The BIG MISTAKE Most Landscapers Make in Garden Design

When it comes to garden lighting, it’s easy to make mistakes that can detract from your outdoor space. At Green Hawk Construction, we’ve seen it all – from harsh glare to inadequate illumination. In this video, we’re sharing the top mistakes to avoid when it comes to garden lighting, so you can create a beautiful and functional outdoor area that shines. From choosing the right type of lights, such as LED or solar garden lights, to considering the overall garden design and layout, we’ll cover it all. Whether you’re looking to create a warm and inviting patio ambiance or simply want to highlight your favorite landscape features, this video is for you. By avoiding these common mistakes, you’ll be able to create a stunning outdoor space that you’ll love spending time in. So, let’s get started and shine a light on the do’s and don’ts of garden lighting!

So, that has changed location now, which is actually not a problem at all because a lot to do. And uh we are getting there, though. Let’s get that in those whisker boxes. [Music] Morning. How’s everyone doing? So, I am back at this job um which is a massive landscaping job. Last time I was here, it was just a huge pile of dirt. That’s all it was. So, I’m back today to try and get on with some lighting design. Um, trying to do some second fix with all that. And I haven’t been here up until there. So, the cables have been put down for me. And, uh, yeah, I’m intrigued to see what it’s like. So, I haven’t seen any of this, so I haven’t got a clue what it’s like. So, we’re going to find out together. Whoa. Now, this is a bit different from last time, Shauny. Oh my god. So, last time I was here, there was just a massive mound of soil, bit of hardcore, and that’s it. So, there is a hell of a lot that has changed. So, today I’m getting on with some second fix electrics. So, there is a lighting design going in. So, I’ve got three days here to try and get all this sorted. There is some plans that have changed, Sean has told me. Um, so hopefully we can get as much done as we can today. Um, so we’ve got some spike lights that are going in. So dotted around both sides. We got one that’s highlighting here. And then we’ve got some down the bottom. We’re going to put all the controls down there at the nice seating area. Okay. So we’ve got the plan. Um, so which is great in fairness, although the plan has changed since the last time I was here. Uh need to get a load of stuff out the van now. Um so plan is semi changanged as such. Um so barbecue location because they’ve got a barbecue that has got a rotisserie on it. Um so that has changed location now which is actually not a problem at all because we can just move the power down which I will show you in a second. Sean’s very noisy noisy noisy buckets these are. Uh so originally I’m just going to start getting some of this down here. So, originally the barbecue area was going to be sort of here and then it’s now going to be moved up to this location, which isn’t a problem because the actual board is all going to go here with all the controls and all the rest of it. We’ll go through that in a little bit. So, it’s not not an issue cuz we can run the cable back down here because it’s obviously it’s not not finished yet by any means. So, we can sort that out. But lighting um is actually really really cool. So the kit is out now. I’ve just got what I need to It is supposed to be 30° today. Um but we keep having little moments of uh showers which I’m all right with that. I’ll take that in fairness. So the plan is to try and get as much done for second fix as actually possible. So try and get all the spike lights in. They don’t have to be fixed completely in location because we’ve still got room to maneuver. Um, so we’ve got how it’s working. So it’s all going to be wirelessly controlled and we’re going to do it from so we’ve got one here. So in this like planter area, so one spot like there’s trees and all sorts going in trees all the way down there, trees down this way. And we want to put some subtle lighting in that they can control in different stages um to get just a bit of a mood lighting to make it all nice and cozy and and uh you know set the scene, should we say. So, what we’re going to be doing, and we’re going to get on with fitting some spike lights, which are these. Um, these are the GU10 version spike lights. And we’re going to go for warm white. Um, I find warm white is actually better um for setting the mood cuz obviously cool white is a little bit too stark. We’ll leave a bit of the flex on um because then as the seasons change, they can move them around where they want. And then we’re going to be using the storm glands. So, storm glands are awesome. a little bit deer uh but they’re a lot nicer product to fit. And then we’re going to pair them up uh with some Whisker 308 boxes. So, they will be in to where I’m going to do all the connections. All the earth continuity bars that going to be going in and then a cheeky little stuffing gland to go through with the flex on there. Um, also we’re going to be jelling all these as well because we don’t want any issues moving down the line cuz as you can probably tell this is a very very expensive garden uh makeover. So we’re going to be jelling all the whisker boxes as well and making sure that it’s completely IP rated. We don’t have to worry about it um ever again. So let’s get on with the job. So as with anything plans always change. Um so customer has just asked me whether I can put in some additional sockets. So, he now wants one down here. So, there’s one there, and there’s also one at the top end of the house he wants. Um, so yeah, it’s a little bit uh of a slight issue because obviously I’ve got to try and now figure out a way of getting that round there. So, all the joys [Music] [Music] So, thought I’d bring you a little bit closer now. So, essentially this is what it is. So, we’ve got the storm glands coming in. We got our earth bar. We got a flying lead that keeps that obviously all connected into here. We’re using the WGO 221s to go in. We’ve used a bit of heat shrink for the cables to identify what does what. Um, which starts out like like that. Um, and then we use a heat gun just to shrink all that down. the stuffing gland that then that leads out to the light which is here and then that can be angled whichever direction it wants to go and then all of this will then get sort of buried and then we’ll gel all these but we won’t do that until the very very end cuz we need to make sure we do all our testing, all our death test, make sure everything’s all good and then we can gel it all and lose it and almost like gel and forget. Um, that’s basically the gist of it on here. And then the lid will go back on, sealed away, and uh, jobs are good. And so, one down, about 3 million to go. So, one of the things that we’re sorting out now is is getting all this sleeve, um, the heat shrink on. So, it’s always easier to do this when you’ve not got it’s not actually inside the enclosure. Um, so it is a lot easier. You don’t need to use masses on here. um just enough to indicate it because obviously if you’re going to use the whole lot, it’s just a bit of a waste uh in fairness. So, you just need to have enough on there to indicate that you know what cord is cuz obviously black uh is old is it old uh colors as such. So, we’ll use that is going to be for my CPC or earthing whichever one you want to depends how technical you want to be on there or boring whichever one you look at. And then the gray is actually going to be my neutral conductor. [Music] So you can use sleeve in if you wanted to, but I well I haven’t got the sleeve in on me right now and I’ve got some heat shrink. So we’ll do that. And then another little tip for you is when you’re using these earth bars. Okay, so they are are those when you’re using those, get your flying lead made up before because once you’ve got all your cables into your enclosure on there, it’s always really fiddly, I find. So what I prefer to do it is is get that on the flying lead on first and then you’re you’re all sorted. So part numbers, if you want to know what they are. So this is the whisker one which is the EC 308. Okay. So obviously I cut right through there and you get two in a pack and they are pricey. Um but they do the job wonderful. So they’re designed specifically for the Whisker 308. Um, so if you use an empty enclosure, you can use the traditional banjo and nut, which would be like like so. So like that. And then the nut. And then you’ll have to put your like 10 mil uh nut and bolt with a flying lead onto that. But obviously it all just takes time. So time is money and all that lot. Um, so do as much prep as you can do before. So we’ve always prepped our lights. So the lights are all in, ready to go. lamps in. All good. Now, I know some of you fussy people um will go it’s cuz quite often you’ll hear me call it a bulb and that’s because a lot of obviously DIYers, homeowners will know that as a bulb and us sparkies in the trade will know it as a lamp. So, if you want to be that finickity, uh then fill your boots. Um but yeah, so a lot of prep, get it all sorted. So, at the minute, we’ve got that one there that’s sticking out. There’s one where Steve’s digging at the minute. There’s that one that’s done which is going to be another tree in that area there. One further over which we saw at the very start. Then I’ve got one which is just to the right of the mixer. Another one there. And then that tree just just one in there. And then that’s the light bits sorted. Um temperature wise it is getting fairly warm now. It is going to be 30 mid30s they reckon today which is so you’ll probably see me sweltering that’s why I’m in the shade right now. Um but yeah so it’s it’s a lot a lot to do a lot to do and uh we are getting there though. So that is how all the whisker box is all prepped ready to go. So we got our earth bar here ready for the storm gland that’s going on and then the whisker to go out to the light. And then the reason why behind these earth bars is really to pick up for continuity for the steel wire armored on that bit there. Um but a really neat solution and then once I’ve got all these bits sorted all the way around like the rest of the garden. It’ll mean then that I can then get the gel on and I’ll show you how to do all the geling and the geling then um and get all that sorted and then they can be laid to rest and we don’t have to worry about them ever again. Uh they are all sorted. So, as usual, there is a few more extras uh that is going on here. So, there’s socket down there, socket down there. Um, but I need to come up with a bit of a plan on how to get to that area. And then just where Clay is walking down the far end, just to the right of him, um, I’ve got the mains board that we need to go through and mount up in between those posts, but it’s like there’s like a bit of a hidden bit behind there. So, yeah, there’s there’s loads to do and I’m running out of parts. [Music] [Music] Okay. So, I’ve now got all of the spike lights all wired up, ready to go. So, they’re all just sort of lying in place at the minute. Um, so like this one here. A few, darling. Um, like this one here, um, is all just up. So, what I’m going to do is get lie them all flat cuz it’s time. It’s time to get on with all the jelling. Um, so this is a two-part gel. It comes in a kit and it’s absolutely roasting at the minute. And they’ve changed all this slightly to make it a little bit less packaging and all the rest of it. Why is that bonded itself to the bottom? [Music] Come on. Finally. So, it comes with your jug and your resin and hardener. So, what essentially, long story short, whatever you put in of one, you need to match up with the other. So, there’s nothing different in it. Just make sure you match them up. Also comes with the old stirer. Um, and obviously just give it a good mix around and then we’ll get it poured in and we could probably so we can film this together the whole lot. But I’m going to go and take the lids off, fold these boxes, try and keep them all clean and then we can fill them all up. Right. So, we’re going to get this all gelled. They’re all prepped, ready to go. So, a little bit of bit of size. I think this is going to nail all of this, I reckon. So, I’m going to go up to 0.25 on here. So, I got a feeling this is going to need another one of these to do all this. But, and give that a really good mix round. And then that will activate the whole lot [Music] like so. And let’s get that in those whisker boxes. We’ve got these all flat. So the whiskers uh the way sorry are all flat. So we’re going to pour that in and cover everything. So, like I say, the the idea is to get this completely covered, all those connections covered, and it keeps the IP rating really high on there. So, I’m going to stick that on the soil. Okay, so that’s one down, nine more to go. So, we’ll see. That’s took basically about half of that for that one. So, I am definitely going to need some more. Right. Didn’t get far enough. Um, so we did four and a half, we’re going to say. Um, and by the time I got to the top one where Clay is right now, um, it was practically going off cuz it’s 33° I think as it is right now. Never mind. I’ve got some more at, uh, at home. So, I will get that tomorrow. But hopefully you’ve enjoyed this video and if you haven’t yet subscribed, make sure you do. Link is in the corner. Turn notifications on. And we shall see you back here tomorrow when I get on with the rest of the jelling jelling up there and sort out some of the sockets and stuff that need to go around here and then potentially look at getting the board mounted. So, on that note, right, see you later. [Music] Hey, [Music] hey, hey.