Landscaping With Light

The range of options for holiday decorating has expanded to include LED holiday lights, battery-operated candles, and decorative solar lights.

Winter can be a dark time because the days are so much shorter. But, you can defy the darkness by using light in your landscape. Here are some tips for creating bright spots:

• Position lights where you can enjoy them from indoors. Use your windows as "frames" to help you decide where to put lights.
• In hard-to-reach locations, try solar or battery-operated lights.
• Try a string of the retro-style lights that have larger bulbs. The put out plenty of light, so even a single strand can have a big impact.
• Use a timer so lights will come on and turn off automatically. With a dimmer switch—sold at hardware stores—you can create more subtle effects.
• Instead of stringing lights on a tree's upper branches, try outlining the trunk with closely spaced lights.
• Safety first: If you're hanging lights up high, be sure to usea good ladder. Make sure lights and extension cords are rated for use outdoors. Don't overload a circuit by attaching too many sets to a single outlet.