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Lighting for water features Water is always a prime candidate for lighting, whether it is moving or still. Underwater uplighting of a waterfall or fountain is a common and effective technique using a halogen underwater light; glistening water and the shimmering light projected by underwater lighting through moving water can be fascinating. Crosslighting of marginal planting or a pondside feature from underwater can produce a contrasting, subtle effect, but careful positioning is needed to avoid the error of a well-lit liner! And remember that good underwater lighting is fundamentally dependent on the clarity of the water, and therefore of the quality of filtration. Streams can make beautifully illuminated features but planning lighting in advance of construction can be difficult as the final look of the feature will owe much to the placement of the rocks and the skill of the landscape contractor. If ground mounted lights are used, a small green spike spotlight with glare guard such as the M5520GRE hidden amongst streamside planting is often a good product choice, although a granite (M5520GRA) finish sometimes blends in well between rocks. Another option is spotlights mounted on an adjacent pergola or wall, or "moonlighting" from a tree using an M5620T spotlight with a wide beam lamp for a really natural effect, producing a silver sheen on the water framed by the natural colour of rock and foliage. Moonlighting or downlighting reduces the problem of camouflaging ground-mounted fittings and helps to avoid glare from upward or horizontally focused lights. The potential for still water as a creative component in a lighting scheme is often missed. Consider lighting a subject on the far side of a pond to be reflected in the dark still water. This "mirroring" effect is particularly effective for a strong architectural feature, such as a temple, but can also be used with trees if the body of water is large enough. See the page on lighting statues for more ideas on how to do this. For the small garden, water features such as millstones, urns or bubble fountains can be accented from wall or pergola using a fitting such as the M6160 copper spotlight; a copper spreadlight with a small head such as the Megabay Chilento M6405 model is an option for providing a softer pool of light. Alternatively, use a pole-mounted spotlight such as the Megabay Kiesta hidden in adjacent planting to provide a low power beam of light to frame a low water feature. The taller single M6205 or twin M6210 copper versions gicve the best angle of downward lighting, but the shorter 400mm versions (single M6205-400 or twin M6210-400) can be less obtrusive where the adjacent planting isn’t too tall. The shorter models are also available in satin chrome. One of the most popular small water features is an urn with water trickling down the sides into a cobble-covered reservoir and then being pumped back up through the base. Underwater lighting inside the urn is one option, but usually the water trickling down the side is the aspect of the feature for which lighting will work best, producing a little sparkle from the water for subtle effect. A small underwater light with a 20w lamp and a frosted lens for a diffused effect is a good option; a Nautilus M2500 brass underwater light weathers well among cobbles while a black one will be camouflaged amongst slate or darker rock. For setting into cobble or slate covering of a mesh-topped reservoir, remove the U bracket and set the underwater light amongst the cobbles for unobtrusive uplighting using lamps up to a maximum of 35 watts where the fitting is not actually submersed in water. Nautilus can be brass, green, granite and black and anchored on an optional heavy brass base mount in most open water features such as ponds and fountains - they are also available with an optional spike for mounting in planting baskets. This is a versatile range of underwater spotlights suitable for halogen reflector lamps up to 50 watts underwater. The Nautilus has a 6 metre cable fitted, which is long enough to reach the transformer outside most water features without having to use an underwater joint, which is a common source of unreliability. The availability of grid, glare shield and eyelid versions covers all the options needed for glare control in shallow water features such as rills or locations where shielding of the light source is especially important. Megabay’s Amphibian 50w and Quovadis 75w recessed uplights are also rated IP68 for underwater use where recessed underwater lighting is required. For stainless steel water features, Elipta’s new E4811 provides a matching finish and comes complete with a mounting base and 6 metre cable. Manufacturer and Supplier links: |
Lighting for Gardens - Professional quality garden lights and outdoor lighting from the leading UK garden lighting supplier. |
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