Backyards They Won’t Forget

Written by Bakersfield Magazine

Sure, you can add furniture, lawn ornaments, and a fine garden in an offset place, but one of the best and least expensive ways to make your backyard “spring” to life this season is to illuminate it with the proper lighting. You don’t need a degree in landscaping or exterior design to do this, either.

The appropriate placement of outdoor lights is most beneficial in terms of optimal brightness. Putting up lights in your backyard highlights the best features your garden has, such as beautiful trees and figurines, as well as providing safety.

When you have a well-lit backyard, you need not rush through a dinner party to enjoy the backyard before dusk. Outdoor lighting can cast the perfect glow on that party or the casual family get-together.

One of the first things you need to do for a successful backyard illumination set-up is to get rid of your preconceived notions of how such a thing is done. There is plenty to backyard lighting beyond floodlights and motion detectors.

It’s important to create a rough sketch of your backyard. Try to be accurate in scale, as it will help you mark accurate placement of the lights in your backyard. You need to identify the areas in the backyard which are dark and need lighting. Then you can decide the look you want. Are you into stringing bulbs from above to create the look of a starry night? Do you want to stick to ornate ground-level lanterns? Whatever you do, don’t just start plugging in strings of lights and lanterns—before you know it, you’ll find yourself with a tangle of extension cords and a messy backyard. Not to mention a fire hazard.

The trend now is to go solar with lighting. This unique form of cheap energy is a great way to illuminate your backyard without spending an arm and a leg in the process—or breaking an arm and a leg due to countless cords. The lights are available in every conceivable shape and size, and usually give off a softer illumination than their electrical counterparts. You can combine different lights to make the best arrangement.

Try ground-level lights, pole-mounted solar lights, wall-mounted solar lights, and whatever else suits your fancy. There are even netted solar bulbs that you can drape over shrubs and bushes to create an elegant look for your backyard. Solar lights come with attachments such as stakes or mounting brackets and easy instructions. There are even solar flood lights...though those are less romantic and really don’t enhance the peacefulness of a backyard.

For the most part, however, people want to create a serene view for a quiet evening spent on the back patio sipping iced tea. Another way to do this is to embrace your island nature. I don’t mean lay out chaise lounge chairs and coat yourself in cocoa butter, but rather try some island lighting.

If you’ve never used Tiki torches, I recommend giving them a try. These torches make better springtime and summer decorations than anything else, but for those times of the year, they can be a perfect way of bringing a bit of the island to your own landscape. Additionally, and a big benefit to all us here in the valley, you can fill the Tiki torches with citronella oil—a known insect repellant. It’ll keep those mosquitos at bay while providing you with lighting for your tropical backyard paradise. Note: pina coladas do not come with most Tiki torches...you’ll have to make your own.

So, are you ready to get to work? Your yard will soon be the talk of the neighborhood, and you’ll quickly find out why outdoor living has never looked so good. Or been lit so well.

Article appeared in our 28-1 Issue - April 2011