DIY solar lighting:

What’s the purpose of your backyard lighting? Is it for security or for the mood? You’ll need different lights if you’re thinking security rather than ambience. Maybe you want to light a path so nobody stumbles into your water feature or into your garden beds. Perhaps your adding light to keep unwanted visitors at bay, there are many reasons why someone might choose to add lighting to a yard. Solar lights have come a long way. Instead of the old photovoltaic cells, opt for the newer, long-lasting solar LEDs, which do well even in harsh weather. There are even options for solar rope lighting, anything is possible.

You can incorporate solar lights into your landscape for lighting a path, which will keep you and your guests out of the aforementioned water features, and protect your garden beds. You can choose from motion sensors, timers, lights on little stakes or lay right on the ground. You can just accent with solar with decorative lights to set a romantic mood in the backyard. While they provide some light, they’re more about aesthetics and ambiance than illumination, we use ours to light our fruit trees and Buddha. Want to show off your pond, aim a floodlight at it. Or aim it at your walkway as part of your security plan.

Don’t forget about the deck lights, your deck is a great place to entertain at night. However, it’s easy for you and your guests to fall off the edge, especially if anyone’s been drinking or other party favors. Minimize party mishaps by illuminating deck railings, edges and stairs. You can mark off boundary lines with beautiful, practical, efficient and attractive solar lights even.

Since solar lights are so portable, it’s easy to experiment. When illuminating garden features, try a few lighting positions until you get it just right for the mood you’re going for.

Avoid obstructions that will hide the light and keep lighting out of main paths of high traffic such as edges, cars, lawnmowers, kids carts, etc. Your lights should be visible enough in daylight to avoid being a tripping hazard for yourself and guest. Remember, these lights are solar-powered, so they need lots of sun. Don’t install them under an overhang, and keep branches trimmed so they don’t interfere with your hardworking light’s ability to shine.

Backyard Lighting CT