Contrary to what many people may think, the art of garden and outdoor lighting goes beyond aesthetics. It is not enough to implement your preferences as to where to place your accent lights, what color of lights to use, how bright the individuals need to be and other like considerations. You will also have to consider your garden lighting from the point of view of your visitors.

Tuck rope lights firmly in place

If you are contemplating on using rope lights around your bed of daisies, tuck the rope firmly around the boundaries of the bed and fasten it to the ground with gardening staples. Be sure the bed itself is surrounded by a cemented border. It is not advisable to use rope lights in your garden unless they are firmly fixed and are running along the insides of some kind of border. Otherwise, your guests may end up tripping on them.

Path lights should illumine the way without distracting the eyes of your visitors

To shed light on pathways and walks, select path lights that emit soft light. The glow should be just bright enough to allow your visitors to confidently step up to your doorstep. Use directional lighting instead of ambient (all around) lighting for these lights and make sure they are pointed downwards.

Ambient light and upward lighting are not advisable for path lights. They can produce glare which will disturb vision and defeat the purpose of those lights.

The need for sober lighting is even more acute if you are using lamp posts to brighten a path. In that case, it is not just the angle of the light that you need to consider. Think about what color and intensity will brighten the path without disturbing the eyes of your guests.

Attach lights into the risers of garden steps

If any portion of your garden features extensive stair steps, you will need to install soft lights into the riser of each step. This will make it easier for people to distinguish the steps if they are coming down.

The riser lights themselves will have to be capped and directed downwards. Otherwise, the glare that they emit may make it even more difficult to make out the lower step.

In the matter of attaching lights to stairs, you should restrain your artistic flair. The only objective you have is to make going up and coming down the steps as easy as possible for your visitors. Therefore, you should refrain from placing flower pots and plant jars on the steps of the stairs as these are potential hazards to people negotiating the steps.

Use colors for highlight and not for illumination

For the purpose of illuminating areas in your lawn, use white (yellow) light. Choose the hues that are normally used for your living room or kitchen as those are the most conducive for clear vision. The stark effect of plain white fluorescent light will distort the shape of the pavement and may lead to accidents. If you must use fluorescent lamps, select those with a daylight tint.

Plainly, it takes more than just bulbs and wires to achieve an effective and attractive garden lighting for your lawn.