Lighting for Trees

Exterior lighting increases security. Illuminating your landscaping can add beauty and increase curb appeal. A solid design plan and lighting up trees can create a dramatic atmosphere that highlights the best aspects of your home’s exterior and gardens. Illuminations Lighting Design, Houston, TX has a few suggestions for lighting trees.

Shadowing effects can be created

Trees can cast remarkable shadows due to their unique heights, branches, and leaf shapes. This outdoor lighting technique for residential use is most effective when used near flat surfaces.

For best results, lighting should be placed at least a few feet away from the tree. Uplights placed on the ground will provide larger shadows. For subtle shadows, however, you can place lights on another tree or atop a pole.

Uplighting Enhances Trees’ Features

Uplighting can make trees the focal point of your landscape. Properly placed uplights can have dramatic effects and bring out the beauty of trees’ bark or foliage. Uplighting can be a great way to draw attention to small or newly planted trees to make them more prominent in the landscape.

In-ground lights should be placed directly beneath a smaller or narrower tree to achieve this effect. If the trunk has curves that catch the eye, place uplighting in an area of the ground that will highlight such features.

Tips for lighting larger trees

For larger trees and branches with heavy foliage, the uplighting effect can be a great choice. Use spotlights directed upwards from the trunk to capture their beauty. This creates a shadow effect that adds atmosphere to outdoor spaces after sunset. For a truly spectacular effect, you might also consider lighting trees with interesting trunk features and colored foliage to create a stunning show in your yard.

Spotlighting a Tree of Special Interest

Although all trees are unique gifts from the nature, landscape trees can be visually stunning and breathtaking. These trees deserve to be highlighted. To lighten them at night, you can use two or more spotlights to create a cross beam.

This will decrease shadows and cast a magical illumination directly onto the tree. For maximum effect, consider placing spotlights on trees with extraordinary heights or massive girths.

Ambiance is enhanced by moonlighting and downlighting

Moonlighting is a form of downlighting that uses soft lighting strategically placed in trees and on structures. This mimics the silvery glow of moonlight and is a great option for taller trees.

Place a light directly at the ground to highlight the trunk of a tree. This method is less common than outdoor lighting, as installing moonlights requires more effort, money and skill.

Moonlighting can be achieved by placing small accent lights at the top of the tree, and aiming them down towards the ground. This allows the light to capture leaves’ shapes, creating shadows on the ground.

Mount the lights closer to the ground and near the tree’s canopy for softer light. This is a great way of increasing safety on your property. The lighting will prevent you from tripping or falling, and it can also deter potential intruders. To bring out the colors of colorful plants, you can use lower-placed moonlighting to shine a little light on them.

Cast your Trees in the Perfect Lighting

It’s easy to make your house the envy of your neighbors by lighting your trees. Place strategically placed lighting fixtures outdoors to enhance the beauty of your natural landscape.

The Takeaway

There are many options for outdoor lighting. Let our landscape illumination specialists recommend the right one for you. Installation of lighting in trees or high on your home siding can be dangerous and time-consuming. It’s best to leave this job to the professionals.

Illumination Lighting Design is your Houston, Texas outdoor lighting company. To learn more about your project and schedule an outdoor lighting consultation, please contact us.