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Issue link: https://landscapecontractor.epubxp.com/i/120950
Above: Eight directional LED lights illuminate the 25-year-old conifers surrounding the pool enclosure, spilling light onto the patio���s granite surface and helping visitors safely navigate the patio furniture on dark nights. The clients requested that the area lighting reach the patio enclosure beyond the pool. Middle: Two life-sized bronze crane statues stand atop the spillway and are crosslit with two MR16 Halogen 35 watt light fixtures, each with a 24-degree beam spread. The cross lighting highlights the sculptures at the highest elevation on the water feature. A weeping cherry (prunus subhertella) was positioned directly behind the cranes and lit using two Par 36 fixtures with 20-watt lamps, which create a low-light silhouette of the statues. Bottom: Wash lighting, (5-watt LED MR 16s) on the plantings abutting the spillways, emphasizes the varied number of annuals and perennials that make up the water feature gardens. Up lighting on the mid level vegetation adds depth to the lighting on the canopy of the forest trees above. Water Feature The second project involved constructing and lighting an elaborate water feature with an array of waterfalls and spillways. The water flow collects in a large connecting pond with various species of fish and aquatic plants. The clients wanted lighting so the water feature could be seen and appreciated from the residence, about 100 yards away. The light needed to maintain a soft, warm and subtle feeling at the water���s edge. The water feature was specified for the southeast corner of the property, preserving much of the existing vegetation to blend the new feature with the mature plantings. The water feature consists of a 40foot by 42-foot circular collection pond, approximately 100 feet of total spillway and four waterfalls, each exceeding four feet in overall elevation. The height of the free-falling water at each of the falls is about 24 inches. Numerous decrementing elevation changes occur along each spillway���s 4.5 - 5 foot elevation from the peak water circulation point to pond���s surface. The combined flow of water from the pumps is 26,000 gallons per hour. To enjoy this water feature from a distance, the surrounding forest vegetation was illuminated. Directional LED MR 16s (6.5-watt, 450 lumens) were placed at the base of the trees and directed at the forest canopy, which consists primarily of white pine (Pinus Strobus), red oak (Quercus Rubra), black cherry (Prunus Serotina) and Canadian hemlock (Tusga Canadensis). The illumination of the higher tree canopies provided a natural backdrop for the water feature. 30 LC DBM