Landscape lighting design and installation isn’t just something we do, it is something we love. Let’s take your garden, which already brings you so much joy, and make it better. You’ll enjoy it for more hours and see it in new ways.

When you invest in outdoor lighting it pays dividends every day (well, actually night).

Contact our landscape lighting designer, Ben Bowen, for a free consultation. Within a week you can have an outdoor LED lighting sketch and a price for your new landscape lighting.

3 Reasons To Install Low Voltage Landscape Lights

1. Low voltage lighting systems can be installed by a licensed landscape contractor (including us!) These systems are simple and safe, so no electrician is needed.

2. LED bulbs are standard. This means landscape lighting is extremely efficient, with most fixtures using 3-5 watts. And LED bulbs are very long-lasting, so you may never even have to change the bulbs. Use this calculator to find out how much an LED system will save you.

3. Landscape lighting requires minimal digging. So we can install a system in your mature landscape and not do any damage! Repairs are rarely needed, but are simple to tackle when they are.

LED Low Voltage Lighting Principles

(more on our lighting design philosophy here)

• Restraint. Too many lights and your yard will look like a night game at PSU. The idea is highlight focal points in a variety of ways. Up lighting, back lighting, spot lighting, path lights, and even under water lights all have a place. But we will never install even one more light than you need- we can always add more if needed.

• Quality. Low voltage lighting fixtures from "Big Box" stores can look good- for a little while. However, the plastic parts of these fixtures quickly get brittle and break. The wiring corrodes. The metal oxidizes and looks old. Yes, you will still have a lighting system in 3 years- but it will be ugly. We install quality brass, copper, and steel fixtures with long warranties and great reputations. The brass and copper lights acquire a patina and actually look better with age. (More on buying landscape lighting fixtures here.)

• Simplicity. For most people, the best landscape lighting system is one they can set and forget. Features like color-changing and zoning are usually not worth the trouble.

Low Voltage Landscape Lighting FAQ

What kinds of fixtures are available?

There are dozens of manufacturers who have lights available here in Portland. And each one of them carries a wide range of fixture varieties and styles, ranging from traditional to contemporary to Asian-inspired to modern. We install fixtures from AMP, Cast, Unique, Kichler, Nightscaping, and more.

Is there a warranty?

The fixtures we install have anywhere from a 3-year to a lifetime warranty. Our warranty on labor is one year. So, during the first year repairs and replacements cost you nothing. After the first year only pay for labor. LED landscape lighting fixtures are so reliable that we replace less than 5 out of every 1000 installed!

How much does low voltage lighting cost?

The average system we install has 10-20 fixtures and costs between $275 and $475 per fixture. The fixtures chosen and difficulty of the installation are the main factors that affect the price.

Does low voltage lighting have security or safety benefits?

Yes. A well lit path or steps is less of a trip hazard. Illuminated front yards are less inviting to prowlers, burglars, or other baddies.

How do I turn the lights on and off?

A transformer powers the lights. Integrated with this is a timer and/or photocell. We can set the lights to come on and go off at any times you want. Or we can just use the photocell and have them on at dusk and off at dawn. Or on by the photocell and then off at 1am. Or on by a switch in your house. I guess what I am saying is, you have options. Oh yeah, if you really want a smart system we can do that too.

Why don’t you have more pictures of your lighting projects?

We have tons of pictures of our finished projects, it’s just that most of them were taken during the day! We are family-oriented around here and taking pictures at my client’s homes after dusk just doesn’t do much for my work-life balance.

How do I get a landscape lighting system?

Contact Ross NW Watergardens today. We will meet at your home, discuss possibilities for your system, and then prepare a proposal. Want to see what LED landscape lighting could do for your landscape? Us too!