Lighting Pacific teamed up with silver medalist Alex Schanzer to create a garden for the 2004 Ellerslie Flower Show. The focus was on highlighting the benefit of lighting a garden makeover by showing how a few, well-placed, low-voltage fixtures can add a new dimension to even a small courtyard after dark.
Creating Impact With Dimension
All the uplighting within this landscape which features the Bromeliad totem poles, the side wall and the leaf sculpture—is provided by the Hunza™ Spike Spot Adjustable, an extremely versatile fixture with 90 degrees of adjustment and a range of spiking options for varying soil conditions.
The Ellerslie flower show had added impact in 2004 because—for the first time—landscape lighting was mandatory on all stands and exhibits.
With evening sessions to suit, the home gardener and the DIY landscaper were able to appreciate real and practicable lighting designs that can in effect provide the home owner with two gardens, the night time version a very different composition to the typical day time look.
Each panel was lit by a number of low profile, under shelf, 20w halogen fittings (supplied by Ideal Electrical Papakura) spread evenly to ensure good internal coverage. The light projected onto the rear wall comes from HUNZA Single Pole Lites, which as well as producing an interesting light pattern on the darkly finished surface, help frame the feature and prevent too bright a contrast.
Careful Lighting Selection
The number of fittings required to up light a feature such as the leaf sculpture is conditional on the overall dimensions but also on the main viewing angle. It is unnecessary to place fittings all the way round a circular water feature or any other central structure if it is normally viewed from only one angle.
The effect of the warm glow over the surface of the water is created with stainless steel pondlights using 20w lamps. This lifts this otherwise unlit portion of the garden and provides some safety for anyone crossing the bridge by outlining that structure.
In this instance the fixtures have been placed either side of the pond, highlighting the edge of the bridge. The alternative would have been to put a light source on the mid-point of the underside of the bridge itself, so the bridge itself would shield the glare.
All fixtures used in this design were fitted with 20w Halogen lamps, demonstrating again the effectiveness and energy efficiency of this particular light source.
