There are many different techniques to properly illuminate a pathway, the most important aspect being safety. When choosing which technique to use, your strongest influences should be the surrounding landscape and the clients preference.
The most popular way to accomplish lighting a pathway is with Pathlights. This is the most simple solution, and if you think it is apropriate after evaluating the theme of the planting areas, the effect can be very successful. If the theme of the landscape that you are working with is of a classic style, the Quadliter or Footliter would blend well. If you have a more artistic styled landscape then the Deliter or a variety of Leafliters might be a good match. Depending on the situation, it is sometimes appropriate to put all pathlights on the same side of the path, rather than alternating back and forth.
Another more natural way to light a walkway is from nearby trees. Moonlighting a walkway or path is very natural and when installed correctly can create shadows from the branches of the trees. Some areas you may want to wash with a soft light that flows and is completely covered. Or you may want to add or adjust a shroud to the fixture to focus more on a certain area or in some cases deflect some of the glare from the lamp.
A technique that is not used that much is creating a negative walkway. This is achieved by placing fixtures along the walkway and washing the plant material along the borders of the walkway with light. Leaving the walkway dark and unlit creates a very different effect. I would not recommend this technique on a walkway that has any steps due to safety.
Another technique not used often enough is installing fixtures mounted flush to the ground, shining light across the walkway. We have a Turtle for small residential projects, or a Tortoise for large commercial projects. Both have an option of including vandal-proof hardware.
TortoiseTips
*You want to cover all steps if any and try to have an even flow of light in which to have safe passage down the walkway.
*You will need to address which lamp is most suitable for the fixture you have chosen. Lamps that are too bright or too frequent can ruin a job, just as lamps that are too dull can also.
*Always specify the appropriate color for the fixture and note the material used - some don't mix well with certain environments.
Anthony LaCarrubba
Nightscaping Rep
New York
631.681.6521 Cell
Anthony@nightscaping.com
Contractor Of The Week, Chad Davis
Nightscaping Rep
New York
631.681.6521 Cell
Anthony@nightscaping.com
Contractor Of The Week, Chad Davis
Chad Davis of Davis Electric has been in the Electrical field for the past eight years, three of which he has been working on his own. He has lived on Long Island all his life and knows the Island very well. Chad focuses his attention on the eastern end of the Island and has done very well in the Hamptons area. He has joined forces with a very large Landscape Construction firm out there, Whitmore Landscaping. Whitmore does it all from growing their own materials, to designing and installing the jobs, and everything in between. There are many opportunities for Chad to do what he does best with them.
Chad used to turn low voltage lighting work away or try to convert the client to line voltage fixtures. Chad has been installing low voltage lighting systems with Nightscaping for the past two years or so. He was introduced to us through a connection in the Hamptons on a job that wanted to use Nightscaping fixtures. Rob DiSchino, Chad and myself have been working together ever since he and Rob first met on that jobsite. Chad has changed his way of thinking after seeing how easy it is to install and how versitile the fixtures are. "Nightscaping makes it so easy to install a system, they even help you with the design, layout and install if needed. How much easier can it get?" says Chad.
When putting the quality fixtures with the CAD drawings and presenting such a professional proposal to the high end clientel Chad deals with, it makes it extremely easy to sell the job. Chad used to have a negative view on Low voltage lighting. Due to the fact that no matter what system his clients wanted him to install he always had problems with the systems. This is why Chad was turning work away for so long because of the bad image the other systems had left in his mind. Since he has started to use the Nightscaping system he has changed his view towards the industry and will be installing Nightscaping until the day he retires.
Chad Davis
Davis Electric
Rocky Point, NY
631.687.0607 Cell
631.875.5439 Busn
GreenCare for Troops:
Serving You While You Serve Us
Project EverGreen is coordinating a nationwide outreach program connecting local lawn and landscape firms with men and women serving our country in the armed forces away from home.
Lawn and landscape maintenance becomes a definite hardship when a family's major breadwinner is on active duty away from home. GreenCare for Troops is designed to show the green industry's concern for this situation, helping affected families maintain their homes' green spaces. To date, Project EverGreen has signed up more than 3,800 military families and more than 900 lawn/landscape contractors and volunteers to assist in this effort. If you are interested in helping a family in your area, please take a moment to complete our online application.
While Project Evergreen's GreenCare for Troops program continues its mission to help our military families, we hope that 2007 will bring PEACE to everyone.
Project EverGreen's GreenCare for Troops non-profit program appreciates the contractors/volunteers who have stepped forward to help our military families at home. Your names are listed on our website under News Room/Who's Involved. Thank you all!
Families Respond:
"I am a wife of a deployed soldier in Iraq. I just received an e-mail about what you are doing and I would like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for such a wonderful service you are providing for military families. The stress, especially on military wives, when their soldier is deployed can be unimaginable and this service is probably the best idea. Please thank your contractors who are volunteering so much for their generosity! "
-Angie Davis
"Thank you so much for such a wonderful gift! I really appreciate it. It is hard to get out and keep a yard when you have a family and a job. All of a sudden you are a single parent and running the show, not to mention all the sleepless nights! Thank you from the bottom of my heart!"
-Katie Curtis
1705 E. Colton Avenue, Redlands CA 92374
ph:909-794-2121 toll free:800-544-4840 fax:909-794-7292 email:info@nightscaping.com