We are going to have to replace some of our outdoor landscape lighting in the spring. We live in a secluded area and therefore it can be very dark at night. On top of that, we live on the side of a mountain and our driveway is very steep. I’m used to it, but I’ve noticed when other people come over they seem to get a little nervous over driving up and down our driveway, especially at night when its dark. Therefore, its pretty necessary to have some lighting out there so people don’t drive off the side of a ridge or something. Of course, there are other benefits to outdoor lighting. It acts as a deterrent to thieves for one thing (although I think our dogs have that covered pretty well!). It also makes the yard look so much nicer giving the house more ‘curb appeal’. That helps with the value of the property. It also can add to your outdoor living space by having lighted areas. We have some bug lights around our pool, but I would like to add a few more lights out there as well.
I am opting for solar landscape lighting this time around. I like the LED lighting because it is energy efficient and saves tons on the cost of illuminating the driveway area. Typically, it cost about 90% less and last about 50,000 hours longer than other forms of lighting. That’s a real savings in time and money. Another thing I like about this type of lighting is that there is more flexibility in how the lighting is installed. It doesn’t have to be placed right next to a transformer, but can be spread out and utilized throughout yoru property if that is what you want.


January 9th, 2008 at 10:13 pm
I just used about 30 feet of rope lights along the railing of the stairs that lead from my garden to my deck. These are great and give off just enough light to get safely up the stairs without using a ton of electricity
March 2nd, 2008 at 1:41 am
Solar Power and LEDs: The wave of the future in landscape lighting for your garden and home.
Thirty or so glamorous garden light fixtures dangle from arbors or punctuate the graveled outdoor showroom area of Illumigarden in downtown Mill Valley.
As pretty as they are, they’re just the vehicle for the real product of interest which is hidden inside - Light-Emitting Diode bulbs or LEDs.
“I spent thousands of dollars testing bulbs to get the right beam strength and the right warmth or color,” says Michael Pringle, founder of Illumigarden, which has taken over the former Smith & Hawken flagship store site near City Hall. Pringle is, coincidentally, a former manager of that shop. “Only 10 fixtures with 3-watt LEDs in them can really light up your front yard. That’s less than one 60-watt porchlight.”
For years, he says, “the complaint about LEDs have been that they were too white, too blue or too daylight, but the warm light that I found, and that we sell, is the one that most people prefer.”
These bulbs, though, are “green,” in the best way: they’re energy-saving, mercury-free, emit very little heat and no UV, can fit into standard fixtures and be put on a dimmer. Unlike the 900-hour incandescents, there are no filaments that can be damaged by shock or vibration and an LED can last 35,000 hours. That translates
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to about 16 years of six-hours of light each night without changing a bulb.
And, at no extra cost, Illumigarden will design and oversee a customer’s garden lighting, arrange for a preferred subcontractor, set the installation schedule and deliver the bulbs. The company also offers a complementary energy evaluation of any garden.
Even though the store’s garden lights (for paths, porches, uplighting and hanging) are present to showcase the beauty of LED bulbs, Pringle has carefully selected them for their high-end quality and looks. The average cost fixture is about 99.00. The LED bulbs sale for about $39.00. A solar battery backup system is also available for those who want to get off the grid! illumigarden is certified bay area green business…..
http://www.illumigarden.com
Illumigarden is at 35 Corte Madera Ave. in Mill Valley, 380-1888, and 1129 First St. in Novato, 892-2000. Both in marin county.