Although they are usually called “path lights,” there are other uses for these fixtures. Yes, their primary use is to illuminate walkways and sometimes steps, but there are additional places where these fixtures can be put to good use.
One of my favorite places, here in the Austin area, to use these outdoor lighting fixtures is in flower beds where seasonal color is planted. These flowers are usually low growing plants which cannot be properly illuminated with bullet or wash fixtures. The remedy for that is by down lighting them with a path light, or another term: spread light. A good path/spread light fixture stands about 20” tall and will cast a gentle light in a ring of about 10’ or so. This means that you don’t need a lot of these fixtures to accent a colorful planting bed.
Another good use for these fixtures is to fill in between more prominent lighted features to help eliminate the dark holes. Since these path/spread fixtures are shining a soft light down onto the lower plantings, they don’t take away from the lighted specimen plants which are usually up lit with brighter intensity lights for dramatic effect.
I must say that I usually prefer to do this down lighting from a nice mature tree, or even the soffit of the home. But when those options are not available, a great path/spread fixture can work very well, and lend a décor element to the landscape where desired.
If you are located in the greater Austin or Texas Hill Country and you think we can be of help in accenting your landscape, please contact us here.
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