Lighting need not be a burden

A garden is more than a thoughtfully designed collection of plants and paving. It is a space of experience. To enhance that experience, both during the day and at night, lighting is a focal point. Yet many garden contractors are still somewhat reluctant to take on this luminous aspect. To reassure his colleagues that lighting need not be a burden at all - on the contrary, rather an added value - a Dutch garden contractor tells how he approaches it.

Whether it's an in-house garden design or a garden in the maintenance portfolio, contractors invariably turn to Suslight for lighting. After all, the products of this Dutch lighting brand, which is also brought to Flemish and Walloon garden contractors/dealers via Suslight Belgium, operate on a 24-volt system. 

"That makes for great flexibility," testifies the landscaping contractor. "The lights are all energy-efficient LEDs, and if necessary I can very easily replace a bulb with a stronger or just weaker one. Moreover, with the extensive range I can always make an appropriate offer, whether people choose an exuberant or a subtle lighting design."

Light Demonstration

To give his clients an idea of the possibilities and mood of the garden with lighting, the garden contractor often gives a lighting demonstration. 

"That's basically where it starts. I plan an evening with the client and put out different lights in the garden. That way people can see clearly what the effect of the lighting will be. Then we see what the customer's personal wishes are and proceed to a design."

Two groups

In shaping the final lighting design, the contractor works in two groups as standard: "The first group includes ambient lighting, for example to light trees. The other group is the functional lighting that is used to illuminate walkways, among other things."

In fact, lighting is taken into account in every garden design, even when people do not want to proceed with effective installation right away for cost reasons. "In such a case, I suggest already digging in the electrical cables at the time the garden is being landscaped anyway. Actually purchasing the fixtures and connecting the lighting can always be done at a later time, but by thinking ahead you do save on costs and time."

Eye for innovation

The garden contractor sees another bright future for his partnership with Suslight. "It is a relatively young company that is very much focused on innovations. That means that I can also offer the products in the higher end of the market without any problems and that improvements are constantly being made. For example, we are now working on a system that allows you to switch lamps individually. That will provide even more flexibility."

Also not unimportant to the garden contractor: that sustainability is always at the forefront of such innovations and developments. "Not only are we working with energy-efficient LED lighting, the cables are also made to be suitable for possible reuse." 

Furthermore, Suslight offers a five-year warranty on all products and, since this year, old lighting has been taken in and processed by the company. "In this way, you almost imperceptibly participate in recycling something that would otherwise have disappeared into the garbage container," says Suslight.