Illuminating Discussions

Tree Lighting

Alexandra — Wed, 18 Apr 2012 01:25:57 +0000

Here’s how we do tree lighting. Sometimes you’ll see lighting “professionals” run a naked wire up a tree and splice a fixture on. No way. That’s not how we do it.

We encase the wire in flexible conduit, called “Sealtite,” and bury that 6-8″ below grade. We run that up the tree to a reasonable stopping place, then extend UV resistant low voltage wire out the branch to optimum position. We attach the Sealtite with a bracket and stainless steel screws, leaving some leeway for tree growth and heat expansion.

For this CAST fixture, we are installing a “Synergie” LED lamp made by Ushio.

This fixture is aimed to down light a water feature. If the fixture were aimed through foliage to the turf or walkway areas it would create a beautiful moonlight effect.

Maintenance

Alexandra — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 01:03:26 +0000

Maintenance is really important for your professional lighting system to operate at its optimum capability.

Here’s what I bring with me for the maintenance task.

I take the fixture apart and clean out the inside, replace the lamp, clean the lens, clean the housing. If the fixture needs to be repositioned due to plant growth, I do it. If it needs to be raised on a stem, I do it.

Looks good, huh>

I need a little pity here….

Alexandra — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 00:36:54 +0000

I work too hard. I broke a nail! Waaaaaaa

Elegance Outdoor Lighting Professionals

Alexandra — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 23:40:48 +0000

The professionals at Elegance Outdoor Lighting!

I took this rose from a cutting

Alexandra — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 21:57:31 +0000

This rose was from my grandmother’s house. I took 7 cuttings, and 2 have grown into lovely, healthy plants. Now a nice bloom!

Grandmother's Roses

Garden Party

Alexandra — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 04:24:01 +0000

Today I had a great experience collecting garden specimens with the Grapevine Garden Club.
We located and dug up plants, potted and labeled them for sale at the club’s fundraiser in May.
Now we will “babysit” the growing plants in their pots until sale time.
I came home and potted up a flat of baby Coriopsis to donate.

http://www.grapevinegardenclub.com/

ANTS!!

Alexandra — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 02:44:19 +0000

Ants are my least favorite menace to lighting. This fixture is full of FIRE ANTS and the dirt they mounded into it. BLAH!!

Yes, I got them out of there. Please use Andro Fire Ant killer if you see anything like this.

Carolina Jessamine

Alexandra — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 17:09:38 +0000

Carolina jessamine is a signal in my garden that spring is here. It’s a favorite Texas native vine for gardeners in zone 6 and south, because it puts on a spectacular display of masses of fragrant yellow flowers in the spring, it’s evergreen, and it’s a robust grower with no serious diseases or pests and yet is not hard to control. The small, opposite, ovate leaves are widely spaced on wiry reddish stems that climb by twining. It’s native to open woodlands with sandy moist soils in the east and south part of the state, east to Florida and north to Virginia. Although it adapts well to the heavy clays of the rest of the state, it will need some supplemental water the farther west it is grown from its native habitat. Carolina jessamine flowers most profusely in the full sun, but will also flower in the shade. It will twine on trellises and over supports on fences and walls, and can even be used as a dense groundcover. All parts of the plant are poisonous. Although it is sometimes mistakenly referred to as Carolina “jasmine,” true jasmines belong to the genus Jasminum.

Carolina Jessamine

Can you tell the difference?

Alexandra — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 09:04:07 +0000

Look carefully at the 2 light sources. One is LED, the other is Halogen. Both beautiful!

Can you see the difference?

Our booth at the Great Big Texas Home Show

Beautiful Lighting Fixtures, Beautiful Effects

Alexandra — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 06:00:46 +0000

Marty is an expert at installing lighting. Matter of fact he’s a MASTER. A Master Electrician. He leads all our installation teams, and ensures that the job is done correctly, to NEC code and to AOLP standards. We’re proud of our people. Marty is one of the best in the business and it shows.

Marty talks with potential clients at the Great Big Texas Home Show