Adding lights to the landscape will give old plantings a new look. Illuminating gnarled limbs of an oak tree creates an eye-catching evening accent, and a well-lit sago provides a focal point.

Low-voltage lighting systems make installation easy and take away the fear of a shock."Night lighting adds an aesthetic look to the landscape gardeners are just discovering," said Robert Black, extension horticulturist with the Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences in Gainesville, Fla.

"It used to be reserved for the more expensive homes. Lower-cost systems have made outdoor lighting more affordable, especially for the do-it-yourself gar-dener."

Black said illuminating trees and shrubs adds another dimension to landscaping. Intricate leaf patterns are more noticeable, and shadows cast by twisted limbs create special effects along walls. He said gardeners also can highlight a container garden or bed of annuals against a backdrop of darkness.

Most plants won't mind the extended hours of light, Black said. Only poinsettias, chrysanthemums and similar plants will fail to flower, he said.

Even a landscape filled with flaws is attractive during the nighttime hours. Lights allow the visitor to see only what's important. Carefully focused beams of light can divert the eye from unpleasant views toward more exciting plant or architectural features. Light also can lead the way to an entrance and assure safe passage along twisting, often uneven walkways.

"I get lots of calls about lighting for safety," said J. W. Maturen, owner of Landscape Lighting of Central Florida in Clarcona. "Most gardeners call after they have had guests stumble."

Light from a small wattage bulb is all that's needed to brighten spots along a path. Most lights are decorative fixtures resembling Colonial lanterns, clamshells, flower buds or spotlights that help ensure firm footing along the way.

Positioning lights within the landscape has become somewhat an art of deception. The night lighting should appear natural. Only fixtures that light paths or are featured at entrances should be visible.

"All other light sources should be hidden. We want to see the effect and not the source," Maturen said. The fixtures should be positioned below ground or located behind a landscape feature, out of sight.

Do-it-yourself and professional landscape lighting systems use a shock-proof 12-volt current to operate the lamps. Normal house current is reduced to the lower voltage levels with a transformer.

"It's perfectly safe and can be used around pools, wet areas and docks," said Maturen, who has designed and installed lighting systems in central Florida since 1968. "Installation does not require an electrical contractor."

Low-voltage lighting is also economical to operate. Maturen estimates at current rates, lighting a front yard with 200 watts of electricity for five hours each evening will add $1.92 to the monthly bill.

Lighting systems vary greatly in cost and quality. Gardeners can start with the less expensive prepackaged products or buy the professional lines marketed as individual components.

Maturen suggests gardeners inspect the systems for durability and the amount of available light. Fixtures may be made of light plastic, heavy-duty polyvinyl chloride, or PVC, or cast aluminum. Usually the longer-lasting fixtures are the more expensive, he said.

Check the wattage of the bulbs. Maturen recommends 18 watts for pathways and 35-watt lamps to light a 12- to 22-foot tree. He said low-voltage systems with bulbs up to 150 watts are available. Gardeners also can select bulbs to produce a narrow beam for accenting a statue or an extra wide flood of light to feature a large plant.

Selecting the individual components allows gardeners to match the lamps to the landscape. First, establish a line of lights along the walkways; then pick the plants and other features to be accented. Look for an unusual plant shape, bark or limb characteristic.

Lights can be used to silhouette a tree or cast shadows on nearby walls. If you wish, feature an archway, statue or birdbath. Create a moonlight effect with lights hung high in the trees. Remember to keep the lights out of sight; wind blowing the branches will create shifting patterns on the ground.

At the heart of a low-voltage system is the transformer, which will convert home current into 75 to 600 watts of 12-volt electricity, depending on the model chosen. Maturen advises locating the transformer midway between the line of landscape lights to be operated. The total wattage of all the lights cannot exceed the capacity of the transformer.

Another limitation is the length of the cable connecting lights within the landscape. Due to a predictable voltage drop, the length of each cable is limited to 200 feet. The size of the wire and the number of wires within the cable also will vary with the design of the system.

Several cables can be directed from one transformer to service the lighting needs of the landscape. Total wattage of the lamps attached to all cables cannot exceed the capacity of the transformer. Consequently, lighting different areas of the landscape may require several trans-formers.

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If it all sounds a bit confusing, this is where a lighting specialist can help. Also, most manufacturers offer landscape lighting guides that simplify the process of matching cable, lamps and transformers with the outdoor needs.

Modern lighting systems have taken advantage of the high-intensity halogen bulbs. Maturen said halogen lamps produce three times the light of incandescent types. Halogen light also is brighter and a pure white compared to the somewhat yellow tinge of light from incandescent bulbs.

Home lighting is an investment that can vary greatly with the quality of the fixtures. Some money can be saved by buying cheaper fixtures that often will be hidden in the landscape. There is no way to skimp on the bulbs.

The do-it-yourself gardener can expect an average front-yard lighting system of high quality lamps and fixtures to cost between $800 and $2,500. Once the system is positioned in the landscape, installation is easy. "The biggest problem is digging the trenches," Maturen said.

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