shovels and snow blowers can destroy lights with one careless move.  If it isn’t practical to remove lights close to walkways and sidewalks in winter, mark them with wands.  Ice can be a problem if the lighting is placed in an area with bad drainage as it can cause the lights to pop out of the ground. If your lights get covered with a large accumulation of freezing rain, let the ice melt on it’s own as trying to chip it off can cause a lot of problems and the ice shouldn’t hurt them on it’s own.

In spring, be sure to check all of the wires and connections for damage from winter.  In harsher climates, the ground can “heave” from frost and freezing.  This can cause damage to wires.

Whatever the season, if you are using plug-in lights, make sure that your outdoor outlet is well maintained with all of the seals in tact.  All outdoor outlets should be on a circuit with a GFI just in case something is damaged.  By keeping and eye on your garden lighting you should be able to get many years of dependable service.

The outdoor patio lighting that you choose will make a big difference in terms of how much you enjoy your space. The two main factors to consider for backyard and garden lighting features are safety and aesthetics. There needs to be a balance between these two factors for your outdoor living needs to be met.

A patio lighting option: outdoor chandelier from sears.com

Your backyard patio designs will go a long way toward determining what types of outdoor lighting you require. We will discuss some scenarios that will highlight what types of patio lights might be right for your chosen design and needs.

With the outdoor room trends, lighting that is both warm and also creates a nice ambiance are key elements to consider. There are types of lighting that can provide simple navigation and safety features that are different from this previously mentioned type. You’ll find that outdoor lamps and outdoor chandeliers make a great impression in your outdoor room. Pair these with some spot lights and you have a great mix. You can imagine that these spot lights work like any indoor recessed can light would. If you have rafters on your patio cover, these can be great places to hide lighting fixtures and wiring. The lighting features and fixtures can provide for defining specific spaces in your patio room.

If you have a large area of your backyard space you need to illuminate, consider outdoor flood lights. These types of lights provide for safety and are not considered decorative, for the most part. Motion sensors provide a great alternative to switches with these applications. You will find that this switch will save you energy as well as frustration. You can save even more electricity with compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) or light emitting diodes (LEDs). These are both great ideas to consider in your lighting design.

Solar lighting is another innovation that has changed lighting and landscape design. The styles of solar lights are great and varied. There are simple stake in the ground models to more highly powered wired versions that allow for a greater length of illumination utilizing a battery storage.

You can find lighting features for the stairs to your deck, rail lighting and also end cap lights for those posts. You’ve likely seen these rope or string lights on patios somewhere before. The rope lights, specifically, are good for navigating stairs and multi-level decks or patio spaces. Creating more depth and dimension with this type of lighting is also a crucial step for your outdoor patio lighting features.

Garden lantern from greenfingers.com

No garden is truly complete without a set of garden lights. Garden lighting fixtures are a hot item right now because they are capable of completely transforming a garden. Types of lights include lanterns, path lights, pond lights and a whole lot more. Lights are important in a garden because they allow you to enjoy your outdoor space at night. The surreal experience of night time viewing is something that everyone should try. The best part is that you do not need many lights to make this happen. Only a few strategically selected lights should be able to get the job done.

Gardens are often equipped with at least one table from which users can sit and enjoy the outdoors. A seating area such as this could be considered to be a high-traffic area, or one that gets used often. It is in these locations where light is needed most. Proper illumination promotes safety and aids in outdoor activities such as dining and conversing. To light up your table, a lantern light can be used. Lantern lights come in both wired and solar models, and are easy to install being that they sit on top your table.

Lantern lights come in many sizes, projecting their light through multiple panels on the sides. The color of these panels can change the color of the light as it passes through. The light generated from these lights is rather subtle and more suited for decoration. Some lanterns have flickering light bulbs inside which simulate the look of a candle. Of course, classical candle powered lanterns are also available. Some lanterns have shaped holes in the sides which light can pass through. Solar lanterns have a panel on top which collects energy for use at night. Solar models keep your table top wire-free and clean.

Japanese Garden Lantern from gardecor.com

There are many different decorative items you can use to accent your garden area. You will find interesting and unusual statues, fountains and lighting options to enhance the garden. Garden lanterns are a combination of decorative and functional and can be found in several styles including the popular Japanese garden lantern design. Lanterns with an Asian influence often have glass inserts with decorative images. These inserts are usually placed into a metal frame that makes up the base of the lantern. Many styles available for use in the garden come with a looped hanger on top so you can hang them from a post or, you may choose to sit them on the ground.

Some lanterns operate by electric bulb, but many are created to be used as candle lanterns. There are several designs made to hold a traditional votive candle or a larger pillar candle in the base. These candle lanterns are available in an assortment of styles that may or may not include a metal frame, which of course is ideal because it is fire resistant. A good example is the Moroccan candle lantern. Some designs are created from stained glass and are assembled similarly to a glass  lamp shade. The glass may be painted with bright nature images such as flowers or butterflies.

Decorative glass garden lanterns may also be hung from a wire holder to create a festive or romantic atmosphere. Other common lantern materials include natural stone such as granite.  Some are carved with a theme, including lighthouse designs or Eastern-influenced Zen pavilions. Add a candle, and your lantern will glow from within.

If you like the look of old world charm, you might select one of several styles of Victorian lanterns for your backyard area. These have the look of old time oil lamps and are available in a blue or black metal. The base and top are metal, while the lantern portion is made of clear glass. Whatever type of effect you want to create in your garden, there is a style of outdoor lantern that will help you achieve it.

sandhillsrusticdesign.com

There are many types of outdoor sconces available, which cater to different needs and aesthetic preferences. Security is often a concern, especially for exterior staircases and other dark outdoor spaces, which is vastly improved with proper lighting. These areas can be converted into comfortable and inviting zones by carefully and tastefully choosing different types of outdoor sconces.

Outdoor sconces are available in several shapes and designs and are constructed of various materials such as wrought iron, glass, pewter, or brass. Some designs are contemporary, while others tend towards traditional. Other styles include Mission, Moroccan and Southwestern. Often, outdoor sconces combine several styles and fall somewhere between nostalgic and modern. Whichever style of sconce you choose, rest assured you’ll be adding elegance to your home while making your home and yard a safer place.

Aside from the many styles of sconces available, there are many garden lighting manufacturers from which to choose. You may decide to select a sconce that also matches other fixtures within the manufacturer’s line that you can also incorporate into your outdoor lighting scheme such as pendant fixtures, lanterns or other accent lights.

Some sconces project light up and down, which is referred to as uplighting and downlighting, while others only aim light in one direction. If you prefer clean, white light, the sconces featuring xenon or halogen bulbs provide that effect. There are also various features, such as dimmers, which allow you maximum versatility with your outdoor sconces.

For more general lighting rather an directional, the preferred material is glass. A glass outdoor sconce, fitted with standard bulbs, produces diffused light, which is suitable for areas like stairways or porches. Some areas need mood lighting instead of  bright lights; a good choice is LED outdoor sconces. LEDs are found in everything from LED plant grow lights to LED traffic lights, and they work wonders in terms of producing even lighting levels for an outdoor setting without blinding occupants.

Moroccan Lantern from natashascafe.com

Moroccan history is charming and carries mystique. We all know the stories about Aladdin and other fairy tales about ancient princes and castles. Morocco is known for its food as well as popular products like tea and light fixtures including lanterns. Moroccan candle lanterns are very famous because of their unique and astonishing designs. They are made out of glass and metal with cutouts in them and together they create an amazing effect on their surroundings.

Glass was invented in the Middle East during the Middle Ages, and following its invention, it was incorporated in many items. Back then, Morocco become famous because of its colored glass metal lanterns and craftsmen earned a lot of money by producing them for kings and noble men. The lanterns were used as lighting fixtures for bath houses and also to decorate patios and other rooms, both inside and outside. Only the rich were able to buy these lanterns because it took a lot of time and effort to fabricate one. Of course, they were all handmade and the glass had to be painted (stained) perfectly before it was sold to a king.

Nowadays you can still find handmade Moroccan lanterns that are much more affordable. The production process is cheaper since they are produced in factories. Small lanterns are already available for $5 or $10 and many people like to place these on their tabletops.

You can find cheaper items at bigger stores like Walmart, Nextag or Amazon, but if you want to buy an authentic (handmade) lantern, then you must look for specialized shops. In the US there are a few such shops, but if you search the Internet you will see there are quite a few online shops selling these lanterns. If you really want to be sure they are handmade and authentic, then the best way to buy them is during your holiday to Morocco itself.

It’s one thing to simply install a light fixture, but it takes a little knowledge of good techniques for garden lighting to really set your yard apart. Push yourself beyond the expected  path lights or lanterns and add a little drama by trying out one or a combination of these garden lighting techniques:

Spotlighting
Also called accent lighting, spotlighting involves intense, focused light trained at one surface, such as a statue, a tree or a garden trellis or wall of ivy. Spotlighting adds drama, but if overused, can create too much contrast in your garden lighting scheme.

Cross Lighting
By lighting an object from two or more sides, you can emphasize its three-dimensionality against the landscape. A statue, fountain or particularly beautiful tree are all good candidates for cross lighting.

Uplighting
By positioning a fixture at the base of a tree, you can illuminate its canopy by using the uplighting technique. This garden lighting strategy also works against a trellis, statue or any other special surface or object. The effect is dramatic and if not used properly, may look ominous.

Downlighting
A fixture is mounted in a tree or on the edge of a building and directed downwards, casting a wide pool of light. A security fixture, such as flood lighting, qualifies as a downlight, but this technique can also be used to highlight special features within in your garden.

Backlighting
Also called silhouetting, light is aimed at an object from behind so you appreciate its outline or silhouette, with soft light spilling from behind. Statues and trees are the best candidates for this treatment.

Shadowing
The opposite of backlighting, this technique involves lighting an object such as a statue or bush from the front, causing it to cast a dramatic shadow on the surface behind.

Grazing
This technique, also called washing, highlights textured surfaces, such as tree bark or a brick or stucco wall that provides the backdrop for your garden. The fixture “grazes” the surface, exaggerating cracks and crevices.

Moon Lighting
Install a low voltage fixture high in a tree or use a special lens to diffuse the light. This technique emulates natural moon light, creating soft shadows and patterns on the ground below as it filters through the branches.

While it’s not necessary to memorize the name of every garden lighting technique, hopefully these concepts will inspire you to try out a few creative lighting effects in your own garden.