5 Types of Landscape Lighting Explained

Landscape lighting can transform your garden or outdoor area into a stunning and welcoming space. When designed and installed correctly, outdoor lighting creates an inviting atmosphere and highlights the best features of your landscape.

There are many different types of landscape lighting, each with its own unique purpose and benefits for your space.

Pathway Lighting

An excellent way to highlight walkways and paths throughout a landscape is with pathway lighting. These outdoor lights are typically lower to the ground (12"–18") and come in a variety of styles, such as modern post lights or traditional rustic path lighting. 

Pathway lighting helps to increase visibility and improve outdoor safety, making it easier for you and your guests to navigate through the garden in the evening.

Lights along your pathway also make a landscape or entryway more inviting, by showing guests or friends where to walk up to your house or yard.

Up Lighting

Up lighting uses spotlights or floodlights to highlight specific features of a landscape, such as trees, statues, or architectural elements.

These outdoor lights create dramatic effects by illuminating certain areas while leaving others in shadow. This style of lighting adds a sense of depth and dimension in a landscape by highlighting different layers and textures.

Retaining walls and landscape masonry are particularly well-suited for up lighting, as it highlights the natural stone around your house.

Deck and Patio Lighting

Deck and patio lighting are used to create a warm and inviting atmosphere in outdoor living spaces. This welcoming effect can be achieved with light fixtures installed directly into the deck, patio, seating area, pergolas, or pathways around your home. 

Deck and patio lighting can also extend the usable hours of your outdoor living space by providing light after the sun has set. You’ll enjoy a cozy and intimate atmosphere, perfect for entertaining guests or indulging in a quiet evening at home. 

When used with FX Luminaire’s Luxor controller, the lights can easily be controlled by your phone to dim lights or change the lighting color which can instantly change the mood as the evening moves on.

[Talk with our Certified FX Luminaire Designers today]

Water Feature Lighting

Showcase fountains, ponds, or other water elements in your landscape with water feature lighting. This type of lighting creates a calming and tranquil atmosphere in a garden, and can highlight the movement of water. 

Water feature lighting is achieved with submersible fixtures installed directly in the water, or with spotlights installed around the perimeter of the feature.

Perimeter Lighting

Perimeter lighting is used to increase safety and deter crime in outdoor spaces. This type of lighting is typically installed on the outskirts of the property and can be used to illuminate areas that might not typically be visible during the night. 

Perimeter lighting is particularly important for homes located in areas near national forests or other open land, or those close to unwanted animals. This type of lighting works great at deterring animals like bears, to prevent walking in your yard face first into a bear! 

Enhancing lighting around a perimeter can also provide peace of mind for homeowners concerned about the safety of their family and property.

Select the Right Landscape Lighting for Your Space

Landscape lighting is an excellent way to enhance the beauty and functionality of any outdoor space. By using a combination of pathway lighting, up lighting, deck and patio lighting, water feature lighting, and perimeter lighting, homeowners can create a customized lighting plan that meets their specific needs and preferences. 

Whether you are looking to create a warm and inviting outdoor living space or increase safety and security, landscape lighting can help you achieve your goals while adding an element of beauty and charm to your home.


Not sure which type of landscape lighting to choose?

Contact the lighting team at Webby Landscaping today!