If you want maximum effectiveness, each light placed in the garden landscape must be planned for and installed to fulfill a particular function in the overall landscape lighting scheme. In general, your lights serve one of the following five purposes:
- To light up attractive portions of your garden to enjoy its beauty by night as well as by day
- To adequately illuminate your terrace, patio, barbecue, or other recreational areas for real outdoor space living and entertaining after dark.
- To light up entryways, walkways, driveways, and service areas for your nighttime safety and convenience
- To provide you with a movable source of plentiful overhead light for working around the home exterior or for playing games on the lawn
- To provide safety and security lighting for guest who visit or lighting to discourage potential intruders
- In many cases, by proper outdoor plant lights planning, you can often make the same lightfixtures serve more than one purpose.
A wisely located spotlight or flood lights, for example, will not only light up an attractive large shrub but can also spill enough additional side light intensity for safe walking along a nearby garden path.
