Let there be light ...

It's that time of the year when petunias, zinnias and marigolds come into their own, nodding their heads under a wintry Dubai sky.

The larger trees are lush and green, as are the flower beds, abundant with winter colour. The problem is they look great in the day but come night, the garden is a black haze.

Adding punch to your outdoors with outdoor lighting can completely change the night time landscape and with minimum effort.

Lighting design is not something people always notice directly, but if it's done right, it can feel comfortable and welcoming. Not only do night lights guide you around your plot at night, they add facets to your garden which can be relaxing or mysterious or romantic, depending on the person you are.

To help you make sense of the maze of techniques available, the important thing to keep in mind is that outdoor lighting should either highlight those areas you wish to draw attention to or camouflage those you don't.

Keep the following basic pointers in mind when designing the lighting for your backyard.

Grazing

Grazing uses light to graze the facade of a building or a large plant to highlight texture and detail. Bathed in light that shines upwards, you can bring out shadows and textures beautifully this way.

Spot lighting

In spot lighting, the light source is also placed in front of the object, but at enough distance for the beam to fully light the fixture for maximum effect.

Spot lighting is lovely on a piece of garden statue, an unusual blooming plant, or on a waterfall or fountain. The method can also be used to focus on garden benches, ledges or other seating areas. In that case, the beam should be kept low so it makes the seating look tempting but does not shine directly in the eyes of the seated individual.

Uplifting

Placing a light under a plant, tree or statue can help highlight leaves, a branch or texture. But don't do this if you are lighting a statue because it could give it a monster-like appearance. Experts suggest lighting statues from above.

Silhouetting

With silhouetting, the lights are directed on a flat, vertical surface behind the subject with which you are working, like a beautiful garden statue or even an interesting branch of a tree.

This brings the object dramatically into sharp relief. Think of how a tree looks with the setting sun behind it. That's silhouetting.

Shadowing

Shadowing is the exact opposite of silhouetting. The lights are placed in front of the object to be emphasised so dark shadows are thrown on to a flat vertical surface to the rear. This is especially effective when you have gnarled trees or plants with interesting shapes.

Cross lighting

Cross lighting involves the use of multiple directional lights with their beams aligned to cross one another so as to create soft shadows without emphasising any one particular feature.

By playing with the direction of the beams, you can deepen some shadows and lighten others.

Mirroring

Mirroring can be used to create a mirrored image in water by lighting the front of a plant or feature close to a pool or pond. A small LED light can make a whole pond glow.

Underwater lighting

Underwater lighting works best in clear water, especially where lights can be used to highlight a feature like a fountain. A small LED light can make a whole pond glow.

Floodlighting

Floodlighting illuminates a large area by setting lights high up and focusing the beams on the ground.