Light Positions

So, why do I place lights in different positions on plants and trees?  The main reason is to create some depth and interest in the landscape.

When you look at different lighting projects you mostly find that the installer places the fixture (usually only one) in front of just about every tree or shrub.  What this does is make everything look flat and BORING. 

By placing fixtures behind or even beside some plantings it helps to draw the eye through the object on toward whatever is illuminated behind it like the home which is front lit.

A good lighting design will also use multiple fixtures on trees that are large enough to give the tree more dimension.

Here is an example of using some back lighting on a large tree and some front lighting on other objects behind it.  You’ll find that this looks much better than front lighting everything.