6 minute read
Light the Night
light the nightIlluminating the Home Landscape by: Julie bArnes
Photo Credit: Kichler Lighting
Having worked in the landscaping industry for 15 years, Jonathan Ahlstedt thinks of each client’s yard as a blank canvas. There’s an artfulness to pulling together a cohesive, tasteful yet functional design—so it only makes sense that each masterpiece can be enjoyed even after the sun goes down.
“I typically talk to my clients about their landscaping, and then I ask them if they’ve ever thought about lighting,” says Jonathan, owner of Ahlstedt’s Landscape Contracting. “Many people have never conceived of it before, or they can only imagine themselves being in their yard during the day.” Jonathan, who lives in Montgomery, has a young family and a spacious backyard. “On a warm fall evening, the sun goes down at 6 p.m. and we turn on our big spotlights in the backyard and we’re playing soccer, catch and Frisbee. It’s the best thing—we can play outside as late as we want.”
Homeowners, he says, should ask themselves how lighting could help them enjoy their yard more at night. For some, that could mean lighting a space they use for entertaining, or drawing attention to garden beds, water features, stately trees, pathways or structures like pergolas and arbours.
rainbow Connection
On a recent project in Evergreen, Jonathan created a landscape design that included almost 100 lights. In the backyard, a staircase leading to a hot tub has two lights integrated into each step, and wall sconces light up the hot tub area. Landscape lights (see sidebar) illuminate a once shady garden.
But it’s a fixture in the front yard that truly shines, says Jonathan. “I suggested that we do some uplighting on a Scotch pine tree.”
He told his client about a colour-customized Wi-Fi controlled option, and his
Jonathan incorporated two lights into each stair riser leading to a raised deck and hot tub at a recent project in Evergreen. He also installed lights on the privacy screens to further illuminate the space after sunset.
Outdoor lights “can also be used to lead you somewhere” says Jonathan.
client quickly got on board. “He could not be happier,” Jonathan says, “because he’s always changing the colours. If it’s Halloween, he can do orange. If it’s Christmas, he can do a combination of green and red. He can have fun with it—it’s all the colours of the rainbow.”
Blinding Lights
When it comes to lighting large features like trees, Jonathan says it’s important to consider the scale. He has a 100-foot-tall tree in his yard, and says, “It would look ridiculous if I just put one or two lights below it.”
He’s considering installing the same Wi-Fi controlled colour-customized lights his client now has, and says he’d place two lights at the base, another two lights one-third of the way up and another two fixtures two-thirds of the way up. “They would be uplighting,” he says. Using two or more uplights also helps avoid harsh shadows.
“Something I’m always considering is blinding
Photo Credit: Jonathan Ahlstedt
Uplights are a great way to illuminate trees after dark.
Unlike most outdoor lights, lamp posts are typically not low voltage and need to be wired to an outlet.
somebody,” says Jonathan. “There’s the advantage of making something look good from 40–50 feet away, but when you’re actually enjoying the structure— like an arbour—and you’re walking through it, you don’t want to be blinded by the light. With an arbour covered in vines, you’d want maybe six very delicate lights.”
Photo Credit: Jonathan Ahlstedt
Light Foresight
Landscape lighting doesn’t fit within every landscaping budget, but Jonathan says it’s a good idea to consider future light placement before decks are constructed and paving stones are put down. “If you have specific areas you would like to have lit, you just run the wire trenched underground and then it’s set up. Preplanning will give you more options so you aren’t in a situation where you have a concrete patio and you can only do solar lights because a power source is not reachable.”
Turn your Lights down Low
It’s common for newer homes to have electrical outlets in their soffits for Christmas lights, and Jonathan says it’s a good idea to add a few extra outlets on the home or garage if building new. “That’s all you need to install a typical transformer, which accommodates all the low-voltage wire.” Although lamp post lights are typically high-voltage, most outdoor lighting is low-voltage, which is why a transformer is necessary.
Jonathan only uses LEDs, and photovoltaic sensors are now a company standard. The sensor turns the light off once the sun rises, and turns it back on when the sun sets. “If we don’t put a light on a timer, or if it’s not Wi-Fi controlled, I suggest a photovoltaic sensor.”
Advancements in LED lighting allow you to select a colour and mood at the tap of a button. "When lighting is incorporated into a beautifully designed landscape, you don’t want to leave that yard and you want to invite people over,” says Jonathan. “It encourages a great time with friends and family.”
If you’re looking to illuminate your landscape, here are a few common styles of outdoor lights to consider.
BuLLeT LIGHT
Bullet lights cast a narrow beam of light, which make them ideal for illuminating trees. Their adjustable heads let you choose the angle and direction of the beam.
doWnLIGHT
Just what it sounds like—this fixture casts light downwards to illuminate lawns, patios and paths. They can also be affixed to trees to throw light at the foliage below.
FLoodLIGHT
Many Saskatoon homes have integrated soffit lighting, negating the need for external lights to illuminate their facades. For those without soffit lighting, floodlights are an option for highlighting a home’s architectural features.
LAndSCAPe LIGHT
Also known as a pathway or garden light, these fixtures are often used to mark paths or highlight greenery within a garden bed. The bulb casts a downward glow from the top of a typically 18–24-inch post.
WASH LIGHT
Often used to highlight vertical surfaces like fences, or the façade of a home, a wash light casts a soft, even light (typically not as bright as a flood light).
WeLL LIGHT
Mounted in the ground, the bulb is encased in a waterproof housing and casts light upwards. Well lights are often used to highlight surrounding greenery.
Four Season enjoyment
The light fixtures Jonathan sources are durable and able to withstand harsh winters. “High quality lights can be buried in the snow and they’re just fine. Landscape lighting is awesome for all seasons,” he says. He loves turning on his own outdoor lights after a blizzard for the charming ambience it creates. The snow settles on the lamp post lights and creates a magical, peaceful atmosphere.
Despite all his lighting know-how, Jonathan can still appreciate simple DIY lighting, whether it’s a patio topped with string lights or solar-powered landscape lights. “It creates interest. It’s like a beacon—a little signal that there is life here.”
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