Landscape Outdoor Lighting Kits

Trees literally give life to the world, because without them, there would be no oxygen to breathe, and the soil would quickly erode in the wind and rain. As such, tree lighting is more than a science. It is an aesthetic discipline that showcases one of man’s most primal and perhaps first symbols of consciousness. Tree lighting with even the best landscaping lighting kits can never exactly be done the same way twice any more than two trees can ever exactly grow or look the same way. Residential Landscape Lighting and Design has composed this article on tree lighting as a general guideline, not a hard-fast rulebook on tree lights and landscape lighting kit installation. These recommendations are based on an average luminance of 10 foot candles and provide suggested wattages in landscape lighting kits to achieve what lighting designers call “moonlight effects”, or in layman’s terms, artificial light with the ambient, softer qualities of natural moonlight.


Residential Landscape Lighting and Design’s extensive selection of landscape lighting kits and accessories are designed with trees preeminently in mind. We seldom run across a municipality or business entities with no trees whatsoever on property. We have yet to find a homeowner with no trees in the yard, although we are sure there are a few out there somewhere. (For these people we recommend seedlings, as they can still be valued clients regardless). As such, almost every landscape tree lighting kit we provide contains a down lighting as well as up lighting components. Simply stated, these terms are merely directional in nature and do not refer to anything mysterious or technically complicated about landscape lighting kits themselves. Down Lighting means exactly what it says—shining light downward toward the ground, and up lighting means to shine the light upward. To effectively show all parts of a tree in the dead of night, one must combine these two lighting techniques so as to “wash” the tree in light. This allows viewers to clearly see the differentiation between leaves, branches, and the trunk regardless of viewing angle. Both sets of lights also have to be positioned in such a way as to illuminate the entirety of the tree’s canopy and not just the middle, vertical core.

Landscape lighting is often a very complex and highly tedious science that requires professional service organizations cross-trained in landscaping in addition to their expertise in lighting. Landscape lighting kits, however, allow private individuals the opportunity to become lighting designers in their own right, particularly when it comes to lighting their favorite trees in both front and back yards. Provided that one is physically fit enough to climb a tree, or to use environmentally safe tools that will not damage the tree, lighting and landscaping kits can transform a dark tree line along a fence or wall into an illuminated natural edifice of organic browns and living green. In the fall, the changing colors of leaves adds even more effect through Nature’s own hand, and even in the death of winter a well-lighted tree still speaks to the potential for new life in the Spring to come.

Just as light and life form a cycle of rebirth and life, so too does the choice and installation of a landscape lighting kit represent a cycle of design, aesthetic, and effect. With a little simple math, one can determine tree canopy size by multiplying the width and height of the tree in feet. Then, by assessing the density of foliage and using one’s own subjective judgment to determine exactly how much emulated moonlight will be desirable for that particular tree, choosing the appropriate landscape lighting kit simply becomes a matter of selecting from one of our lists in this category. RLLD has included a corresponding chart to help lighting designers and private individuals alike select the precise wattage level required for a tree of particular size and the necessary luminance to achieve optimal visibility according to one’s own outdoor decorative style and taste.

By: Kimberly Quang To learn more visit our landscape outdoor lighting kit section or read more about landscape outdoor lighting kits

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Garden Landscaping Concepts

Regardless of the area you live in there are few things that beat the relaxation to be enjoyed during a warm summer's night while in your garden and enjoying the view of your landscaping ideas coming to fruition. It is an unfortunate fact that a project to redo the landscaping of your backyard can cost a lot and requires much planning and hard work if you try to do it in one year.

One simple solution to this is to break up your backyard into rooms and complete the landscaping of each room at a rate of once per year until you are done. This is vital when you are on a budget and your results will also be improved as you are able to focus your time and cash on one area at a time rather than trying to complete the entire backyard at once and for the same budget allowance.


While you may be landscaping one part at a time you will still require an overall schematic for the entire design. You can do this yourself through the use of graph paper and by drawing out the fixed structures on your land such as the house and trees to name a few.

It is at this stage that the plants and shrubs that are present should be evaluated as to whether they are going to become part of the new landscape. You should make copies of your design drawing before making additions as you can experiment with varying concepts. You can use free backyard landscaping ideas from places like magazines and gardens visited.

If you love to host parties then you will want to keep some open space in the yard and plant along the perimeter of the area. If not then you can use the space to create an island bed, walkways or much more.

Here are some ideas you can enjoy:

Plant Screens

If you desire privacy but do not have a fence you can choose to create a screen made with plants. Some of the best choices are hawthorn, arborvitae or any combination to create your private setting and a nice backdrop to your future flower plants.

Flower Bed Border

One of the most difficult parts of creating a border is the selection of the right flowers that are the correct color and height. Provided here is a list of perennials that are great for a six foot wide bed located in a sunny area. This width extends away from the fence or screen fence.

You will need to use 3-5 plants per flower species. A space allowance of 16"-18" is necessary between plants. The space between different species of plants should be 20"-22". Odd amounts of plants are more visually effective than even amounts.

It is an important tip to remember to allow adequate space at the rear of the bed for access. This can also avoid the choking off of the air needed and light required by the plants at the back.

Perennial border recommendations chosen to give displays that last with initial flowers in April and the final set in the month of October:

-Tall plants, back row: Sedum, Rudbeckia, Phlox White, Iris, Veronica Blue, Golden Shower and Picta.

-Short plants, front row: Geranium, Potentilla, Huechera Pink, Aster Dwarf Blue, Sedum Dragons Blood, Achillea and Erigeron.

These may not be the best plants for all climates but you can get assistance in choosing the right plants for your climate zone in the book "The Comfortable Lazy Garden".

Island Bed

An island bed is located in the middle of your yard and encircled by grass. It can vary area according to your imagination and space availability. Plants should be tall in the center and shorter on the edges.

Preplanned Gardens

Preplanned gardens can be a great option for newbie's to gardening. You can get landscaping solutions to landscaping your backyard pond and even your backyard patio. Direct Gardening offers a wide range of pre-planned gardens to help you create backyard patio landscaping designs and much more. It will take the guessing out of plant selection and placement.

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Use outdoors to beautiful stages of your landscaping and unify.

For the construction of outdoor measures of the size standard for interior measures should be used, especially in areas with heavy traffic. The tread of each step, 10 cm deep and the risers around 7 1 / 2 inch. It's a good idea of how surfaces 1 / 4 inch lower in front to back for drainage. A good foundation is essential for all measures other than those of cycles logs. The foundation should extend six inches below the frost line.

Although not always the most attractive of concrete is a material commonly used for the stages. A simple form can be constructed from a series of boxes LX6 and LX8 inch saw timber, each box is the same width of four inches, but shorter than the box the lower step. The boxes are placed one on another and held together by studs. Make sure the corners well aligned. The cement is poured to 1 part Portland cement to 3 parts of sand 6 parts gravel. Then, the peaks of the same measures with the flat side of a plate.

Using pre-cast concrete blocks eliminates the need for forms for step construction. The cost is approximately the same as the construction of concrete measures, but the job - especially for a one-man operation - is easier. It is important that the blocks with each other and you can get a good image by applying a thin layer of concrete general.


Brick is not built in the same manner as concrete blocks over masonry skills are required. A layer of gravel is first recorded in the basement of a foundation. The weakness of the stairs of stone, many joints they need.

In the construction of stone steps, the main challenge is to find the stone. Although this does not create a problem in some areas, in other areas, the stone must be purchased and if so, stone steps are by far the most expensive type to build. They are also one of the most attractive. If enough stones are stone steps can be made of masonry, without fining.

If measures are independent of stone, mortar must be used. The foundation must be prepared with a layer of gravel, the same as for measurements of bricks. The concrete used to make a bed for the stones are carefully placed for a good reason.

Leveling must be precise (a string of characters is recommended). Remove spilled mortar stones that are still moist and easy to remove. If it is dry, however, dry mortar can be removed using hydrochloric acid.

Wooden buttons cut large logs can also create a beautiful and easy to package. The tour is set down in the soil, and the next one is partially covered and a riser. The floor is completed as part of graduate and packed firmly. This procedure is followed until the desired height.

Action of wood can be used to create work for long slopes where there is no need for action, but it is too steep for a path. Ramp steps can be made with risers of large stone flags, logs or squared timber. The roads leading to measures that should be the same width as the steps. The directions should gradually increase, the largest increase is 3 / 4 inch per foot.

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