ALL GARDENING ZONE

Water features such as garden ponds and garden fountains are pleasing additions to a landscape design, because it provides a diversion from just plain plants scenes. Nothing can quite transform a landscape like a water feature. It relieves the monotony of the garden features and provides accent that makes the garden or landscape interesting.

Whether it’s a dramatic waterfall or a quiet pond, water works its magic on any garden, providing a focal point and an area that soothes the soul. Moving water provides delightful background music and masks traffic noise.  The soothing sound of water can mask unwanted noise, making even an urban patio a restful retreat.

Patio Lights

Patio lighting can provide the drama in your garden. Not only does it allow you to spend more time outside at night, but it also gives wonderful illumination for the best parts of your garden. Patio lighting can really create some wonderful effects and make your patio nighttime experience even more enjoyable. Just as importantly, patio lighting can make your patio and yard a safer place to be at night.

Lights can be placed in the following areas, choose from among the popular these days:

• Deck Lighting – Your deck lighting can be a great tool for highlighting and spotlighting any changes in elevations, drop-offs, or deck-edges. In doing so, you create not only a dramatic effect, but a safer deck, as well. You can conceal the light fixtures beneath railings, beneath benches, or on vertical posts.
• Step Lighting – This type of patio lighting will allow both you and guests to navigate up your steps and through your yard in safety. Place step lighting beneath railings, on vertical posts, or along the steps.
• Fountain Lighting - Fountain in the patio can still adorn your garden even during nighttime, thanks to modern lighting ideas. There are many great types of patio lighting that will make your fountain even more beautiful at night. You can have underwater lights that really give a dramatic appeal to your fountain. You can also consider colored lights for even more fun. It is also possible to create a mirrored effect on the surface of the water if you light the area behind the reflecting surface of the water.
• Shadow Lighting – Use this technique to highlight and interesting shapes that you may have in your garden, including branch structure, sculptures, etc. Place your light fixture in front of the item or plant that you want to shadow, and aim it so that the item will cast its shadow on a surface like the wall of your house. The closer the light is to the item you want to shadow, the larger the shadow will be.
• Silhouette Lighting - Silhouetting is a type of patio lighting that really highlights the shape of an object. To create the silhouette effect, place a light behind the subject, and shine it up against a vertical surface like the wall of your home.

These are just a few types of patio lighting you cam choose from, however in order to decide which type to use at your home, think of which particular subjects you want to spotlight. Think of which subjects will look best as a silhouette or as a shadow. Then consider also which areas need to be illuminated.