Are you in search of a way to beautify your garden with garden lights? Are your considering solar-powered and electric powered garden lights?
This is a comprehensive guide on varied garden lights you can consider. We review garden lights based on select parameters because we are experienced at it. Find out more about us
One of the best garden lights is Malibu Lighting. Read more here. This is because they come with quality lanterns, colored lights, affordable prices, ease of installation and have spare parts in case they break. Find spare parts here
If you need a comprehensive guide on solar globes and how they bring your garden alive, read here.
For solar lanterns, we have reviewed 40 best decorative lanterns here.
For general guidelines on landscaping and making your garden beautiful, continue reading this article. Enjoy.
Are you seeking to ease the electricity bill pressure while on a mission for Better Homes and Gardens Landscape Lighting? You could save some cash by installing solar-powered lights outside your house. They will also go a long way in making your premises more appealing. When it comes down to power and beauty, these Gardens Landscape Lighting don’t compromise. They do not affect the environment in any way and do not require much responsibility to keep. They are also independent of the weather and switch themselves on and off depending on the intensity of the sunlight.
Outdoor Gardens Landscape Lighting Guide Part I: Benefits of Using Outdoor Gardens Landscape Lighting
Gardens Landscape Lighting does not require any more attention once they are installed. The batteries in the Gardens Landscape Lighting are recharged daily by solar panels that soak up energy from the sun during the day. The batteries enable very luminous LED lights that can illuminate your property throughout the night once the sunsets. All that should be of concern is whether the solar panels well positioned to absorb the most from the sun.
Given the numerous choices in-store, getting the solar light that goes well with your homes outside is without a struggle. Check the guide on malibu landscape lighting kits is a good solution. Installing is also very easy. Most of the lights are presented with the essential parts so that you can set them up yourself. Moreover, wires are not required if the solar panels are not attached to the light fixtures. It is very stress-free and a lot less of a risk.
You still don’t buy the idea? Below are more advantages of opting for solar power:
It does not produce harmful gases, causes zero damage to the environment.
It increases independence from oil and fossil fuels.
It gives energy that can be renewed daily even without excess sunlight.
It does not seize to serve even when the power is down.
It can be set up at any point, on the ground or on a building wall.
Outdoor Gardens Landscape Lighting Guide Part II: Types of Outdoor Gardens Landscape Lighting
There is more than one kind of Gardens Landscape Lighting that you can use for your patio, lawn and garden. The best of these out of the indoors Gardens Landscape Lighting has a specific purpose for creation. It could be for security purposes, lighting or even making the well-maintained garden even more beautiful.
There are typically four main categories:
Garden Lights. Garden Gardens Landscape Lighting come in handy when one looks to add some beauty and elegance to the yard for personal fulfillment of to entertain guests. These lights usually have limited brightness but they produce a warm radiance that it very good for lighting plant beds in the night.
Path Lights. The solar path lights have a resemblance to garden lights only their light intensity is a bit elevated. Both can be set up at your point of preference, however, garden lights may not be completely weatherproof and might require removal when summertime comes to a close. Path lights, on the other hand, have a longer lifespan and incorporate materials to resist water in their making. These particular path lights often display a regular design like a spiral or a star shape which increase the look of the path on focusing them. Check out such lights under solar globe lights here.
Spotlights. Solar spotlights give a stronger light source if you want to focus attention on a specific point, maybe a canteen/shop area or a busy pathway.
Motion-sensing. Motion sensing Gardens Landscape Lighting have the ability to prevent anyone with an aim of prowling as well as lighting for your own benefit.
Subcategories of outdoor Gardens Landscape Lighting:
- Wall Gardens Landscape Lighting. Malibu provides the best lights
- Hanging Gardens Landscape Lighting.
- Flagpole Gardens Landscape Lighting.
- Lamp post Gardens Landscape Lighting.
- String Gardens Landscape Lighting.
The question remains, how can one decide on which of the Gardens Landscape Lighting suits them best? Here is the way. It is completely dependent on the place or path you are looking to illuminate and the availability either ground or wall space. Mounting the lights on a wall is in some way kind of permanent while ground set ups are easy to un-mount or move to another spot.
The greatest trouble when trying to pick a solar light are the luminous intensity, the range of illumination, how long it can last, how long it can hold charge, not forgetting the price. Due to this, the research is carried out and condensed hereunder.
If you are in search for a way to increase the elegance of your garden, it is advisable that you opt for a little more illumination to bring it to life. Despite delivering commendable answers to movement in the dark, they add elegance and beauty to the backyard. However, setting up these lighting equipment can be both time consuming and costly too unless you are up for choosing to go with the solar path.
Set up Gardens Landscape Lighting of the best quality instead of going for outdated lights.
It is very easy to set up solar path lights. They do not require maintenance owing to the fact that they use solar energy and not electricity. This is to say that each light is independent of the other and goes on to serve for long devoid of issues. If you are hitting the market for solar path lights of high quality, then this is the right place since this article aims at stuffing you with essential knowledge on your quest to purchase the best solar path lights.
How Do Solar Path Lights Work for Better Homes and Gardens Landscape Lighting?
All solar path lights have a solar panel built inside them to change the energy from the sun to actual electricity. The electrical charge is stored in the batteries built inside the lights. All the batteries can be charged again when they are drained. The good sunshine allows the charging process to take place during the day. When the sun is almost down, a switch is triggered to turn on the LED bulbs automatically and turns them off in the morning.
LED bulbs conserve energy in a very big way. This implies that they have a big life span. A single solar light can dissipate non-stop illumination for over 6-10 hours. It is self-sufficient, it does not require any energy from outside. This is to say that change their position at any time and still be utilized provided they have sunlight exposure.
How to Select the Best Solar for Better Homes and Gardens Landscape Lighting?
Setting up solar path lights is arguably the best method of illuminating your yard, front or back. Setting them up is very easy and they do not need allot of attention. With that being said, these Gardens Landscape Lighting cannot all be the same. Some may poses beauty of high standards while others have higher light intensity. To get the most ideal model to suit your needs, you ought to think about the following issues:
Brightness
The luminous intensity is arguably the most important consideration when purchasing a solar path light. Many buyers buy petty lights with extremely low luminous intensity. Be sure to keep an eye out for high lumen rate when you are about buy a light. It is important to note that lumens stand in place for luminous intensity, if a light has allot of lumen, this will suggest that it has high brightness too. I propose you check out my collection of the best solar globes.
It is essential for you to realize that many of the less expensive alleyway Gardens Landscape Lighting give out around 1-9 lumens of light while the other more sturdy Gardens Landscape Lighting can give up to 30 from 10 lumens. It is therefore understandable that the solar powered lights giving 1-9 lumens of light will produce some illumination though it won’t be enough to light up the alley in the right way.
Battery Capacity
Battery capacity is also another important consideration when trying to find the perfect pathway Gardens Landscape Lighting. Buying a light consisting of a large battery is just perfect since it can be in service for long periods of time which will come in handy when you need them to work all night long.
How much charge a battery can carry is also of the essence. To give out brighter light, they have to consume lots of energy. If the battery capacity if not up to the challenge, it might go-ahead to burn out. Batteries that can handle this required energy must have very big capacities to allow them to stay on all night. Here is a collection of the best battery operated lights
Style
Their design is also very crucial since you will be feasting your eyes on them every day. There is no need to be told what a bad idea it is to buy lights that are not appealing to the eye and do not merge with the builder’s idea of decors. Who desires to buy a light that looks so petty and fragile that it might break when it starts to rain?
Even though some styles affect the luminous intensity, it is advisable to keep an eye out for shadow from the light and the beam of light. Both of them depend on the glass used to make it and gives you the honours of illuminating wild trends merged with tradition.
Solar Quality
Given the crucial role of the solar panel in the system, it is very important to think about its quality. This is what determines its efficiency in converting solar energy to useful energy. It also dictates how long it takes to charge. Some solar panels have efficiency that goes up to 20%.
Panels made from the latest technology are more efficient. It will not be wise to purchase a panel designed using outdated technology. High efficiency implies that you require little space for much more wattage, that is, small panels that generate even more energy.
Materials
Considering that Gardens Landscape Lighting are made for the great outdoors, you definitely have to go for those made of sturdy and long lasting material. Most path lights of high quality are made of metal and glass. Such types of solar path lights have a tendency of being powerful and very long lasting.
Even though some of the lights have plastic cuts, purchasing ones that are completely made from plastic is a terrible idea. Such material find it hard to withstand extreme weather conditions like lots of heat and rain. This is to say that they are only safe to use during average weather conditions.
If you are in search for the solar alley light that most suits your taste and decor, this section will be of great assistance to you. Below are reviewed solar path lights complete with their advantages and disadvantages.
How to clean and Maintain Solar Path light for Better Homes and Gardens Landscape Lighting?
Frequently prune adjacent trees and shrubs
Anything that blocks the lights from direct exposure to sunlight has to be trimmed regularly. Since the lights depend of energy from the sun, they have to be exposed to it at all times. Blocking the solar panels from direct exposure can lead to reduced rate of charging. Considering how fast the vegetation around your area grow, they may have to be trimmed at least once in a month.
Clean the Solar Panels
How clean your lamps are determines a great deal of how your Gardens Landscape Lighting perform. If the panels have a layer of dust on them, then the lamp may not charge fully. If the battery does not fully charge, then it runs the risk of not functioning for long enough during the night and shortening your lights lifespan.
It is advisable to go for a soft cloth and soapy water for perfect cleaning. This should be done mostly during the early times of day or in the evening to avoid interaction with the hot fittings. In most cases they should be cleaned once per month, however this frequency may be increased if you live in an area of dust.
Clean the Bulbs and Fixtures
As you go by cleaning the lights, it is important to focus on the debris and dust from the lights. All these should be done while putting into consideration the fact that keeping the metal and plastic parts of the lights clean can increase the life span of the Better Homes and Gardens Landscape Lighting very much. Cleaning the glass or plastics confirms that dust and dirt to not affect the brightness of light given.
Carry out a check on bulbs and fixtures for likely damage
It is essential to check whether there are a possible damages on the lamp’s part. Most probably dents, scratches, whether the globes are still intact, or the plastic is still as new. If any problem is noted, fixture can be done before it gets any worse or it would be replaced.
Check the Batteries Thoroughly for Corrosion
Corroded batteries may cause the lamps to malfunction of not charge fully. You will need to have the right tools to disassemble the light to get to the battery’s housing. When you have reached the batteries, check for any white dust. A simple brush can be used to clean out corrosion that is not so serious. However, deep corrosion can be dealt with by using a fine grit sandpaper. If you need battery-operated lanterns, here is a select top quality lanterns
Inspect your Connections and Wires
Wires in the system may not be as many but still require constant attention. Wires connecting the solar panel to the lamps can be accessed by pets or little animals and be destroyed. Despite being averagely protected, wildlife can always find a way to access them. It is therefore essential for the constant check-up on the wires for Better Homes and Gardens Landscape Lighting.
Use the incandescent lights
Not many realize the fact that solar light can be charged by use of incandescent light. In simple terms, these incandescent lights produce all the wavelengths of the sun but not in the same amount. It is bright enough. The receptors change light into electricity that can be preserved and used later in the time. This is therefore a good way to charge your Gardens Landscape Lighting for better service.
LED light
Based on the above explanation, LED lights can also be utilized in charging of solar powered lights. LED is created to produce different ranges of wavelengths like the infrared waves, ultraviolet waves and the visible light. It works to charge the lights just like the sun.
Harness the light on a cloud day
It is also very possible to get energy even without the sun. Since the Gardens Landscape Lighting have light receptors, they are able to harness even the least amount of light to electrical energy which can be stored for later use by the battery. It is therefore possible to charge your lights on a cloudy day.
Each home owner has their preferences when it comes to the choice for Better Homes and Gardens Landscape Lighting. Some might have the need to improve the features of their yard with a little ambiance while others wish to bring a tired patio back to life. Each intended use has its own pack of needs depending on the design or how the lights function. It is therefore very convenient to go over the variables before deciding on the desired type of light.
What will you be using the lights for?
They are made for some purposes including safety and illumination. Many who are buying for the first time look for a mixture of ambiance and practicability, or perhaps something to be placed in the garden and make it eye catching and most probably easy to maintain.
Given the numerous choices available, one will in the end find themselves checking on the aesthetics. Are you into faux finishes that imitate flowers, logs and tiki torches or rocks? Are you looking for less complex, edgy and simple to clean with a touch of modern design? Or are you for the low profile looks that line your garden?
There are several different basic shapes for garden lights:
- Ground posts to line pathways
- Wall-mounted lights
- Spotlights
- Hanging lanterns
- String lights
- Torches
- Creative décor.
For those that want to illuminate specific spots, the spotlights are perfect for the job. String lights and hanging lanterns are awesome for the summer parties and fancy dinner parties. Small pathway lights and wall mounted lights the best choices for somebody wishing to illuminate their garden, light up a home for the elderly or scare off intruders. Torches and creative decor are perfect when it is for entertainment purposes.
How large is your garden?
Once the ultimate purpose of making Better Homes and Gardens Landscape Lighting has been achieved the light decided then comes the question about where you will place your light. For those looking for practicability over ambience then the bright solar lamps will come in handy. Given that brightness is measured in lumens, any light with more than 15 lumens of light is very practicable and not so decorative.
If your garden is very large, then you might need a very bright light that can light up the entire space. Some lamps lower their brightness as the time of night goes by and the battery continues to drain its energy. You therefore have to put this fact in your estimates. For instance a light that illuminates even the farthest corners of the yard at 8pm may not have the same effect at 2 in the morning.
Despite all these, some lights should be grouped together like the pathway lights whose individual lumen rating is not so much a concern since we are more concerned with the joint working ability of all the lights for Better Homes and Gardens Landscape Lighting. How well they work together should be the bottom line of the debate.
Since some packs come in sets of two, it is very important to consider your desired circumference before going to purchase the light if you are a fan of saving some extra cash in your transaction.
How often will you be using the lights?
Many people often buy the products, but not for permanent use, it may be some event like a wedding or dinner parties. In such instances, beautifully designed lights may be the best choice on that they won’t be as strong or durable as they should be due to the materials used.
Since the makers did not intend for them to be used in very harsh conditions or such, they may be alternatively used only when their need arises like their elegance purposes. You will also have to opt for cheaper lights that have very poor warranty because it is very unlikely you will need to replace them at any instance.
For those who desire to have permanent lights, it is important to keep an eye out for models made from very strong and long-lasting materials like metal glass and very thick plastic. These are lights that have a very high chance of lasting through harsh weather, aging from the sun, or other incidences that may arise like accidental hits or pets tampering with the lights, or maybe water splashes from pools or the garden in Better Homes and Gardens Landscape Lighting.
These long lasting lights come with very awesome warranties, replaceable parts and other enticing customer guarantees. All these features offer sense of safety for the buyers as well as those investing in many gardens landscape lighting at once like the solar-powered globes.
Is your garden sheltered from the elements?
When buying these lights it is important to remember that they are to be used it in the outdoors so they will be exposed to the weather conditions on the outside. It is therefore very important to check your weather patterns.
Most conditions that can damage the lights include the snow, storms, excess heat or cold, heavy rains and the frost. It is in order that the makers have this in mind and therefore add features like casings that can resist water and solar panels that can withstand lots of heat while putting style and design in thought.
However, protection is not guaranteed if they are constantly exposed to the elements like thick blankets of snow and constant storms. It is therefore very essential that you buy products that are easy to set up and move during bad weather conditions for storage.
It is also quite essential to note that some solar panels can charge even when covered by shade. Placing the lights under big trees in your garden can give your lights that extra protection and keep your panels working for long times to come.
What type of garden features do you have?
Those whose gardens have beautiful elements to focus on like palm trees, fountains and seating areas should definitely opt for lights that are complimented with adjustable heads. These very small yet effective lights can turn an ordinary homes to something very lavishing with their hidden Gardens Landscape Lighting and panels.
From a different point of view, large yards and gardens look even better with string lights, lights that are warm and most definitely ambient. They can be placed on the ground, mounted on the wall placed over wooden beams or install them overhead for Better Homes and Gardens Landscape Lighting. There are very many such options in the market.
If you have tall trees in your yard, then kids will love the hanging lights that are so magical in their own right. These lights also look awesome when used on pool side umbrellas. Ground post lights come in handy when aiming to brighten up a dim path or drive way. They can also be used to mark the perimeter of pools or ponds hence they are both practical and increase the ambience of the area.
By considering a set of factors, the very long list is down to six of the best Gardens Landscape Lighting in the market. The rankings emphasize on how versatile the lights are and appreciate the many one of a kind designs used in the making of the lights. Do the designs exemplify the beauty of the place or entice the atmosphere of the garden.
Shape
Depending on its purpose and place of installation, these lights come in very many shapes and sizes. They come in different shapes and sizes and one size does not include them all. In a nut-shell, lights whose size and shape ranges from small to medium are better since they offer very high flexibility and ease of installation.
Lights that are built with practicability in mind also come in handy. They should offer protection for their inbuilt solar panels and are easy to install judging by the stakes, posts, clips and hooks or the flat bottoms that they feature for easy placement.
Lumens
The level of brightness is measured in lumens. They, therefore, tell whether the light is bright enough or not. The more the number of lumens, the greater the brightness it gives. Given that not everyone wants very bright lights, there is the minimum level of brightness that a light needs to have for it to be practicable and functional.
This is to say that a lumen count of around 2.5 is good enough for ambience and beauty while for safety reasons, it is expected to have a lumen count of over 50 to be considered functional.
Many makers of Gardens Landscape Lighting do not state the light’s lumen rating on the product. They may however include the wattage. It is not hard to use wattage values to derive the lumen count. It is however important to note that the lumen output of incandescent bulbs is not as high as that of LEX lights. Most of the solar powered lights use LED bulbs.
A quick way to convert lumens to watts is as shown hereunder:
- 5 lm = .08 W
- 15 lm = .25 W
- 30 lm = .5 W
- 50 lm = .8 W
Pack Count
Many lights especially the pathway lights come in packs of more than two. This comes in very handy for homeowners who need to light large areas because it saves allot on the cost and brings uniformity to the final look. Most come in sets of 2 lights while others can go up to 6 or even more per pack.
There are other lights however that will bring about the need for another set. They are enough alone. Such include the string lights that are mostly sold in packs of one light each. On very rare occasions will a buyer need more than one unit?
Use
Every person who owns a home must have thought about why they need the light before the go for it. Some of the uses include arrangement and the desire to have illumination in their yards. The most important thing to consider is the versatility. The more needs a solar light can meet at a time, the better it actually is. It can therefore be un-mounted or removed from its placement and reused in a different area of the garden depending on the weather conditions, the event in plan or the changing styles and trends.
Most lights in the garden are mostly for ambience and beauty. Some however function as practicable lights increasing their functionality. A solar light that can offer both services can be very good for any buyer since it is a very good way to invest their money while making Better Homes and Gardens Landscape Lighting. All in all, it is right to say that you can place a light on any point in the yard. It could be along the perimeter, in a tree, in the grass, on the patio or even next to the pool or perhaps around the entertaining space.
Can I keep the lights outside all year round?
Many of the lights come with features to protect them from harsh weather conditions. They may incorporate waterproof features of even heat resistant measures or in most cases, both. Most are even made with very long lasting casing. It is however important to note that not all lights are capable of the above features. Some are more sturdy than others.
The solar panels are the most sensitive parts of the Gardens Landscape Lighting. It is very delicate. Any damage caused by the frost heat or excess heat will mean that the whole system is of no use since it cannot charge hence cannot produce any light. This is essential when you really need Better Homes and Gardens Landscape Lighting.
If you reside in places of extreme weather patterns, it is advisable not to leave your light exposed to these conditions. Conditions of high humidity, heavy snow or rains, floods and storms and the strong winds may affect your lights in a bad way. It is therefore in order to store your lights indoors until the sunshine is back. This implies that the lights may be out of service during the months of winter.
In such instances it is good to buy lights that have easy installation especially those with stakes or clips so that they are removed easily when the need arises. Once the threat is gone they can be re-erected.
Will I need to run ugly wires to my lights?
Except for the environmental reasons, the other most outstanding reason is that they are generally made with minimal if not total wirefree design. There is absolutely no need to deal with terrible looking chords connecting the lights to the power source.
There are models however that use the connections to connect the lights to the power source. The Mini 50X spotlight is one such light. These lights are however not very common and are considerably discreet since the wire only connects the light and the solar panel, it does not go all the way to a plug.
Can you buy replacement parts for the lights if they break?
Replacement parts are mostly available depending on the brand and the company. Some even come with warranties. In very rare occasions though. Most brands however do not sell spare or replacement parts. This is to say that is one of the essential parts like the panels or the bulbs are dysfunctional or broken, the lamp becomes useless. Products like malibu have replacement parts off the shelf.
The more amount you use on a solar light in accompany, the higher the chances that they can accommodate your requests for spare and replacement parts. Most lights are cheap yet lack quality guarantees. If concerns arise, for instance, accidental breaking then it is only right that you buy a better solar light in while still considering price and quality. The more expensive a light is, the better the guarantee given, it may also incorporate a worthwhile warranty.
I would recommend anybody to get the malibu lighting kits for better homes and gardens lanscape lighting as the product has its compatible malibu parts that can be obtained at any time.
How long does it take to charge a solar battery?
Given that many Gardens Landscape Lighting are small in size and considering the fact that the solar panels have a size proportional to the light, they do not requires alot of time to charge. When directly exposed to sunlight, they can fully charge in as low as 4n hours. It is also advantageous to ensure that nothing blocks the panel from sunlight exposure. Shading and other things should be removed from the way to allow sufficient sunshine to reach the panel.
Some however require allot more time to charge especially if placed in not very ideal spots where they are not getting enough sunlight. They may charge throughout the day.
How Do Solar Powered Lights Work?
Gardens Landscape Lighting are quickly becoming dear to many people since they help save some cash as compared to grid electricity which is both expensive and hard to maintain. These Gardens Landscape Lighting are equipped with a mechanism to trap sunlight and transform it to electrical energy stored in their batteries which can of course be recharged. These batteries the power the LED lights when the sun sets and darkness kicks in.
In some cases the solar panel may be inbuilt or it may be separate from the lights. Some makers design their solar panels in a way that they can be mounted on a wall or placed on the ground. They can as well be placed on the roof for Better Homes and Gardens Landscape Lighting.
In order to get the best from these lights it is advisable to keep the panels in places where there is enough sunlight so that they can be fully charged before sunset. Most require around eight to ten hours to fully charge and give illumination when required.
Types of Solar Powered Lights
When looking to choose a solar light, it is often essential to check on the place that requires lighting.
Garden Lights
They are perfect for use to increase the beauty of your garden while giving your yard a very warm and beautiful glimmer among the plant beds or for giving light to the pathways and alleys. They can stand freely or may require erection into the ground. You may opt for them to look like lamp posts of great elegance and style.
Since the garden lights do not produce very bright light, anyone looking for intense illumination may be advised to find a sturdier source of light that is still as beautiful, a spotlight would do the trick. You may purchase a spotlight that focuses bright light to delicate or essential points of choice, pathways or alleys. If you want to get the best that Gardens Landscape Lighting have to offer, erect some of them on your pathways or alleys.
Spotlights for Better Homes and Gardens Landscape Lighting
Spotlights are very good when one is looking for bright light for their spaces. They can give out light that is equal to a 40-watt incandescent light, if that is still not enough, you may opt to place more than one of them in those spots that need this much light. They are sure to deliver the best there is.
It is right to note that they can also be put in gardens with the light being pointed to a tree or any other feature you want to be highlighted.
Motion-sensing Security Gardens Landscape Lighting
For Better Homes and Gardens Landscape Lighting, one should incorporate a smart feature that allows them to detect motion hence discourages intruders and buglers. They are very crucial if placed at entrances or front doors or the spot outside your apartment. It can also be placed at any spot that requires illumination. These motion-sensing lights can neither be free-standing or mounted on roofs and walls.