7 Ways To Integrate Lighting into Your Landscaping

How To Accent Your Landscaping With the Right Lighting

Creative landscaping can accentuate your home, showcase its appeal, and grace your property with the elements of nature. A landscaping contractor can help you tap into these benefits and bring your home’s landscape to its fullest potential. Lighting is an essential part of this process because it ensures that key features are visible whether it’s day or night. Find out how to integrate lighting into your landscaping and optimize your home’s curb appeal.



1. Partner With a Landscaping Contractor

Landscaping contractors are uniquely skilled when it comes to creating beautiful scenery. Whether you want to create a small, charming garden for your home or an impressive display of greenery spanning several acres, partnering with a professional is the best way to achieve the look you envision.

A landscaper can also help you develop a lighting scheme that complements your existing design. According to research, 13% of Realtors® encourage home sellers to invest in landscape lighting because of the boost in value it provides. A landscaping contractor will help you harness this potential.

2. Identify the Aesthetic You Want To Create

Once you’ve chosen a professional landscaping service to partner with, you should consider what kind of aesthetic you have in mind. Several factors will impact this decision, including the tone of the rest of your neighborhood and the architectural style of your home.

A vintage craftsman will look best with different landscaping lighting than a contemporary farmhouse will. If you’re not sure where to find ideas, consider looking online or taking a walk around your neighborhood in the evening. Surveying your neighbors’ lighting schemes can provide some visual inspiration.

3. Choose the Right Kind of Lights

There are many different types of lights that you can choose from for your landscape lighting design. Your landscaping contractor can suggest the best selection based on your home and landscape scheme. Some of the most common options include the following:

• Spotlights
• Floodlights
• Garden lights
• Bollard lights
• String lights

Each of these types of lights has a different effect, and you can mix and match them to create a customized look. Spotlights, for example, can provide your landscaping with beautiful illumination that highlights a single feature. Floodlights can brighten a large area, providing widespread light. Using different types of lights can emphasize the full scope of your landscaping.

4. Research Different Techniques for Landscape Lighting

Just as there are many different types of landscape lights, there are also many types of landscape lighting methods. A landscaping contractor is an expert in each of these methods, and you can collaborate with them to decide on the best one. Popular techniques include the following:

• Path lighting: Lights are installed to illuminate a pathway
• Grazing: Lights are strategically placed to illuminate features such as pillars or climbing ivy
• Wall-washing: Flood lights are used to “wash” a designated area or wall with light
• Lighting is an art form, and developing a strategy for your landscaping is the best way to bring out its beauty. Your landscaper is a great resource for achieving this.

5. Establish a Budget for Your Landscape Lighting

Establishing a budget is yet another important step in this process. There are many factors to take into consideration when you’re calculating how much you want to spend. Some of the major expenses to consider include:

• Cost of lighting fixtures
• Labor for installation
• Electrical wiring
• Maintenance and upkeep

These costs can quickly add up, and you may be tempted to opt for a DIY installation instead. While this may save a little money, it can take much longer, and it’s still wise to consult with a landscaping contractor regarding safety issues. They can alert you to common safety hazards.

6. Consider Potential Safety Issues Before Starting

When you’re working on creating beautiful landscape lighting, it’s easy to focus exclusively on the aesthetic aspects of your project. Indeed, crafting a beautiful lighting scheme is important, but safety is even more important.

Many people make the mistake of overlooking essential safety issues such as exposure to the elements and exposed electrical wiring. Working with a landscaping professional can help you prevent issues like these by installing lights properly and confirming that they're adequately insulted from weather and other external threats.

7. Trust the Expertise of a Landscaping Contractor

Enlisting help from a landscaping contractor is a worthwhile investment when you’re trying to create an attractive lighting design. In addition to helping you cultivate a beautiful landscape scheme, an expert in this field will be able to light your yard with a unique array of lights. This, in turn, can increase your curb appeal and boost your home’s value.

Partnering with a professional landscaper is also safer and more efficient than using DIY methods. For more information on how to take your landscape lighting to the next level, reach out to Canepa Landscaping at (707) 322-7007 or get in touch with us online.