Lighting Walkways with Path Lights

When a garden needs to be lit, gardeners turn to one of many garden lights available at home stores. Because of weather conditions and extreme temperatures outdoors, you can’t use just any light in your garden. Certified garden lights are designed to be tough and resilient against water, dirt, sunlight and temperature changes. However, the garden lighting industry is very broad and does not apply to a single type of light. A well lit garden will most often employ a combination of several different light fixtures. Let’s take a closer look at some of the lights available.

Larger gardens frequently have paths made of brick, concrete or stepping stones which run through the garden. These paths can be hard to see in the dark which is why they should be lit well. To do this, try placing some path lights on each side of the walkway. Path lights are made from a small vertical shaft with a light on the top. Most path backyard lights project their light onto the ground below, allowing people to see where they are going. Lights should be lined up at equal intervals and placed on each side of the path to define the boundary. While they are not super bright, they are powerful enough to get the job done.

A closer look at path lights reveals several key components. A shaft made of plastic or stainless steel holds the light module up in the air about one foot above the ground. This elevated stance allows the light to shine in a circular shape on the ground. A panel on top collects sunlight which it uses to power the path light during the night. The electronics are protected in a sealed case which can resist most exposure to water including sprinklers and rain. The path lights are held in the ground by durable stakes.