The lighting plan for this beautiful project employed a number of lighting techniques. On the front of the house, uplighting mounted very close to the house and directed straight upward was chosen to accentuate the texture of the stone exterior. A softer, more diffused washlighting application was chosen for under the window boxes to create a more horizontal effect. The uplighting of the evergreen trees in the foundation plantings was specified to soften the overall effect and provide contrast to the home’s stone exterior. The crape myrtle toward the front of the lawn was illuminated with uplights to incorporate more of the home’s landscaping into the lighting scheme and to provide depth and context.
The two large hardwood trees along the back of the project were “blown up” with 22,000 lighting candlepower each. While not clearly shown in the photography, the effect is that not only are the tree trunks accentuated, but the tree canopies are fully illuminated as well. It’s a spectacular effect, not only from this vantage point, but also when looking at the home at night from the front of the dwelling. The lighted tree canopies draw the eye forward, providing visual depth and interest.
Softer, lower light canopies were provided by uplighting selected smaller specimen trees, providing variety and layers of light. Varying lamp wattages and beam spreads were selected to best accentuate specific landscaping features and to create greater visual interest.
The homeowners obviously have invested a lot into creating a backyard oasis that is intended to be fully used and enjoyed. To ensure safe nighttime pedestrian travel, lighting for the steps and patio had to be addressed. The steps are illuminated with small, wall-mounted downlights. A decorative pathlight fixture was installed at the base of the steps and another along the walkway on the right. The patio surface itself is lighted by a moonlight fixture mounted on the back of the house.
The water feature is spectacularly lit with underwater fixtures. The three waterfalls are highlighted with just two fixtures. The lighting accentuates the movement of the falling water and creates a nice play of shadow and light which is an important component of any successful landscape lighting project.
Shadow and light, and a mix of fixture types, wattages, and beam spreads, are what make our lighting projects successful and are hallmarks of a professionally designed landscape lighting system. On this project, there were many landscaping features that could have been lighted, but a judicious eye and a knowledge of the effects of the various landscape lighting lamps and techniques available created the desired shadow and light mix.