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[R252]Residential Landscape Lighting Design

by Jeff Halper, Jef

Maybe you've been collecting residential landscape designs for a while. Perhaps you saw a Japanese garden design at a friend's house that captured your imagination. Or maybe it was a Mediterranean garden design with sweet herbs right off the vine, relaxed spaces for entertainment, and lush, practical vegetation. Possibly your space is limited and you're looking for small garden design ideas that will have a big impact.

If you're making plans to change your residential landscape design, a good place to start is with landscape designers or landscape architects. These competent landscape professionals take you through the entire design development process, which includes consultation and program development, analysis of your property, conceptual landscaping design, construction documentation and permitting. And then on towards turning the vision in your mind into a concrete reality.

Ideas for Residential Landscape Design

• Landscape lighting. From a practical urban landscaping standpoint, the right landscape lighting provides security and safe access. It allows you to showcase beautiful trees and garden elements, while simultaneously letting you control what you don't want people to see by leaving some things dark. It is often a relatively inexpensive way to boost your property value.

• Outdoor water fountains. Outdoor water fountains make a graceful statement about a home by creating a pleasing and welcoming focal point. They are especially beneficial as camouflage for all the white noise we live with, such as traffic, air-conditioning units and lawn mowers.

• Pool design. Various geometrics, materials and plantings can be used to create the style that suits you—a water work of art, a cocktail pool, an Olympic-sized pool or a water-park for children are just a few examples. Pools are usually designed by an architect who manages the construction and oversees all the details.

• A “green” green garden. That is, a garden that is ecologically smart, prudent and sustainable. “With a design for a green garden, the goals are basically the same as for any other landscape project with a special focus on reducing the main concerns of ongoing landscape maintenance: watering, trimming, weeding and mulching,” says Jeff Halper with Exterior Worlds.

Residential Landscape Design: The Unsung Heroes

A well-thought-out drainage system and irrigation system have a big impact of the health of your yard—and on your enjoyment of it. Drainage systems are an important part of any Houston residential landscape design and include catch basins, channel drains and French drains. Drainage systems impact your residential landscape maintenance by preventing standing water that can cause mosquito breeding grounds, slippery surfaces, and washed-out landscaping. A proper landscape drainage system is essential for the care of your lawn as it removes water from your property in a timely manner, thus encouraging healthy plants and allowing your maintenance crew to perform their regular lawn service duties.

Irrigation systems help you deliver the correct amount of water to the appropriate plant material. They allow your landscape to be separated by zones into lawn, bed and color areas that require different watering conditions due to varying plant materials and sunlight conditions. They do this by utilizing controller box technologies, such as timers, time delays and rain sensors, that let you set a regular schedule for your landscape watering needs while, at the same time, allowing you to switch to manual for unexpected events.

It is best when drainage systems and irrigation systems work in concert with each other. Irrigation and drainage contractors can develop a whole-system approach so that the nuts and bolts of both systems are hidden as much as possible. If that method can't be done, custom decorative drain gates can be used to reduce the negative visual impact. The overall goal is for the design and location of the two systems to be in harmony with the design of the rest of the landscape.

Ways to Create Landscape Lighting

You can approach lighting your garden in two different ways. It can either be very functional and used to deter burglars. Whilst on the other hand it can be used in a decorative and fun way to highlight particular features in your garden, such as a statue or rose arbour.

If you have never bought lighting for your garden before, don't worry, there's loads of lighting products that will give you the look you are after. Simply look into what types of lighting is available and understand how they should be used. Lighting can be very creative so think about where you're going to place them.

It's easy to feel overwhelmed by the sheer choice out there but don't worry. There aren't that many, the most popular ones you'll find in the shops are:-

Pathway lights
Recessed lights
Decorative lanterns
Floodlights
Spotlights
Accent lights
Submerged pond lights

When you're garden is plunged into darkness, think about what features in your garden you particularly enjoy looking at during the day. This will give you an idea of where the lighting should be situated and what product to buy.

Be Imaginative

In the warmer months and you have guests over make sure the lighting you choose sits in well with the atmosphere you are looking for. Using lights which are too bright can make people feel uncomfortable. You're garden isn't an airport, you don't need landing lights!

How Can You Achieve This Look?

* Accent lights will work area along flower beds or under an archway.

* For garden features such as sun dial or pond, using lighting will really help bring these features out.

* For eating areas you'll want flood light which are stronger, so that you can see what you're doing.

* If you want a feature to be silhouetted, simply place a light behind it.

* Lights in amongst foliage will help create a subtle glow.

* Although white or cream lights will give a more classic look, there are other colours such as green and yellow to experiment with.

* You don't have to be conservative with you lighting. If you want a party atmosphere, choose lighting which is colored.

There are almost endless ideas of what you can do with outdoor landscape lighting. Just be careful you don't get carried away and buy every type of lighting under the sun. You just want to be playful with lighting, not make it look like you plan on holding an Elton John concert in your garden.

Article Source : Pg. 87

About Author

Both Jeff Halper & April Kerr are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.

Jeff Halper has sinced written about articles on various topics from Gardening, Swimming Pool and Gardening. Jeff Halper is passionate for Landscaping and wants to share information about that passion. At you can read more about. Jeff Halper's top article generates over 18100 views. to your Favourites.

April Kerr has sinced written about articles on various topics from Treadmill Exercises, Home Improvement and Health. April often writes articles for site which also has articles relating to. April Kerr's top article generates over 18100 views. to your Favourites.