Landscaping Companies’ 11 Favorite Landscaping Lighting Effects

A landscape doesn’t just mean plants, rocks, and outdoor living amenities. Your landscape is beautiful during the day, and it can be equally beautiful - and even more dramatic and magical - after the sun sets. Create a memorable setting with visual interest and bring the wow factor to your landscape with landscaping companies’ 11 favorite landscaping lighting effects.

Outdoor lighting has evolved significantly in the past few years with the popularity of LED and halogen lights that provide pleasing and functional light without being overpoweringly bright. Modern low-voltage light fixtures are energy efficient, discreet or decorative (depending on the application) and provide exactly the amount of light needed for every situation.

1. Up-light trees  

One or two light fixtures buried at the base of a prominent tree will highlight the texture of the bark; fixtures placed slightly further away will beautifully illuminate the tree canopy.

2. Silhouette key objects

This technique uses ‘spread lights’ placed between an object and a wall or building to create a silhouette. The object - for example, an outdoor sculpture - is silhouetted in black against the background.

3. Grazing

Highlight the texture of stonework on a landscape wall or your home by placing up-lights or spread-lights at the base, with the beam focused directly upward to cast texture-enhancing shadows.

4. Moonlighting

Moonlighting is an effect where light fixtures are placed high in trees, and aimed downward to mimic the light of the moon filtering through the canopy, casting interesting shadows on the ground below. It’s also an effective way to provide ambient light for a patio or driveway, without lighting up the whole neighborhood.

5. Walkway and step lighting

Path and step lighting is typically placed either overhead to illuminate a walkway or steps - or ideally, near the ground. A well-lit path doesn’t blind the walker, but at the same time it is positioned to not cast shadows that can distort vision (especially on steps) to keep walkers safe. Aside from safety, path lighting can infuse a sense of romance into your outdoor space.

6. Shadowing

Similar to silhouetting, shadowing is used to add drama and interest by creating shadows behind trees - particularly interesting on a breezy evening!

7. Spotlighting

Bring attention to a focal point with a carefully placed spotlight at the base of the object to illuminate it beautifully after dark.

8. Cross-lighting

Cross-lighting can be used to simultaneously highlight and soften the appearance of a focal point (the look is not as direct as spotlighting).

9. Down-lighting

Down-lighting is largely functional and consists of lights affixed to structures such as the home or archways to illuminate entryways or specific areas of the landscape.

10. String lights

Bring romance and a touch of the exotic with string lights placed around a dining or seating area, a pergola, or along a walkway.

11. Underwater lighting

Bring drama to a water feature or make your pool or hot tub safe for nighttime use with underwater lighting. Light filtering through water creates magical dancing movement on nearby walls or structures.