There's an extra element to landscaping that many people don't even think about, and that's lighting. In broad daylight, of course, there's no need for lighting, as you'll be able to sit back and enjoy your front or backyard, meticulously designed just the way you want it, with no problem at all. But, what's the point in lighting your yard at night, you'll be asking yourself.



Security

Outdoor lights are one of the best accessories you can add to your home from a security issue. Everyone should have a porch light, so those hard-working pizza drivers can find your house if nothing else! But with a porch light or a lamp post illuminating your front door, this provides extra security against intruders.

And it's not even so much to guard against intruders. Who hasn't fumbled with their keys when trying to fit a key into a lock they can't see? Placing a row of lights next to your garden paths can ensure that unsuspecting feet don't step off into the flower beds.

Accents

Why just be able to enjoy the beauties of your gardens at night? With strategically placed lights you can enjoy your miniature fountains or waterfalls, water gardens or rock gardens at any time. Indeed, they may even look more spectacular at night. And its not just a question of accenting your garden. By lighting up your entire home with carefully placed spotlights, it can be made a work of art in itself.

Celebrating the seasons

Lots of people put up lights for the holidays - and go to a great amount of trouble stringing lights on their garage and on the eaves of their house. Then, two weeks later, they go through all the trouble of taking those lights down again. By designing a lighting system that will be semi-permanent, you remove the need for all that extra work. Simply change out the bulbs for those of different colors, depending on the season.

Where's the power come from?

Give a thought to your lighting needs. If you choose line voltage fixtures that can get their power from your home's electrical system, you'll want the wires to run underground. You'll want to have these installed by a professional. Also, make sure that you have a plan of where these underground wires are installed, because if you do any digging in future - or if you sell the home and the new owner wants to do some digging - it will be all too easy to cut through these wires if no one knows where they are.

The other choice that also works great, is to use solar light fixtures. These feature a solar cell that absorbs energy from the sun and stores it in rechargeable batteries. These types of lights are easily installed by the homeowner, but how long they will last can be a question.

To find out what kinds of lights are available, visit your local home and garden or home improvement center. However, a lot of companies offer their wares on the web as well. Seagull Lighting has practically every type of outdoor light you can imagine, as does Lights by Lighthouse.