LED Landscape Lights

LED lighting is gaining a reputation for being the best – and brightest – new choice for landscape lighting design.

LED lighting is a low-maintenance and convenient choice for homeowners and gardeners. LED – or “light-emitting diode” – lights are dimming the popularity of old-fashioned filament bulbs and widening consumer availability of decorative and functional outdoor fixtures that can last up to 100,000 hours. 

If you’re looking for solar lighting, LED solar lights are the brightest option, and they generally include a “monocrystal” solar panel with conversion rate equal to or greater than 18% vs. amorphous solar panel (9%), with up to 10 hours of lighting time when fully charged. 

LED lighting has been touted recently by manufacturers as a tremendous cost-saving product over time. When compared to the energy output and costs or a traditional 60 watt bulb versus a 12 watt LED bulb, the results are astounding. For a property that contains 100 lights used on a regular basis, the cost savings can total up to $40,000 over a ten-year period.

Of course, not everyone needs 100 LED lights shining on their yard, but regardless of how much you spend on the purchase and installation of LED fixtures, you should recoup the costs in savings in just two years.

Whether you’re looking for an accent piece such as a globe, or sets of reliable path lights, spotlights, task lights and even strips of twinkling holiday lights for your garden, LED selections are now abundant at most big box retailers, garden centers and online shops. Be on the lookout for LED landscape lighting kits, which contained detailed instructions and can be installed by you at home. Here’s how to get started:

Take photos of your house and garden to determine where old lighting can be replaced and where new lighting is needed. 

Draw a map or diagram of the areas where you desire LED lighting to be installed. 

    • Are there garden walkways that should be visible at night?
    • Will the lighting be used for aesthetic or working purposes or both?

Create a shopping list. You can adjust the quantity of lights or decide upon a combination of LED solar or traditional wired lighting to fit your budget. 

Browse lighting online to determine what will work for you and what can be purchased at a store or shipped to your home.

Ask your local retailers about installation options. You maybe able to have the lights installed for a nominal fee; if you opt to install them yourself, make sure complete instructions are in the box before you leave the store.