How to Use LED Lights in the Landscape

Lighting up the landscape at night not only creates a magical picture to look at from indoors or out, but adds safety and makes the garden more usable after dark. Following the popularity of low-voltage and solar lights, the use of LED lights in the landscape is blossoming. Up until now LED lights have been lacking in brightness compared to the competition, but new LEDs are now available in a variety of forms, colors and intensities never before seen. Here is some information on how to use LED lights in the landscape.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. You can use LED lights in the landscape to create spot lighting, glowing areas or focal points. The LED (light-emitting diode) is a source of light that uses 1/10th the energy of the incandescent mini light bulbs. It lasts more than three times longer and does not heat up. It is more practical in many ways, but has been somewhat expensive to buy. Now the cost of LEDs have become competitive with other lights and choosing LED lighting for the garden is a great idea.

2. 
   Linked LEDs form decorations

   LEDs come in decorative colors that are more intense than other lighting. That makes them ideal for decorative uses. There are a number of companies that specialize in decorations created by end-to-end strands of lighting that can be formed into just about any image to decorate your house or landscape for holidays or to create special effects.

3. You can now choose LEDs for most garden fixtures from spotlights to walkway lights.

4. 
   LED lights can be used in most landscape fixtures

   For more information on how to use LED lights in the landscape, please check some of the links provided below under Resources.

Resources

• Say it with lights
• SPJ lighting
• General landscape and garden design and growing information

[sprinkl]

on 3/3/2009 I hope you get to see the SprinkLites(TM) at CLCA next year. They add a new dimension to Indoor and Outdoor lighting by using LED's in a creative and innovative manner. They were originally designed as a water conserving micro-sprinkler system that lights up at night. Using a 3-"D" cell power pack the 6 LED's Lights in the set light for over a month.

[Meri]

on 3/3/2009 They really do make a magical garden at night.

[jpwriter]

on 3/2/2009 LED lights really do add amazing beauty to a garden and your outside yard. My mom has them all around her yard, different areas of the garden and they're on a timer. It's amazing at night, plus safe and they don't need to spend money on other lights.