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Landscape outdoor lights installation

Light Up your nights

with Green Warriors Landscaping

Enhance your landscape with outdoor lighting for beautiful after-dark curb appeal. Landscape lighting can be what your property needs to enhance its features and stand out.

 

Landscape outdoor lighting is a small feature that can make your landscaping features really stand out.  Landscaping lights, also known as “low voltage” outdoor lighting are weatherproof and the lights can be used to illuminate your garden pathways, flower beds, specific trees, alongside driveways, along retaining walls, walkways, and more.  “Low Voltage” refers to the 12volt power these lighting systems require, which is much lower than the household standard of 120 volts.

The right type of lights placed in the right areas can dramatically change the look of your home for the better, not only making it a more comfortable place to spend your time, but also increasing its overall value.

The addition of landscape lighting to your yard not only extends curb appeal to all hours, but additionally provides extra safety by illuminating the dark corners and paths on your property—which not only prevents accidents by lowering the risk of injury with the added visibility, but also lowers the risk of crime.

Landscape outdoor lighting installation even helps you get more out of your backyard, allowing barbecues and parties to last well after dark.

Call Green Warriors to book your landscape outdoor lighting installation project in Toronto and Greater Toronto Area.

Booking for 2024 Landscape Lights Installation is  

OPEN!

spot light by Green Warriors
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Benefits of Landscape Lights Installation

  • Add your home’s curb appeal.

  • Add home value and increase interest from homebuyers. The right type of lights placed in the right areas can dramatically change the look of your home for the better, not only making it a more comfortable place to spend your time, but also increasing its overall value

  • Increase personal safety on your property after the sun goes down. Your family and visitors to your property can safely walk through and around your property without tripping or stumbling on unseen hazards

  • Boost home security. Prevent Burglaries And Vandalism.

  • Allow outdoor events to continue past sunset. Landscape lighting can significantly expand your living space while extending your time for recreation, relaxation, and entertaining outdoors

  • Low energy cost. Running your lighting system will be very inexpensive because all the lights we use are low-voltage, meaning that you’re using off only one transformer to run all your outdoor lights. The exact energy cost will, of course, vary depending on how many lights you have installed and the overall size and scope of the project.

up light by Green Warriors

Landscape Lighting Has Two Main Components

Transformer

Transformers come in a variety of sizes to match the number of fixtures in the systems, and varying quality of construction.

 

Fixtures

The fixtures are the final and most exciting part of the landscape lighting system.

There are two basic types of fixtures: path lights and spot lights.

Spot lights are generally fairly hidden and are used to shine outdoor light from the base of a tree or shrub upwards inside the foliage to create a stunning nighttime effect! 

up lights by Green Warriors

Path lights are very decorative lamps that are seen both night and day. Because they are exposed and very much a part of your landscape decor, many customers enjoy picking the style and colour of path lamps themselves just as they would front door hardware, or trim and mouldings inside their house.

A landscape lighting plan may seem intimidating, but it doesn’t need to be a difficult undertaking. Whether you are considering brightening up your yard to spend extra time outdoors with friends and family, to increase the market value of your house, or even for the added security, there are some important things to consider:

1. What do you want to highlight?

What you love about your home and landscape will be accentuated with outdoor lighting. What are your favourite parts of the house or garden that you want to bring to life? Unique elements in the architecture of your property can be illuminated, but you сan also use the lighting in a functional way—guiding lights along your paths, deck, stairs, walkways, and driveway will make it safer to travel those areas after daylight hours.
Consider what you want to leave in the dark, because when it comes to elegant landscape lighting—less is more. Don’t listen to the instinct that tells you to light up each and every dark corner because, unless it is for security, it could wash-out your yard and run up the electricity bill.

Tasteful lighting will be a play with the light and the darkness, and it will shade and highlight the aspects of the landscape that are asking to be featured or subdued, creating a distinguished atmosphere and making the space feel special while bringing about a dynamic contrast from the daytime look and feel of the area. A well-lit space will create an inviting contrast at night to enjoy your beautiful yard for extended hours, and a well-lit entryway will safely navigate members of your family and friends to your home.
 

2. What type of lights you will need.
The main types of lights used in landscapes are spotlights (or up-lights), and path lights. Path lights are, of course, primarily used for lighting paths and walkways, or defining the edges of your garden, whereas spotlights direct their beam upwards to illuminate a standing focal point such as a tree or architectural feature. For best results you would want to use a combination of both types of lights in your landscape.
In general, the goal of outdoor lighting is to illuminate without being seen. The light source itself (with the exception of path lights) is not the feature on display, although they are designed to be decorative with lots of varieties available in different finishes.

 

In-ground lights, called spotlights or up-lights (sometimes referred to as a well light), are usually in the shape of a circle that is installed directly into the ground, with a beam directed upwards to illuminate artifacts above them, displaying the sophistication of a tree or statue after dusk settles in the yard. They can also be used to light up paths, walkways, and driveways to heighten the visibility and bring about safe passage after dark.

Up-lights can capture characteristics not visible during the day. Focus on lighting up features that hold a strong presence in your landscape, and avoid the small and short things that will be lost in the brilliance that is cast upwards. They are also used to wash light up stone walls.

 

Path lights create light markers that form a line, effortlessly improving curb appeal as they illuminate a walkway, path, or driveway to safely navigate in the dark. They are a basic landscape feature that every yard would benefit having. Consider the height of the path lights when choosing to install them—for an even luminescense, 12-15 inches is the optimal height, and for the borders the light should be approximately within one foot of the sides of the walkway/path being illuminated. To steer clear of overcrowding, notice the diameter of the light cast around the fixture itself and install the neighbouring fixture outside of it.

Since path lights remain exposed outside, make sure to choose the ones made of materials that will resist corrosion. Be sure to consider a design that will withstand the weather outdoors as well as enhance the visible appeal of your property.

 

 

3. Determine the colour temperature that you would like to have illuminating your landscape.
What sort of atmosphere would you like to incorporate into the aesthetic outside your home? The colour sets the tone, and it is important to keep it consistent for an even, coordinated look—a vast range of colour temperatures are available with many options to choose from. The advancement of LED technology has afforded us the opportunity to select from a wide array of options to personify your space with your preferred style and  temperature of illumination, with many different shades of lights available. Lighting is measured in Degrees Kelvin (K), and the higher the number, the bluer (and cooler) the hue of the light. For example, from about 3500K to 4100K, you will find a bright white light. Going below 3500K will give the space a warmer look and feel. Brightness, which is measured in “lumens” (previously known as “wattage”), will not be affected by which colour temperature you choose, it simply tells us how much light is being radiated by the light source—you can find fixtures with adjustable lumen output to control the brightness yourself. The colour temperature of the lighting will play a role in determining how many lights you will need to use to create the brightness you want in your yard at night.

 

4. Check if the necessary outlets are available to install lighting fixtures.
In general, most of the newly constructed homes come already equipped with outlet sources outside (usually on the right and left corners of the house), but you’d want to check to make sure they are available. It is necessary to contact a licensed electrician if you are unable to locate them. Make sure you are working with the right voltage for your transformer.

modern path light by Green Warriors
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path light in winter by Green Warriors
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entrance path light by Green Warriors
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Lighting up your landscape.

It can be overwhelming to consider the many types of lights and spaces you could illuminate in your landscape. One of the ways to draw some conclusions about where the lights will look good is for you to go out at night with a high-powered flashlight and play around with it to check out what works and what doesn’t. Use your imagination—as there are limitless possibilities when lighting up your nighttime landscape.


Consider these landscape lighting effects for your nightscape:

Up-lighting is a technique to light up a tree (or wall) from ground level. It allows the tree to show off its canopy or its trunk, depending on client preference and the distance at which the fixture will be placed. If you have an irrigation system installed, it would be better to use fixtures with a convex lens so that the water runs off the light.

Silhouetting is an effect made when a spread light is placed between a fountain/sculpture or plant and a structure behind it, which makes the object stand as a dark silhouette against a soft white background cast by the lighting from a hidden spot. It is a great way to highlight dramatic shapes in the nightscape of your yard that are invisible during the day.

Shadowing is the reverse of silhouetting, and washes a feature (like a tree or a statue) to cast its shadow onto a wall or a fence. The light is placed between the main vantage point and the feature being lit, with the light aimed at the feature. This effect works best when there is a flat surface, like a wall, behind the feature in order to catch the shadows that are cast, but it will also lend to a softly sombre atmosphere.

Moonlighting is created when fixtures are placed high in a tree and aimed downward to look like the full moon is lighting up the nightscape. It is an excellent technique to down-light a patio, where the trees can cast the shadows of their leaves and branches onto the hardscape for interesting visual appeal. The best colour temperature for this effect will be 4000K, which most closely resembles natural moonlight.

Pathlighting, at its most basic, lights up and along a path to help navigate the dark walkway safely. A carefully lit path will make sure all of the obstacles are well-lit and visible, but can also add some interest and adventure to the atmosphere of the landscape by making the pathway more inviting to the viewer. Just be sure not to place them too close together to avoid the “runway” vibe. To simulate a path light, hold a piece of white cardboard (or something reflective) over the flashlight and place it by the path to test the placement appeal.

Grazing highlights interesting stonework. This is especially useful in a hardscape-heavy yard. Up-lights, installed right next to a wall with their beams directed up the structure, will cast dramatic but delicate shadows that accentuate the texture of the stone in the play of light and dark. Grazing can be done up or down a surface, and adds an upscale touch to the property.

Spotlighting highlights a focal point, such as a statue, water fountain, or whatever your favourite feature in the yard is.

Cross lighting lights a feature from two sides, but be careful not to overdo the lighting for a washed out look. If done tastefully, this effect can highlight a feature more prominently and at the same time soften the look.

Washing is not the same as “washing out”. This effect is captured by placing the light source to the side of what you wanted illuminated, and letting the light “wash” over the feature, bathing a hedge or a wall, for example, in a soft, ambient glow of the light.

Down-lighting from a structure can be used in different ways with fixtures installed along the house roof line, in trees, on garden walls, patio covers, etc., and is used to highlight focal points you want to emphasize or to light up entrances and doorways. Down-lighting can also be done from a hardscape—lights are installed upside down in benches, wall windows, or countertops to give subtle lighting at night that gently defines the area they’re set up in with a surrounding glow. These light fixtures are hidden during the day and only make themselves known at night by their effect.
 

Notes about outdoor lighting:

•   Shadows on a staircase make it hard to judge distance and height of the steps, which makes them a hazard—when lighting up a staircase, make sure to install lights at the bottom of the steps as well as the top, which will fill in the shadows and make the steps safe.

•   Extra-large trees look their best with extra lights. They will be better accentuated with two types of lighting (such as moonlighting, and up-lighting), or just extra up-lights aimed at the tree to show off its grandeur.

•   LED technology has the longevity and lower operating costs to be the standard for lighting up your landscape. It will funnel away the heat that is generated by the lights, which is what leads to a longer lifespan. Features such as an adjustable beam spread are also available.

•   Colour temperature works best when it is paired in the same colour family as colour of the object or feature you are working with. Warmer lighting goes best with warmer tones like reds, browns, cedar trees, natural-coloured stonework and walls, trees with red, orange, yellow foliage like oaks and maple. Cool colours work well with contemporary structures, neutral colours or dark grays. This temperature accents the plants in your landscape to look their finest at night. Use bright white daylight (5000K) lighting to lend beauty to evergreen shrubs and trees.

•   The height of your trees will determine the lumen output:

Smaller trees (6-10 ft.) — 80-120 lumens, which is the lowest level and works just as well for shrubs and bushes.

Medium sized trees (up to 25 ft.) — 140-180 lumens.

Large trees (up to 35 ft.) — 230-270 lumens.

Very large trees (50-80 ft. or taller) — 350-1000 lumens.

•   Be considerate about the height of the illumination and the glare, and it applies for your neighbours as well as to avoid problems for driving near your landscape at night. Frosted or shielded glass can prevent glare.

path light with plants by Green Warriors
path light and plants  by Green Warriors

Outdoor Landscape Lights Installation projects

   

  Whether you want to add lighting for aesthetics or for security purposes, our professionals can enhance your curb appeal with strategically placed landscape and architectural lighting.

  Do you have any questions about low voltage landscape lighting installation? Contact us for a free consultation anywhere in Toronto and Greater Toronto Area.

  Reach us now at 905 771 5339 ! We are prompt at answering our phone and email.

 Landscape lighting installation in Concord, Maple, Woodbridge, Vaughan, North York, Markham, Scarborough, Newmarket, Kleinburg, Bradford, King City, East Gwillimbury, Brampton, Aurora, Etobicoke, Greater Toronto Area, Mississauga, Richmond Hill, Thornhill, Toronto Ontario

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