From David Beaulieu,
Your Guide to Landscaping.
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Outdoor lighting extends the time that you may appreciate hardscape and softscape features -- namely, into the night. Outdoor Christmas lighting is a great way to spruce up your winter landscape design, winter being the toughest time of year to keep the landscape interesting. Not only are there fewer daylight hours in winter, but there is also inherently less visual interest on the landscape -- so you have to make the most of everything at your disposal, including outdoor Christmas lighting.

Nor do you have to restrict yourself to outdoor Christmas lighting, per se. A simple spotlight can do wonders. Picture a spruce tree, rising up out of a blanket of pristine snow, with a stone wall as a backdrop. By throwing a spotlight at night on this scene to highlight it, you create a winter wonderland.

Outdoor Garden Lighting

Of course, outdoor garden lighting is what you'll want during the summer months. But for outdoor garden lighting, you'll probably want more subtle, decorative lights rather than spotlights. The idea is to be able to enjoy your garden more fully, rather than to show it off to others. You'll want to install a garden bench and enjoy the ambience while dining outdoors.

Here in the 21st century, we tend to assume that outdoor garden lighting means electric lighting. Laboring under this assumption, many people of modest means forgo the pleasures of outdoor garden lighting altogether; hiring an electrical contractor for the installation is just not in the budget. And most of us are sufficiently wary of the mysterious powers of electricity to deter us from undertaking such a project ourselves. But all is not lost. Don't forget that our ancestors lit up the night for millennia before electric lighting was developed. Don't laugh, but have you ever considered candlelight?

In an age surrounded by electric, the luxury of candlelight has taken on overtones of romance and serenity. This is just the sort of mood you're looking to create with outdoor garden lighting. Yes, you do have to take precautions when using candles outdoors. You don't want the wind knocking your candle over and starting a fire. But decorative glass candleholders are available on the market for just this purpose. Mexican tin candleholders are also sold for your outdoor garden lighting needs, and they're a great fit into a Southwestern theme. For an Oriental, meditative flavor, Chinese lanterns can be purchased in various colors. Any of this outdoor garden lighting can be hung from shepherd's hooks, available at most nurseries. Simply insert votive candles and close up the lantern securely. A few of these placed strategically around your favorite garden patch will light the area sufficiently to make for an ideal spot for a late-night snack in the spring or fall. For dining in the summer garden, add a few stakes armed with citronella candles.

Speaking of gardens, you have a decision to make in landscape design concerning how much space should be devoted to gardens, as opposed to lawn areas. To reflect on this matter, we turn to Page 4, which also considers various garden styles....