If your approach to outdoor lighting is environmentally sustainable, flexible, or perhaps a little non-committal, solar lighting is the way to go.  This energy-efficient and easy-to-install way of lighting your garden and outdoor living areas is bursting with options that go beyond just the pathway lights we see in every big box store.  Make no mistake, they’re still popular; they’ve just come a long way since the 1990s.  Thank goodness.

So, if you’re looking to play with light in your home landscape, why not harness the power of Santa Barbara sun and consider these fun ways to use solar powered garden lights around your home?

• Solar fairy lights. Delicate but impactful, tiny lights dance pleasantly along a wire.  Use solar fairy lights to illuminate a wreath, bring shape to plants, or create the illusion of moving water at night.  Or, coil them inside mason jars to look like fireflies and hang the jars from trees.  The options are limited to just your imagination (and maybe a quick internet image search for inspo)!  These beauties are simple to install, too, only requiring placement of a small solar panel, usually mounted to a stake, in the landscape where it will capture sunlight during the daytime but remain inconspicuous.
• Solar string lights. Like fairy lights but on a slightly larger scale, solar string lights are similarly versatile but bring the fun of traditional string lights to your patio or deck.  Fashioned in globes, Edison-style bulbs, ship lights, or fun shapes such as honeybees and stars, these can brighten an outdoor living space without adding to your electric bill.  A separate solar panel can be installed nearby, allowing the lights themselves to be placed almost anywhere, including shady areas.
• Solar fence lights. Brighten up a fence, wall, or handrail with small, individually mounted lights that provide illumination to your outdoor space, create definition, and increase safety by drawing attention to security measures at your property line.  Solar fence lights come in a number of forms, such as post cap lights sold in standard sizes to replace the cap on your fence or deck rail posts, or small sconces that mount directly to a vertical surface and provide a downward wash of light to dramatically display the texture of your wall or fence surface.  They can be purchased and installed in any quantity, too, as their solar cell is built in on the top of each fixture.

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There are 2 reasons most clients contact us: to bring drive-up appeal to their home or to replace their current gardener. We take these two reasons to heart. We understand how important your landscape is to you. We are experts on drive-up appeal, water conservation landscaping, seasonal and climate planting, irrigation, and much more.

• Solar deck lights. Similar to solar fence lights, illuminating your deck can add depth and interest while also promoting safety.  Small wall packs mounted to step risers can make negotiating steps at night much easier, while creating drama and a layering effect to your deck.  Likewise, lights mounted to the deck rails indicate the edges and promote a sense of safety.
• Solar motion sensor light. And speaking of safety, if you’re looking for a way to indicate to those who approach your property that someone is home, consider a solar motion light mounted at your front walk or in your driveway.  Powered by built-in solar cells, these lights feature a motion detecting sensor that is activated when a person or vehicle enters its range, triggering a bright light that might shoo away would-be intruders or welcome expected guests.
• Decorative solar lamps and lanterns. The name pretty much describes it; you can purchase small, movable lanterns and lamps that power up by day and can put light where you need it at night.  The popularity of outdoor solar lights has driven a market for decorative lamps that come in a wide variety of styles.  Look for ones that shimmer through punched-out patterns, resemble lanterns, or look like glowing orbs to add whimsy and interest to your nighttime garden.

No matter what your goals are for putting outdoor solar lights into your Santa Barbara landscape, there is a solution for every need.  And while installation tends to be easy, it can take the knowledge and know-how of a landscape professional to determine where and what kind of solar lights to buy, particularly when you’re on a budget.