Snow was falling lightly and the temperature was dropping as I sat at my desk last evening. I was thinking how hard it is to write about the garden in this weather. Then my imagination took me back to into a warm evening last summer.
I was on the terrace preparing for the arrival of dinner guests. As I put the last touches on a casual flower bouquet, my guests began to arrive. There is something about alfresco dining that immediately puts everyone at ease. As friends gathered, I enlisted the services of a fellow gardener to lead a quick tour of the garden while I was busy at the outdoor kitchen. I pulled prepared appetizers from the refrigerator and opened wine bottles as lively conversation buzzed around me.
As we sat at the table in the gathering darkness, a collective murmur was heard as a light sensor turned on my new garden lighting. As the sun set we were surrounded by gentle light that created dancing shadows and a wonderful sense of intimacy. I was grateful that I had made the decision to complete my garden by having the lighting professionally designed.
This winter with evening gloom setting in by 4:30, I have enjoyed the welcoming lighting of the front landscape. Walkways are safely illuminated without having the appearance of an airport runway. The front of the house is beautifully surrounded by a soft glow that brightens the night without a hint of glare. If you have considered lighting your landscape, by all means have it professionally designed by Wallace Landscape Associates with landscape architects in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Maryland. Good design makes all the difference.
