Landscape Lighting

Landscape lighting is the only exterior category most homeowners can install themselves — and the one that changes a property's appearance the most for the least money. It runs on 12V through a plug-in transformer, so there's no junction box, no permit, and no electrician.

How a low-voltage system actually works

Three parts. A transformer plugs into an exterior GFCI outlet and steps 120V down to 12V. Low-voltage cable runs from it, buried a few inches deep or tucked under mulch. Fixtures clip onto the cable wherever you want them.

Because it's 12V, it's safe to work on and safe to move. Decide in June that a spotlight is aimed wrong, and you reposition it in five minutes instead of calling a trade.

Sizing the transformer

Add the wattage of every fixture and leave 20% headroom. Ten 4W fixtures is 40W, so a 60W transformer is right. Buying a transformer at exactly your current load means replacing it the first time you add a light.

Most transformers include a timer or photocell. A photocell is the better choice at Canadian latitudes — sunset moves by more than four hours between June and December, and a fixed timer is wrong most of the year.

The four techniques worth knowing

Uplighting — a spot at the base of a tree or aimed up a wall. The highest-impact technique, and the one that makes a house read at night.

Path lighting — staggered along a walkway, never lined up like a runway. Space them 8 to 10 feet apart and alternate sides.

Grazing — a fixture close to a textured surface, aimed sharply upward, to bring out stone or brick.

Downlighting — mounted in a tree, aimed down. The most natural-looking effect and the least obvious once installed.

Winter

Cable buried shallow is fine through frost, but path fixtures shorter than your average snowbank disappear in January. Taller stems stay useful. Many people pull path lights in late fall and leave uplights running year-round — uplights are usually clear of snow and they carry the house through the dark months.

Look for the CSA or cUL mark and a wet rating on every fixture. From a Canadian company that knows what a February looks like.

Frequently asked questions

Can I install landscape lighting myself?

Yes. Low-voltage 12V systems run off a plug-in transformer and are designed for homeowner installation. No junction box, no permit, no electrician.

What size transformer do I need?

Add the wattage of all fixtures and add 20% headroom. Ten 4W fixtures need a 60W transformer, not a 40W one.

How far apart should path lights be?

8 to 10 feet, staggered on alternating sides of the walkway rather than lined up symmetrically.

Does landscape lighting survive winter?

Wet-rated fixtures do. Path lights on short stems get buried by snow and are often pulled in late fall; uplights generally stay clear and run year-round.

Timer or photocell?

Photocell. Sunset shifts by more than four hours across the year at Canadian latitudes, so a fixed timer is wrong for most of it.