If you have a well-organized and perfectly-maintained yard, chances are that there are already a lot of people envying you. However, no matter how much hard work and effort you put in your yard, you’ll never be able to reach its full potential without the help of proper lighting. Before you hit home depot stores and try to buy every outdoor lighting fixture you see, you should first try to decide what exactly you wish to achieve with them.

There are many different ways you can use light in your yard, and there are many different purposes it can serve, and the beautiful thing is – you don’t have to choose only one! So, let’s discuss the most common, yet effective ways you can use light to your advantage.

Better safe than sorry

When talking about outdoor lighting, we usually think of personal security first. If you have a big yard, with more than a few dark corners, you can go for motion sensor lights. These lights act as your first line of defense against unwanted “guests”. They come in many different shapes and sizes which means you can also install them on your front porch, or above your back door.

Tale as old as time

If, however, you wish to use light in your yard for more than just security, fear not – we’ve got you covered. To create a perfect, romantic atmosphere, think about installing fairy lights throughout your yard. There is something simply magical about these. They come in a variety of bulb shapes, allowing you to turn your yard into a real fairy tale setting, perfect for romantic dates or when you simply want to snuggle next to your significant other and just forget the world. And another awesome thing is that you can now choose between LED or even solar variants, which means you can go as eco-friendly or even green as you wish.

Green, green grass of home

We’re not saying you’re a bad driver - God forbid - we’re just saying that it can sometimes be a bit difficult to pull up to your driveway when it’s dark. To make sure you don’t ruin that perfect grass on your lawn (because if you do, you might as well pack your bags and hit the road, Jack) think about adding path lighting to your driveway. They are discreet and easy to install, yet they cast enough light. Keep in mind that fewer is usually better.

Get the party started

What is Saturday night without a good party and a lot of friends? And if you’re also blessed with perfect weather, read on. Fire up that grill, get some mean speakers and make sure everyone has a cold drink in their hand. Also, think about installing pole mounted LED streetlights, such as those from Industralight, and brighten up your yard. Not only will they allow your guests to enjoy the party carefree - you don’t want someone tripping over your dog because it was too dark -  but they’ll also serve as an awesome decorative piece.

Look at my horse, my horse is amazing

If you have a statue, a fountain or anything else in your yard you wish to emphasize, you can go for some landscape lighting fixtures. However, make sure you use bulbs of lower intensity to avoid creating weird shadows on the object you are trying to accentuate. Unless, of course, you are trying to make that statue of a sweet baby-like angel work as an awesome Halloween decoration. Blue tinted lights are probably the perfect choice here, as they cast that moonlight-like glow.

These were just some of the ways you can make use of various lighting fixtures in your yard. Whether you wish to enhance your security, make your yard even prettier than it already is, or simply be able to see that friend that had one too many and passed out behind your Hydrangea, play it smart and plan before you buy.