Creating and maintaining a water feature in your landscape is no small task. It requires careful planning, thorough preparation, and ongoing maintenance. But the end result is undoubtedly worth it - the peaceful sound of a babbling brook, the sight of water turning and flowing, and the serene setting it creates can greatly enhance the enjoyment of your outdoor space. However, have you ever considered what happens to your water feature after sundown?
Illuminating Water Features at Night
For most people, the hustle and bustle of daily life keeps them busy during the day, and it's usually in the evening when they have a chance to unwind and appreciate their water feature. If your pond has become a cherished part of your routine, a focal point in your landscape, then why not extend that enjoyment into the evening hours?
Pond and Water Feature Lighting
Pond or water feature lighting is the solution to keep your water feature from having to go to bed when the sun does. By strategically illuminating your water feature with lights, you can create a breathtaking sight that can be enjoyed long after the sun has set.
Capturing the Beauty of Water Features
When it comes to water feature lighting, whether it's a pond, water garden, waterfall, fountain, or any combination of these elements, it's important to consider what will work best for the immediate surroundings of your water feature. The water vegetation, pond life, and statuary forms all contribute to the overall composition of your water feature, and in order to truly capture its beauty in the best light (no pun intended), your low voltage lighting system needs to highlight the key aspects of the entire composition.
Types of Lighting for Water Features
There are different types of lighting categories that can be used for water features, including down lights, submersible lights, underwater up lights, wash lights, and path lights. The key is to use light with purpose - to design with light, not just fixtures. Before installing any lights, ask yourself the question: "Why light?" What do you want to highlight or capture with light in your water feature?
The Secret to Effective Lighting
Once you have a clear understanding of your lighting goals, you can then decide on the appropriate fixtures and their placement. For example, if you have a stunning Japanese Maple tree with branches spread out over a waterfall in your water feature, how will you light it? Ideally, you'd like to light it from below to create a dramatic effect, but the water feature may be in the way of placing the fixture in that ideal spot. In such cases, you may need to explore options like down lighting or using underwater fixtures to achieve the desired lighting effect.
Overcoming Challenges
It's important to consider the viewing angles when planning your water feature lighting. Think about where you and others will be observing the water feature from, and how the lighting will affect the overall ambiance. Avoid the temptation to place lights behind objects, as this can obscure the lighting effect and create glare that may blind onlookers. Balancing the lighting effect requires careful consideration of various factors, and having fun with your approach can help you get in the right mindset. Grab a flashlight and experiment with different lighting angles and positions at night, and imagine your flashlight as the fixture itself. This can give you a better sense of how the angles and shadows play out with different lighting placements.
Having Fun with Lighting
Planning and maintaining a water feature in your landscape is a labor of love, and extending its enjoyment into the evening with well-thought-out lighting can elevate its beauty to a whole new level. By designing with light and considering the overall composition of your water feature, you can create a breathtaking sight that will captivate and delight you and your guests for years to come. So, why let your water feature go to bed when the sun does? Illuminate it and let it shine even after the stars come out!
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