Although most individuals make use of landscape contractors and integrate their landscape lighting along with their overall landscape design, we do see a good amount of individuals that desire to change, add, or upgrade on their current landscape lighting. Many of these are do it your-self individuals who want a better understanding of the types and application of various landscape lighting fixtures or want a better understanding of these products.

This is designed to cover the main types of landscape lighting fixtures, their application and various accessories utilized.

Path lights
Path lights as their name implies are designed to illuminate walkways. Most path lights shine the light downward as to illuminate the ground below. Path lights are available with different wattage lamps and all spread light in varying degrees. Your landscape lighting supplier should be able to provide you with the light spread of a particular path light that you are considering. This will allow you to space your path lights accordingly and ensure your desired lighting.

Garden Lanterns/ Area Lights
Garden lanterns or area lights are steak-mounted fixtures designed to provide localized general illumination in the garden. These fixtures are used to illuminate garden areas from small shrubs to larger ground areas depending upon specific needs. Garden lanterns and area lights come in a variety of lighting options in 12 volt and 120 volt incandescent as well as fluorescent lighting.

In Ground Directional Lights
In ground directional lights or up lights are used to illuminate trees and shrubs from the ground up. They are available with varying lamp options including MR 11s and MR 16s in an array of wattage and beam spreads. Low voltage MR 16 bulbs are available in the marketplace with beam spreads from 10 degrees to 40 degrees, as to allow to either focus your light in a long and narrow path or flood it in a broader fashion. This is important in identifying the type of light bulb to use on a tall and narrow tree as opposed to a short and stubby one. Your landscape lighting supplier should be able to provide you with the photo metrics of the different light bulbs and thereby assist you in the proper light bulb needed for your particular application.

Wall Washers
Wall washers are utilized to illuminate landscape walls. This may be a common wall with a neighbor or a dividing wall on your property. Wall washers are good fixtures to use when one is interested in providing lots of lighting in a general direction.

In-ground Well Lights
In ground well lights are used to shoot a vertical light beam from the ground up in order to illuminate a tall and vertical item such as a tree or flagpole. In-ground well lights are buried in the ground and do not provide pivotal rotation.

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