Landscaping With Solar Lights

22nd May 2008

Landscaping With Solar Lights

I just got back from picking up my daughter from school and I have to tell you, we are both laughing our heads off. Let me explain something. We live in a very nice subdivision with fairly pricey homes, all on a minimum of 1/2 acre. This is unheard of in the DFW area where most every home is built with zero lot lines where you can reach out and touch your neighbor through your windows. Most of the homes have beautiful landscaping on the property, it’s part of the appeal of the subdivision. Notice that I say MOST of the homes have beautiful landscaping.

The one home that really struggles with landscaping happens to be the house we can see from our front porch. I would have to guess that every home in this subdivision except that one has had the landscaping professionally done. This particular home owner seems to think that she has a talent for landscaping and, while I’m not sure how long she has owned that home, I do believe she has been working on it ever since moving in. The problem is that besides thinking she is an accomplished landscaper, she also appears to have ADD. She is always working out in her yard, but never in the same place. Basically, no task ever gets completed.

For example, last fall she dug up dirt from one spot in her yard and created a dirt mound in another spot in her yard. That same dirt mound was moved a few weeks ago to yet another spot in her yard. Another example, she had actually hired a crew to do some brick work along the edges of her flower beds (that have no flowers) last fall. A few weeks ago, she was outside pulling out the brick, now they’re piled in her yard. She continually purchases plants and leaves them in containers all over her yard, most of which die because they become root bound and aren’t cared for.

So, why were we laughing today? Because we noticed that she had gone out and purchased Solar Lights and placed them below several of the small trees in her yard. I’m not sure what she’s trying to put a spotlight on, the mess she calls a yard?

Now I’m all for solar lights, they cut down on energy costs and I believe in good landscape lighting. But to spotlight her mess is just silly! Besides, the lights she put out are tiny, if she wants to spotlight trees, she’s going to need bigger solar powered lights. Then again, it’s bad enough we have to look at her mess during the day, if she lights it up, we’ll be looking at it after dark too.

Tags: solar lights

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1 On June 19th, 2008, Pennie Hill said:

I have the same neighbor problem. She has several small gardens in her yard. (3 are a bunch of over grown weeds) In every garden there’s some form of a seat from broken lawn chairs to stones with a rotten bored on it.
Maybe our neighbors could use some advice from this article.
Easy landscape decorating with PnR Solar
Author: 1cent solar11.06.2008

Enclose Flower Beds and garden: By not enclosing can leave them bear. Simple edgings will ad a finished look. And can ascent your design. Edging can be found at most gardening stores in many designs. If you are lucky enough to have large stones or rocks nearby, these can be used quite effectively. PnRsolarstore has solar light edging that add accent as well as safety lighting around your garden.

Plant Trees: The beauty they provide is immeasurable. A well planed placement of trees add value beyond money. So show off that special tree with (Up Lighting) Lights aimed upwards (sometimes buried in the ground) to create a highly dramatic effect Autumn leaves or swirling snow provide spectacular views with this effect. Or Light the tree from the front and below to project intriguing shadows on a wall, fence, or other vertical surfaces. (Shadowing) Also try concealing lights behind and below the tree to achieve that same wondrous effect as seeing it on a ridge silhouetted against the sky at dusk. (Silhouetting) Add color to the lights for a more breathtaking glow.

Show off treasures: Why have your garden decorations only seen by day. By putting lights in a crisscross pattern which blends intersecting light to add a greater dimension and shadowing. Or for small decorations put a light shining strait down to hi light the object with out distracting shadows.

Small yards: Create an illusion of space if you have a small yard with a curb-side garden. Place cool colored plants, such as lavender, light pink, and blue to your curb. These colors often feel farther away than they really are. This adds dimension to an otherwise shallow front yard. To light up this type of garden solar stone lights will add soft light with a natural feel. Also try some fake flowers. PnRsolarstore has some beautiful twinkling flowers and bugs that would brighten the look of any garden.

posted on June 19th, 2008 at 4:55 pm