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GREEN MATTERS
Let there be light….
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Illuminating your patch of green is welcome, but be wise while doing so, advises Swathi. V.
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-A File photo
Gentle glow: Solar powered lights are the best option, what with mounting power bills to pay.
Crammed existence in urban predicament allows very few the pride of owning a sprawling garden. However, garden in the courtyard is not without its share of problems and requires utmost care in terms of safety and lighting. After all, one would not want reptiles and rats running across the plants once darkness sets in. And also, one cannot forego for sheer fear, the pleasure of family get-togethers in the courtyard during summer.
Safety is not the only issue when it comes to lighting up the garden. Illumination also enhances the magnificence of plant life, if used with discretion. However, one should never forget the practicality in the quest for beauty. Excessive lighting can generate lot of heat which may result in the plants wilting away while lesser than required light will defeat the very purpose of using them. One should be judicious in choosing the number of fixtures and also the spacing between two lamps.
Floor lamps
If the garden has pathways, it is wiser to have floor mounted lamps installed on both sides of the pathway, though at alternate spots. However, if the paths are too narrow, one can go for lights mounted inside the ground. Apart from serving the practical needs, the fixtures in the floor will enhance the aesthetics using diffusive light.
They are ideal to use around fountains and rock gardens apart from the pathways. Wall mounted lamps too, apart from adding to the beauty, serve an important purpose by keeping away rodents and reptiles from foraying into the built-in area.
The market is flooded with umpteen lighting options for the garden. Contemporary designs with metallic, vertical and angular orientations are the most preferred ones, while for those with conservative tastes, traditional lamps with curves and ornamentation will serve the purpose.
Lamps doubling up as garden seats are an option available with Prakash Lights (040-6455 0560) at Banjara Hills. While as a seat, it can bear a weight up to 120 kg, the entire bottom portion emits light by way of a CFL lamp fixed inside. Another option is the lamp shade serving as a container if it has a plant and as a seat when it is empty. Reading lamps with water-proof technology is another choice if you happen to be a book-worm.
Power bills
Economy in terms of power bills is another prominent concern of any house owner when it comes to garden lights. Use of CFL bulbs or light emitting diodes (LED) is catching up in terms of power conservation. CFL bulbs save energy while compromising very little in terms of lighting whereas LEDs may be employed where the need of illumination is less.
“Though the cost of LEDs is very high initially, it will prove to be economical over a period of time. LED systems will last for five times as much time as an ordinary bulb. And the returns in terms of power bills are great,” says Vikram Mehta of Prakash Lights.
An LED bulb of three watts gives out light equivalent to that of an ordinary bulb of 25 watts. However, garden lamps using LED bulbs cost about three times higher than those using ordinary or CFL bulbs.
Another viable option is using solar lamps for the garden. Equipped with sensors, the lamps will glow automatically once the sunlight fades out. Batteries will last enough to make up for two cloudy days.
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