garden lighting - what happened in the end!
 

I recently posted a question about garden lighting.

We wanted to be different. We didn't want boring standard white
lighting. Instead, we decided to have blue lighting. I was looking at
a way to turn the white light from garden lights blue.

(I know it sounds awful, but it does seem to work). It creates a very
relaxing colour scheme - and you can still see.

Several people suggested using coloured filters that are used with
theatrical lighting.

We found a company called Sabre International and ordered the coloured
filters (filter gels as they are known).

http://www.sabre-international.com/

It was about £5 for a roll of gel. We opted for a very specific blue
colour.

The garden lights in question are 10 watts each. They consist of a
glass/plastic bowl that sits on top of a post. The bowl houses the
bulb. A cap fits on top of the bowl to keep out water.

We didn't buy our lights from B&Q but I found, by way of example, a
light on their site that was similar to ours.

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/produc...ODID=778 0263

Initially we tried wrapping the filter close to the bulb. This didn't
look very good. Eventually, we layed the filter inside right up
against the edge of the bowl.

This looked OK, but we found that the filter dulled the intensity of
the light. To get around this problem we cut out a square of silver
foil and stuck this to the top inside of the cap. This significantly
increased the light given off by the unit. (Before anyone asks - no it
is not overheating).

It now looks really good.

In addition, we went for outdoor blue LED decking lighting. The
original aim was to bury the led lighting flush with the decking.

The decking is raised. On either side of the decking is a border with
slow growing baby fern trees.

Instead of installing the LED lighting into the floor of the decking,
we have installed the lights into the side of the decking so the blue
light shines out from the side of the decking onto the baby fern
trees.

When you stand on the decking you cannot see the blue LEDs - only the
light that they give off. At night, the blue of the LED lights
combines with the green of the fern trees to give the fern trees a
really strange colour.

Thanks to everyone for their help.

Graham

wrote in message
...
I recently posted a question about garden lighting.

We wanted to be different. We didn't want boring standard white
lighting. Instead, we decided to have blue lighting. I was looking at
a way to turn the white light from garden lights blue.

(I know it sounds awful, but it does seem to work). It creates a very
relaxing colour scheme - and you can still see.

Several people suggested using coloured filters that are used with
theatrical lighting.

We found a company called Sabre International and ordered the coloured
filters (filter gels as they are known).

http://www.sabre-international.com/

It was about £5 for a roll of gel. We opted for a very specific blue
colour.

The garden lights in question are 10 watts each. They consist of a
glass/plastic bowl that sits on top of a post. The bowl houses the
bulb. A cap fits on top of the bowl to keep out water.

We didn't buy our lights from B&Q but I found, by way of example, a
light on their site that was similar to ours.

http://www.diy.com/diy/jsp/bq/produc...ODID=778 0263

Initially we tried wrapping the filter close to the bulb. This didn't
look very good. Eventually, we layed the filter inside right up
against the edge of the bowl.

This looked OK, but we found that the filter dulled the intensity of
the light. To get around this problem we cut out a square of silver
foil and stuck this to the top inside of the cap. This significantly
increased the light given off by the unit. (Before anyone asks - no it
is not overheating).

It now looks really good.

It sounds it. Any chance of a picture - my mail address is true.

Mary

On Sat, 11 Jun 2005 17:07:24 +0100, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:


It sounds it. Any chance of a picture - my mail address is true.

I'll give it a try with a digital camera. Not sure how well it will
come out.

The white light from the digital flash may obscure the blue!

If the pictures work, I will stick up on a web address so that
everyone can see.

Graham

wrote in message
...
On Sat, 11 Jun 2005 17:07:24 +0100, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:


It sounds it. Any chance of a picture - my mail address is true.

I'll give it a try with a digital camera. Not sure how well it will
come out.

The white light from the digital flash may obscure the blue!

How about using a time exposure with no flash?

If the pictures work, I will stick up on a web address so that
everyone can see.

Thanks.

Mary.

Graham

On Sat, 11 Jun 2005 18:02:32 +0100, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:


How about using a time exposure with no flash?

I'd be arrested!

(:-)

Graham

wrote in message
...
On Sat, 11 Jun 2005 18:02:32 +0100, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:


How about using a time exposure with no flash?

I'd be arrested!

I'll testify for you ...

Mary

(:-)

Graham

In message ,
writes
On Sat, 11 Jun 2005 18:02:32 +0100, "Mary Fisher"
wrote:


How about using a time exposure with no flash?

I'd be arrested!

Just tell them you're making a blue film

--
geoff