Hello, I am just starting out designing a lighting plan for my backyard. I have two areas that I would like to light. The first one is a side area with a planter area that sits 2 feet out and about 30 feet long. I was thinking of using 3 of the Gentle Splash floodlights here and a spotlight on the avocado tree at the end. The next area is a slope that runs about 70 feet long and 7.5 feet from the retaining wall to the vinyl fence. Should I continue to use the Gentle Splash floodlights here and place them at the base of the retaining wall directed up to the fence? How many lights do you think would be needed here? I was thinking about 5. 0
Hi, Ezaction. The right number of lights is the number of lights that creates the mood and/or security you want. Seriously, rather than think in terms of a specific number of fixtures, I think you should be guided by how you’ll be using the yard and/or what kind of mood you want to create. Is this a yard where kids will be playing at night where safety is paramount? Or maybe you want a yard that’s more subtly lit where you can entertain at night? Maybe you want a flexible lighting scheme that allows you to do both. You’ve got a bright white fence that I suspect has some sheen to it. With a surface that light (which reflects light easily), you might find that you need fewer lights than you think. ‘Anyway, I diagrammed your photos to show possible approaches to illuminating those areas. On that side area, you could place either floods or path/area lights at the locations I’ve indicated. Floods against the fence will bounce more light into your yard than “China hat” path lights (which direct more light downward). On the sloped area, you could place floods in the planting area at the top of the wall. And if you have a masonry contractor (or you’re handy yourself) you could add a few hardscape lights below the lip of your retaining wall to show that off as well.
Thank you for your advice, Mesodude2. I love the idea of hardscape lights for the retaining wall. For the floodlights on the slope, would the Gentle Splash model be best? Thanks again, you have given me a great start in designing my lighting plan for the yard!
Glad to help. Again, ultimately the decision comes down to personal preference. There’s many different fixtures that could light that wall. The Wide Splash would give you more coverage than the GS and it has a dimming function. If I were worried about being able to dial in a precise amount of brightness, that would be my choice. It’s a little pricier than the GS but offers wider coverage and the aforementioned dimmability. I think it might help you to read the product description to see which characterization most closely fits what you envision for that wall. https://www.voltlighting.com/shop/landscape-lighting/flood-lights
