Spreadlights and path lights
A garden spreadlight is also sometimes called a "path light" by manufacturers or a "mushroom" light by consumers. A lamp under the "hat" or "shade" provides a circle of light around this style of garden light, either directly or by reflection from a white painted underside. The "shade" prevents upward glare. Spike mounting allows for positioning the garden spreadlight in planted areas, gravel etc; surface mounts allow for positioning outdoor spreadlighting on decking, wall tops and paving. They are usually 12 volts as 12v lamps (bulbs) are small enough to hide under the hat in a way which is impractical with traditional 240v bulbs. Megabay's traditional cast aluminium garden spreadlights, available in large (M5715) and small (M5745) sizes, is resistant to children's footballs, as well as an inexpensive choice in black or green.
Spreadlights usually have halogen capsule lamps of around 20 watts and provide a circle of light between 2.5 and 4 metres (8 and 13 feet) in diameter, depending on stem height and design of the shade. In many ways, spreadlighting is a last resort as these garden lights are inevitably a very visible form of outdoor lighting in order to do their job, and this conflicts with our stated objective of a beautifully illuminated garden without seeing the garden lights. However, where ornamental lighting techniques such as moonlighting with tree spotlights cannot be used and where walls or structures to mount recessed or discrete step lights are absent, then garden spreadlights must be used to fulfil essential safety functions in lighting paths and steps, as well as to fill in areas where darkness would otherwise prevail. Some models of spreadlights , such as Megabay's M6410 copper and chrome garden light, can have the stem cut to size on installation so a lower overall height can be achieved to order, but remember that the lower the fitting, the less the coverage. The large shade of the M6410 provides the widest spread of light. Megabay's range includes 4 other copper and chrome path lighting models to choose from - M6405, M6415, M6420, M6425.
Regularity of spacing is not something to be totally ignored, as reasonable uniformity of path lighting helps to ensure the eye is not adapting too frequently to different lighting intensities. While in a formal garden layout we would expect to see geometric garden lighting layouts, in other cases too much regularity in outdoor lighting can destroy the informality of many settings. Provided there is enough garden lighting to enable a person to walk along the path without having to think too consciously about it, then illuminated features along the way can be appreciated. If it's not a formal garden it doesn't matter if the layout is not strictly spaced, but while garden path lights usually look best paired along either side of a straight path, they can run along one side or be staggered on either side around a curving path; this will be a reflection of personal taste. As long as the pools of light from the various garden lights installed meet, or nearly so, then reasonable uniformity will be achieved.
Where the path or drive is a flat walking surface, it may be enough to "waymark" the route with led bollard lights, while fluorescent or halogen bollard lights are a better idea for driveways and patios where a higher level of illumination combined with either low energy lighting or dimmability may be needed.
