Lighting the Landscape With Solar Energy

Gardens and yards are “natural” spaces, even if they are very particularly landscaped and maintained. For this reason many people hesitate to use lighting or exterior illumination in their gardens, but this is unfortunate because well-chosen solar lighting can greatly enhance the appearance and enjoyment of a garden or landscape.

How can lighting improve the look of a garden? Today’s consumers have an enormous range of styles and sizes to choose from when they are shopping for exterior lighting. They can choose whimsical fixtures that scatter light around a path or patio, or they can choose very subdued lighting that makes it easy to walk through a garden even in the darkest conditions. They can combine lighting styles to focus on particular garden “elements” such as a path, flag pole or “specimen” tree or shrub.

Most importantly, today’s gardeners and home owners can choose between “hard wired” or solar equipment with which to light their yards or gardens. Traditionally, hard wired exterior lighting required an electrician to create the safe exterior setup used to connect lights and timers. Such fixtures would also require the owner to frequently change burnt out bulbs or solar lamps. Finally, once the lights were in place they could not easily be removed or relocated without concerns about the cords, plugs and exterior outlets. All of this maintenance and expense, in addition to the monthly electrical bills are among the main reasons so many people frown on installing landscape lighting.

As stated earlier however, today a homeowner can opt for solar lighting in the landscape which is attractive, easy to install and free to operate. Solar lighting is the ideal solution to exterior lighting needs because it costs so little to get started. For the price of the lighting units, which usually come with their own solar collector, the owner simply sets them up properly in their chosen location and that is it!

Additionally, most modern solar garden lighting uses LED bulbs which offer up to twenty years of service without any concerns of burning out, breaking from accidents or blows of any kind and provide a softer light than some harsh fluorescent bulbs.

Solar lighting units can be relocated whenever necessary simply by pulling them from the ground and replacing them wherever desired. This can be a real benefit if a garden begins to outgrow its original lighting, or if the fixtures are repeatedly hit during lawn maintenance or care.

Outdoor solar lighting will only add to the natural appeal of garden and allow it to be enjoyed, for no additional costs or energy consumption, long after the sun has set.