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Lighting techniques
Below are described some of the most popular lighting techniques and
the effects produced. In all cases very careful consideration should be given the
positioning of luminaries to avoid light pollution. Normally the best effect is produced
if the source of light is hidden. Don't be afraid of the dark, the contrast produced with
fewer lights can be much more dramatic.
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Spotlighting
Used sparingly to pick out larger plants, trees, statues, and
architectural features, this technique can produce a most dramatic effect. The effect is
particularly compelling if used to highlight features that have natural movement, such as
fountains. The technique uses focused and typically more intense light sources. |
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Uplighting
Often used to light arbours, pergolas, and the canopies of larger
trees, this technique typically uses recessed or ground mounted lamps to create a soft
reflected light which can be particularly effective for dining or to create natural
coloured light from the reflecting object. Multiple uplighters set at regular intervals,
such as each post of a pergola, can enhance a more formal garden. |
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Downlighting
Particularly useful to provide light for reading or cooking, this
lighting technique is most often used to give economical security lighting. Unless being
used purely for security purposes this lighting style is most effective if the light
source is hidden in an arbour or recessed into the roof of a porch. |
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Step and path lighting
Most frequently using low-level downlighting, a subtly lit pathway
can be most enticing as well as making it safer to negotiate. It is most important to
avoid the glare that can be visually uncomfortable when using the path (particularly if
using recessed uplighting on anything other than the widest pathways) - this can easily be
achieved using some of the many luminaries with built-in 'eyelids', frosting, and
reflectors, or in the case of up-lighting, using highly focused beams. |
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Silhouetting or backlighting
As with spotlighting this technique produces very striking results
when used sparingly. Often used to highlight the outline of large plants such as trees or
palms, or structures such as archways, luminaries are mounted behind and below the object
to create a spectacular silhouette. Backlighting can also be used to create a variation on
silhouetting to bring out the colours of leaves on trees such as maples. |
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Moonlighting
Not in this case used to describe activities after hours! but rather
a technique that is used to produce a natural lighting effect similar to that produced by
the moon by mounting one or more downlighters higher up in mature trees to cast an even
shadowy light over paths, flowerbeds, etc. |
Shadowing
The opposite of silhouetting, this technique requires the strong
contours of plants such as yucca, as well as a surface such as a wall or lawn to create
the most powerful effect. The use of shadowing in a formal garden to light a series of
regular features can accentuate the structure of the garden and produce a very elegant
effect.
Spread lighting
Spread lighting uses wide beam angles to light larger features such
as lawn areas, flowerbeds and borders, and low shrubs. The light produced from well
positioned spread lighting makes strolling around a garden in the late evening very
pleasurable, allowing many different plants to be seen, and highlighting the landscape of
the garden.
Cross lighting
Like spotlighting this technique is used to pick out and highlight
the beauty of a certain feature of the garden such as a statue, urn, gnarled tree trunk,
bonsai, archway, etc. Cross lighting is achieved using two or more spotlights to light the
feature from different angles and produces softer, more subtle shadows than spotlighting.
This effect can also be used to make more detail of the feature visible.
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Lighting Alfresco
