holiday lighting | Deborah Silver & Co.

Luminous

I have had numerous emails and calls about the holiday and winter lighting available at Detroit Garden Works. To follow is a a quick look at some of the different types of lighting that we have available. We do manufacture light rings from steel, as hoops that can be hung in a window, or a tree. We also manufacture light rings with spiked stands that can be pushed into the ground or a container. We string those hoops with incandescent brown corded mini lights, or LED light strings. Take your pick. We can string light rings to order. For more information on the sizes and prices, check out this page in the Seasonal section of the Detroit Garden Works website. Any other questions, or a request for a shipping quote, email heather@detroitgardenworks.com. Detroit Garden Works light rings

lots of hoopla-love this

A Dutch company designs and manufactures some of the best LED string lighting we have ever worked with. The black cords are flexible, and not visually prominent. The color is as warm as incandescent lighting, and much more reliable and long lived. They are shatterproof, and are reputed to last 50,000 hours or 10 years. They draw very little electricity, so they are very inexpensive to run. They are an investment up front, but the ease of use and longevity helps to make stringing lights for a good number of holiday seasons easy. For more information, see this page on our website: Lumineo LED twinkle light strings

Lumineo also makes a cluster light string, where the lights are much closer together. This lighted curtain has 4 strings of lights. There are those moments when fire power is the primary objective. As far as I am concerned, the more light I can add to my winter, the better. For more information on these cluster lights, click away. Lumineo cluster light strings

This artificial tree from Lumineo features a cord breakthrough-the cords are clear, and are unobtrusive. This tree does not need another thing added to it. A flocked tree from Lumineo

On the opposite end of the spectrum, these light strings feature giant bulbs with multi strand filaments, designed and manufactured from inspiration drawn from vintage lighting Rob calls them Edison lights, named after Thomas Edison, of course. The cord is heavy and thick. The lights draw a lot of electricity, and are expensive to replace.

This is our second year hanging them outdoors in our lindens. They are something else to see. the Edison lights

Detroit Garden Works carries many versions of holiday and winter lighting-I like this. I am a landscape designer, who designs by the sun, or the lack of it. The coming winter season is more dark than light. Gardeners can garden with light this winter season. Just saying.

Battery operated LED lights on silver wire; so beautiful! I am not convinced yet that battery operated lights can be used over time outdoors. No battery likes cold conditions. But I feel sure that the day is coming when battery operated lights will stand up and function perfectly outdoors.

Lumineo star lights

Lumineo star lights-these high powered short garlands are great for a mantle, a coffee table, or a powder room. The light is brilliant, set on a light surface. Set on a dark surface, the light is more subdued. I so appreciate lighting materials that are obliging to a particular situation, and a particular person. The new LED lighting is so person friendly. LED powered star garlands

These LED powered trees are battery operated.

Not a fan of light generated by electricity? I get that. So do our gardening clients. These laser cut steel fire powered luminaria are sold out. There are so many ways to light the winter night, both inside and out. Choose what appeals to you. My winter and holiday container work is in full swing. Thinking through the lighting comes before the selection of materials and construction. You’ll see.

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Posted on: November 17, 2016 17 Comments

Filed Under: Deborah Silver and Co Inc, Winter, Lighting, container planting, Holiday, Detroit Garden Works Tagged With: LED light strings, winter containers, holiday lighting

Flipping The Switch

The beginning of the winter season is marked by the scarcity of daylight. By mid December, it seems like it is dark most of the time. Winter days are likely to be gray days. It is no wonder that outdoor lighting is a hallmark of the holidays. I have always thought that holiday lighting is a form of winter gardening. The lights may outline the roof of a house, or decorate a specimen tree or evergreen, or be draped over the shrubbery. No one but the most ruinously serious of us thinks their holiday lighting will be subject to a taste test. The materials are relatively inexpensive, and people express their dismay with the coming of the dark, and the celebration of the holidays with abandon. I like all of the light at this gloomy time of year.

I will confess that most landscape lighting does not interest me-except during the winter. It is light late in the summer, and equally as light early in the morning. The light from the sky is like no other. But once the skies go dark, in tandem with the landscape going dormant, I am more interested in some night light. Rob’s lit spheres have been a staple at Detroit Garden Works for a number of years. We manufacture raw steel circles that we infill with brown corded lights in 2 styles. We make them so they can be hung from a low branch of a big tree. We also make them with long prongs that can be pushed into the ground in a garden. These light rings are more about winter light, than holiday light. What a relief. It is OK to run those rings all winter long.

Winter containers are the perfect vehicle for some temporary winter lighting. The greens do a great job of obscuring the cords. When the dark comes early, it is a pleasure to enjoy what is in those pots day or night. The advent of warm light LED light strings means that lighting the landscape in the winter is an inexpensive affair. They draw so little power-about 1/10th that of incandescent light strings. The color of that light has improved so much in recent years. When LED string lights first came out, that cold blue light had no grace or charm whatsoever.
Electric light in the winter landscape adds a little sparkle to a gloomy morning and afternoon. Company coming to my house for dinner at 7pm are walking up to the front door in the dark. Landscape path lighting is utilitarian. Lights in the pots dispel the gloom, and say welcome.

My landscape lighting skills are poor to middling. There are lighting designers who do an incredible job of featuring the landscape at night. Should I have a client who is interested in landscape lighting, I refer them. I myself am not interested in lighting design. I am interested in a warm, friendly, and unstudied look.

There are those places and moments when night lighting is theater. That theater is not my forte. I like a blush over the landscape. In the very late afternoon, the light in pots is as soft as it is sparkly. This much light is enough.

Once the skies go dark, those lighted pots glow. This brick wall is bathed in a warm subtle light.

This client has a covered porch, with no ceiling light fixture. One string of our 1000 light LED strings illuminate the perimeter of the ceiling, and each side of the front door. Another 750 count LED light string strewn on the floor of the porch around a grouping of pots makes this porch glow. A winter with a glow in the landscape is a winter that has a landscape that is lively.

My advice this 6th day of January? Stay warm. Plug something in.

Posted on: January 6, 2016 8 Comments

Filed Under: Deborah Silver and Co Inc, Winter, Lighting Tagged With: winter gardening, lighting winter pots, landscape lighting, holiday lighting

Last But Not Least

We did finish the majority of our winter and holiday work 2 days before Christmas. That meant we had a little time to lend a hand to Rob. Like anyone in a holiday design related business, putting together a holiday home comes last. It was looking like he might run out of time. That would not do; he is someone who gives his utmost to gardening people getting ready for the holidays and winter season. My group was happy to take it on. A multi colored light garland he had looped over the door was brought back to the shop to be attached to a grapevine garland. Harvested and rolled grapevine is springy and airy, and holds its shape in the fiercest of winter weather. We added several more all white light garlands, and ran the entire affair up the shag bark hickory in the front yard.

If you think it looks as if we ran it way up this tree, you are right. Above the second story. A huge capacity, state of the art extension ladder and four people made it happen. One climber, 2 people at the base of the ladder, and one runner on the ground walking in circles. The light garland does a good job keeping the house company. There is also something about the sheer effort of it that was cheery and grand. With holiday decor, I care about the effort someone has made as much as the result. I knew Rob would think it looked swell. It is asymmetrical, surprisingly light and airy, and unexpected-all good as far as he is concerned.

All the different colors, shapes, and sizes of bulbs made quite the light statement. The front of the house-glowing.

His light rings are well known to anyone who frequents Detroit Garden Works. We took a 3′ and a 5′ ring, and added a string of multicolored garland lights to the interior steel wall of the hoop. This form may be very very familiar to him, but this treatment is a one of a kind.

What’s to like about them? The lighted sculpture is striking. They are simple to install. Pick a spot, push the prongs into the ground, and plug it in. We have plenty of clients who run them all winter. Why not? This picture was taken at 5:15 in the afternoon-which at this time of year is better described as 5:15 in the evening.

2 pots had the remains of a summer planting in them. That couldn’t stand. Mixed greens and an a bunch of fresh cut poplar branches makes the pots look appropriately dressed for winter.

Another client made a last minute decision to order up a few winter pots. Might he have a little color? A mass of yellow twig dogwood appears all the more substantial by varying the heights of the twigs. The color of the plum eucalyptus is brilliant and saturated against that yellow.

We have had a very fortunate late fall and early winter, as in moderate temperatures, and no snow. Once the snow comes, it is difficult to work outdoors. Even if your effort is late, it will last a winter’s worth.

Posted on: December 30, 2014 8 Comments

Filed Under: Winter, Lighting, container planting, Holiday Tagged With: holiday, light rings, winter, winter pots, holiday lighting

And To All A Good Night

As it was 47 degrees last night, hauling a tripod around to take pictures in the dark was a breeze. No coat, hat or gloves. The time? 7pm. I am happy to have the light.