Welcome to our June edition. I know the title is super cliché, and maybe even a bit corny, but it does fit the topic to a “T.” With the warmer and extended evenings of summer, the time to enjoy the backyard is now, and it is what we look forward to. If you have had your lights professionally installed, you understand the invitation and ambience that they provide. Lights are romantic, soft, peaceful and add a whole new dimension to the landscape that you would not otherwise appreciate. I have had lights for many years, and I never get tired of looking at them. I enjoy them for many reasons. They give depth to the landscape and create interest. I love praying prior to turning in as I look out onto the landscape. It is very quieting and is a great way to end your day.
The job of lighting is not complicated, especially since the introduction of LED lighting several years ago. It has made the job of calculating voltage drop, gauge of wire needed, size of transformer, etc. much simpler. Lighting now is mostly the job of artistry. We want to go with what will look best artistically, or in other words, how to best arrange the lights. Since good lights cost a bit, you want to get the most “light” or display from them. Knowing what to light, as well as knowing how to take some short cuts if the budget is tight is important. For example, if you are wanting to light up a dry stream bed, we would normally use about 5 to 7 path lights depending upon the length of the stream bed, but if we have gone over budget, how can we still add light to the stream bed? Normally, we like to place the path lights about every ten to twelve feet, placing them around the boulders and plants. However, since we are pushing the budget, we can use spotlights angled downward to light up the same distance. It is not the same as using path lights. Path lights are better, however it does add ambience, creates interest, and saves the budget. The lights we use are solid brass, and are very nice, but if we have to use a lot of them, it can definitely add cost to the job.
Lights can be made of several types of metals. The most popular are aluminum, brass, and titanium. Aluminum is not much less than brass, but the powder coating given for the color of the light fades in the sun. After several years they look old, which makes the landscape look old. Brass on the other hand does patina or become darker, but if you have the time, they can be polished. The brass color I am referring to is not the bright shiny brass, but rather an antique brass. I have yet to do a landscape where the lights do not take the landscape to the next level. I have an overall general rule that whatever it is we add, it must take it to the next level, and if it does not do that, we do not use it. There are inexpensive lights, and they are okay for short term if it is a question of having lights verses not having lights. However, I would recommend waiting and saving for quality lights because they can be added later, and that way you are not wasting your money. What we do when we know that lights are going to be a phase two, is prewire the landscape for lights during phase one. Wire is very affordable, so when we get to phase two, all we have to do is add the lights and transformer. We do not have to disturb the drip lines or plants at all. It is a great way to get it all without putting a choke hold on the finances. In context of overall cost, the lights are about 5% to 8% percent of the budget, so they are not that expensive, but when the landscape costs $25K and easily more, it can be too much for a given expense. For most of our clients, affording lights is not a problem. Most of them have already seen their kids through college, and have disposable income, but this is not the case for everyone, so I always want to be sensitive to those clients.
I mentioned Titanium as another metal of choice, and these styles are normally very modern looking and expensive. I have only had a few occasions to use them. For those that have the budget and want the more modern look, this is the way to go. I will give my opinion about this upper level of lights. The purpose of lights is to light. It is not necessary to spend a fortune on the fixture. The only reason to do it is if the fixtures will be displayed in a very noticeable place like a walkway where the surroundings are done in a modern style. This would be the reason why I would do it, or even recommend it. Brass lights do a great job of lighting, and have a nice clean look, but they are more traditional. There are areas within Sacramento where the homes are designed with modern lines and style, especially along the river. For homes like these, I would recommend these lights, provided the client has the budget for them. They can range from $150 to $250 per light, which is almost double to brass, so you can see the cost can add up.
My intent with this article is to encourage you to consider doing lights with your landscapes. It does not matter to me whether they are part of the landscape or a phase two. What matters is that we do them for the reward is years of enjoyment compared to a finite cost.
Gardeners – you should be harvesting and eating from your garden by now. Have your insecticidal soap ready for aphid, mealy bugs etc. Keep the vegetables well-watered, but not over watered, meaning when you water, water thoroughly, but wait for the soil to dry out just prior to wilt, once they are established. This ensures that the vegetables will have flavor and not be watery tasting. Until next time, Good Gardening,
Arthur 😊