As the use of LED lights and solar cells continues to grow, so also does the opportunity for solar decorations in the yard. From solar-powered water fountains to solar-powered gnomes, there are creations for every age, taste, and time of day.
A trademark of many gardens and patios is the solar lantern staked into the ground. While one of the first solar lighting products on the market, lanterns still remain popular and are available in an incredible variety of styles and materials. Many sets now come with a single and movable solar panel, which allow for lanterns placed in shadowy areas to still burn brightly at night.
Outdoor string lights have long been a favorite for holidays and parties. Solar-powered string lights allow for constant use without a switch or a plug. Some strings are designed to accommodate pre-made or original Chinese lanterns; others take the form of a rope light.
For landscape lighting of plants, trees and garden decor, directional solar lights can provide a convenient solution. Freedom from an outlet allows placement of a landscape light anywhere the sun can reach, with potential for lighting on all corners of a property.
Solar fountains bring the welcome sound of running water into the yard, minus the worries about wasting electricity. Placing a fountain near a bedroom window creates a peaceful background for sleep, and there is no need to turn the power off. Many times these garden decorations also double as bird baths.
Many are re-discovering garden decorations brought to life by the use of solar power. For example, kissing fairies once hidden after sunset now have their snowy faces illumined by the light of a glowing orb. Likewise, a trio of gnomes hold lit lanterns high to see the trail ahead. The whole yard can indeed be a wonder at night.
For the backyard connoisseur who must have it all, a solar patio umbrella provides both an attractive and practical solution. During the day solar cells gather energy as the umbrella provides shade; during the night LED lights on the underside of the umbrella provide light for meals and socializing. The system can be turned off at any time and the solar cells will continue to gather energy.
As a final step, check for the best solar landscape lights on a consumer site to help find the leading brands on the market. Adding motion, sound and lighting to the yard without the guilt of wasting energy provides a special satisfaction. In addition to bringing enjoyment, it can also be surprisingly easy and economical.
Robert Mann has been writing consumer articles for over a decade. In partnership with his wife, he has developed websites for finding printable coupons and best products in major consumer categories.. Free reprint available from: 6 Ways to Solar-up Your Garden.
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November 24 2011 | Landscaping | No Comments »
The key to success with most projects is to clearly identify from the start what it is you aim to achieve – and installing solar garden lighting is no different. Do you want to increase security around your property, provide courtesy lighting for visitors, entertain family and friends, or quite simply make your garden more appealing at night?
You might of course choose any or all of the above plus a few other ideas of your own, which means you will also have to figure out how to balance various competing demands on your solar lighting layout. So you can see then that specifying your various objectives upfront makes it a whole lot easier to divide your outdoor spaces into discrete zones and identify suitable light fittings.
If for example one of your requirements is to deter intruders approaching your property then solar deck lights, while highly versatile, simply won’t cut it. But by the same token you wouldn’t want to entertain folk under the glare of a solar floodlight. Something softer is required, but not so subdued your guests can’t actually see what they drinking or who they’re talking to.
Outdoor solar lights that are intended to be primarily functional in nature (rather than simply appearing attractive) are easiest to install since the criteria they have to meet are typically well defined. When illuminating a pathway, for example, the simple test is whether the lighting does indeed enable you to safely navigate the path at night. Likewise, solar security lights should fully flood those areas you wish to secure against possible intruders.
Of course quite a lot of solar garden lighting serves no better purpose than looking pretty at night, which is a highly subjective and less than rigorous requirement. However, even this aspect is not without some basic ground rules worth observing. First is the obvious fact that solar lights need daily exposure to the sun in order to recharge their batteries, so you have to consider daytime as well as night time location.
Second, because solar powered lights have to last many hour on a single charge from a battery they cannot afford to burn as brightly as mains powered lights. Modern high efficiency LED bulbs that use vastly less power greatly help, but even these are still usually less bright. But this characteristic is not necessarily a weakness and it is possible to obtain effects with solar garden lights that mains powered versions cannot manage.
Thirdly, one of the main attractions of outdoor solar lighting is that it is both extremely easy to install and equally easy to rearrange subsequently. You aren’t stuck with your initial decisions regarding placement and can endlessly try out various arrangements until you settle on one that looks most pleasing to you.
Finally, never forget that it is your garden and therefore you can do as you please. If you want to string solar fairy lights along a dull fence or scatter sun jars at random then go right ahead. The fact is that pretty much any outside garden lighting looks a whole lot better than none at all, and it is near impossible to make a garden actually look worse by installing solar lighting.
If you found this interesting then be sure to check out this additional article that looks at solar powered garden lights in more detail.
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November 18 2009 | Gardening | No Comments »