Uplighting Trees: Strategies and Techniques

If you are lucky enough to have trees in your yard, you have the unique opportunity to add drama to your evening landscape that can produce stunning results.  However, just because you may love a particular tree in your yard does not necessarily mean that if will be the best tree to spotlight.  The most widely used technique to highlight trees is uplighting.

The strategy of uplighting trees requires an analysis of each tree’s shape and structure.   Do you have several unique trees?  Then, focus on different lighting techniques to contrast the difference in each species.  However, do not create contrast when none exists.  Using different techniques on similar trees lining a driveway would not be the best choice when you are trying to create uniformity.

When starting to plan for uplighting your trees, take some time to think about each tree’s shape and structure.  Will the shape of the tree limit the position of where you will put the lights?  Large roots, pavement, water or other obstacles may hinder your ability to position each light.  Wide beam or narrow lights can be used based upon the symmetry.  Narrow is best for a columnar tree like a river birch and wide beams are best for trees like a large willow.

How far up the tree do you want the light to travel?  This is where the structure of the tree becomes very important in determining your strategy.

• A tree with an open structure is a tree that if you stand at its base and look up into the canopy, you will still be able to see the upper branches. These trees are excellent for uplights that are spike mounted and hidden among the plantings or for using recessed lighting flush with the ground.  Place the lights close to the base of the trunk and angle the beam to light the bark and the canopy.  If the beam is just halfway up, the tree may look a little spooky because this creates a floating effect.  Unless you are deterring visitors or it is Halloween, this ambiance may not be desirable.  Wide beams light a good portion of the canopy while emphasizing the texture and color of the bark.  Additionally, depth can be created when the darker outside canopy outlines the inner silhouette.

• Dense canopy trees with an attractive shape can have wide beam uplights that are located in an adjacent border. Beams that are wide can place emphasis on the whole tree and its geometry.

• Dense canopied trees that have beautiful texture could be lit by a spotlight or recessed light that just grazes the outside of the canopy with a narrow to medium beam so that the emphasis is on texture and not the shape.

• Large mature trees many times have an open structure but denser outer foliage. Here is where you can use a combination of uplighting the trunk with a narrow beam and uplighting the canopy with one or more under beams.  The emphasis should be on several attributes: structure, shape and texture.

Uplighting trees can produce stunning results but deciding which trees to light and which techniques to use requires careful planning and knowledge of lighting tools and fixtures.  The vast amount of options can be overwhelming but if you keep the tree’s shape and structure in mind when making your decision, you will be on your way to a beautiful nighttime landscape.