Whether on a modest terrace or on a large embankment, the use of light always creates a cozy and serene environment in the middle of the night.
However, electric lights with underground cables can be expensive, produce unnecessary waste of electric power and impractical. Therefore, the answer might well be sunlight.
Solar lighting technology has improved in recent years, including batteries that are easier to install and more durable, usually with a life of 1,000 nights per unit. Energy-saving light bulbs known as “LEDs” are also very effective: They resist all kinds of weather and are sold in a wide range of voltages and colors.
Jamie Durie, who has written several books on the subject and is the host of the program ” The Outdoor Room ” on the HGTV channel, says there are three ways to use solar lighting:
“The first is to illuminate the perimeter. This gives perspective to the land and offers a creative way to point the edge of the property, ”says Durie. “Then, mark the boundaries and roads. And lastly, illuminate trees or other ornaments with bulbs from below, or by attaching solar lights on walls and fences. ”
Durie is not a fan of LEDs, which he disqualifies for resembling lighting in a hospital room, and prefers amber bulbs. But when buying sunlight bulbs, make sure they are all the same shade. And for areas where more lighting is desired, place lights that have two, preferably four, LEDs.
In his projects, Durie usually combines lower voltage electric bulbs with solar light bulbs.
The easiest lights to install are the ones that stick in the grass like stakes. The key, of course, is to place the lights for maximum sun exposure. Some lights have separate photosensitive cells that can be placed away from the bulb, so that even a tree in the shade can receive light.
The spike-shaped lights can be attractive around a tree, a patio or a pool, or by spiraling around a stair railing.
There are also solar lights that float on the water, ideal for swimming pools or lagoons, and colorful markers for roads or car entrances.
Solar lights for other types of use: motion-sensitive lights that serve as a burglar alarm, workshop lights, entrance lights and even barbecue grills.
Solar lights give elegance to the garden. And the great advantage is that once the bulbs are bought, their energy source is as eternal as the Sun.
