Uplighting
from below is the most common
technique and a dramatic effect which
demands attention as it reverses the daylight
perspective of even light from above.
Uplighting diagonally provides wider coverage
in a shrub border.
Products to use: recessed uplights; spike
mount spotlights
Downlighting
is lighting in a downward
direction from a structure to project a pool of
light onto a surface or feature below or to
provide general illumination for safety, task or
amenity applications. It also provides contrast
to uplighting of other features.
Products to use: adjustable wall/surface
mounted spotlights
Grazing
is lighting at an acute angle from a
position close to a surface to emphasise it’s
texture by casting strong shadow. This applies
whether the luminaire is mounted in or on the
ground, or on a structure or wall.
Products to use: recessed uplights; spike
mount or wall/surface mount spotlights or
downlights
.
Silhouetting
is the creation of a dark outline of
an object by lighting a surface behind it. “Halo”
or “backlighting” is a common misinterpretation
of this; if there is no illuminated background,
there is no silhouette. Backlighting produces a
"halo" of light around the edges of the subject.
Products to use: spike mount spotlights
Steplighting
is a functional requirement rather
than a lighting technique and is best provided
by small lights set into or mounted on a flanking
wall; types with a hood or louvred grill will
reduce glare, although open faced ones
provide wider coverage.
Products to use: recessed or surface mount
steplights or surface mount downlights
Underwater lighting
usually means accent
lighting of a fountain, waterfall, statuary or
other feature. Position an underwater spotlight
where the water surface is disturbed by a
waterfall or spray so the light is continuously
refracted in all directions, resulting in an
attractive “shimmering” lighting effect.
Products to use: underwater spotlights
Shadowing
is projection of the outline of a
plant or feature onto a wall behind by placing a
spotlight in front of the subject to throw its
shadow towards the wall. It is an easy way of
exaggerating the role of a small tree in a newly
planted courtyard.
Products to use: adjustable spotlights
Spreadlighting
uses a low-level, stem
mounted luminaire with a shade on top to
provide a glare-free, usually circular pool of
light for a path, step, terrace or area of low
planting. Hiding the light source under a shade
distinguishes this from “pathlighting” using
bollard lights
Products to use: spreadlights
Moonlighting
is lighting down from low power
lights fixed in a tree to shadow the lower
branches and foliage onto the ground below.
This provides a subtle, dappled lighting effect
over a tree seat, lawn, patio, path, drive or
border.
Products to use: tree mount spotlights or
hanging downlights
Spotlighting
refers to illumination where the
luminaire is placed at some distance from the
subject to be lit, often because there is no
nearer feasible mounting position. It is accent
lighting from a distance with narrower beam
lamps.
Products to use: adjustable spike mount or
wall/surface mount spotlights
Mirroring
is achieved by accent lighting a
feature on the far side of a body of water so it’s
image is mirrored in the dark, still water surface
from a viewpoint on the terrace or in the house.
Any underwater lighting and pumped features
must be switched off.
Products to use: recessed uplights; spike
mount spotlights
Crosslighting
means placing the light source
to the side of the subject so that the light beam
shines across it. This applies whether the
luminaire is mounted on the ground, or on a
structure or tree.
Products to use: adjustable spike mount, tree
mount or wall/surface mount spotlights.
Washing
or wall-washing is an even coverage
of light on a wall to define a space or create a
backdrop. Even coverage usually demands
that luminaires stand away from the wall, which
is what distinguishes this effect from grazing.
Products to use: adjustable spike mount wide
beam spotlights or floodlights
Accent lighting uses directional luminaires to
emphasise individual plants or focal points so
that they stand out within the view. The
luminaire may be mounted in or on the
ground, or on a structure or tree.
Products to use: recessed uplights; spike
mount or wall/surface mount spotlights or
downlights
.
Creative garden lighting effects
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