Summary of "Get Creative With LED Landscape Lighting"

LED Lighting (Lighting Emitted Diodes) is a new trend in Lighting technology (introduced in the 1990s) and is being used in many creative ways in the Landscape today. LED Lighting has a lot of advantages over traditional Lighting, such as halogen and incandescent lamps, in that they are more durable (they are not affected by vibration, which is great for applications like cars and motorcycles) thus always giving off a steady stream of light. Also, they can last up to 200,000 hours before replacement is required and they use much less power than traditional Lighting, although some will need to be replaced after 50,000 hours. On average, LEDs will use about 80% less power, saving customers money throughout the year and conserving lots of energy. There are quite a few models out there that operate on solar power which can eliminate the monthly energy operation costs associated with Lighting. Another advantage to LED Lighting is that when the light does begin to burn out, it will slowly lose power and light as opposed to incandescent lights which just "burn out" without warning.
One of the great benefits of LED Landscape Lighting is that they come in a range of colors and you can really get creative with them. Think about how you could use blue LEDs to highlight a portion of your garden that has Blue Salvia or a cascading fountain. Or how a red LED could be used to do the same with mass plantings of red Petunias or Geraniums. The possibilities are endless! Many times LED Lighting is used in the modern themed Landscape to accentuate architectural features, such as columns, fountains or planters.

But, here are a few disadvantages that you should consider when thinking about LED Lighting. If you live in the northern states, snow accumulation on the lights can be a problem since they do not produce enough heat to keep snow and ice melted off of the casing. They run at about 60 degrees celsius, which is great in most circumstances, but freezing and bursting can also be an issue for those in cold climates. Also, LEDs don't produce quite as much light as halogens and incandescents so keep that in mind when designing your system. You may want to use a mixture of incandescent, globe Lighting and LED Lighting in your Landscape to adequately light your space. However, some manufacturers are making advances in technology allowing them to offer LED light products that are comparable to the traditional incandescent lights.

Overall, LED Lighting is a great way to add creativity and flavor to the Landscape. Plus, the savings that they offer in terms of energy make it an attractive option for outdoor Lighting.

My name is Carey Dodson and I am a Landscape designer with over 20 years of experience in design, installation and maintenance of Landscapes. Learn more how Landscape Lighting can impact your outdoor spaces and increase the value of your home.
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