On my long drive to visit my brother, I always know when I hit the southern states when I see the tall palm trees. The tall skinny tree is a staple of states like Florida, Georgia and South Carolina. Many of our Outdoor Lighting Perspectives locations in the southern states are asked to highlight their clients’ palm trees.
Recently, John Gillespie and Kurt Shearer, who provide architectural, landscape and outdoor lighting in Naples and the surrounding areas, finished a project for clients that wanted some of their palm trees lit up.
As John told me, “the clients wanted to be taken into another world in their own backyard. They had a few existing path lights on their pool deck, but beyond that there was darkness. When we visited the property, we noticed the tall Royal Palms they had surrounding their pool deck. When palm tree lighting is done correctly, the difference can be dramatic and stunning. We knew the finished product would give them that escape they were looking for.”
John and his Outdoor Lighting Perspectives of Naples Team installed over 20 up lights in varying wattage and beam spread. “Those little variances are what create the drama,” explains Gillespie. “If every palm was lit in the exact same way, it would be monotonous. When you have little changes on different trees, the effect is breathtaking” On certain trees, the team focused on the fronds, or palm tree branches, while illuminating the trunk of others.
In many cases, less is more and in this case not every palm needed to be lite to create the desired effect. The clients were thrilled to see their dark background transformed into a tropical paradise. Take a look at these photos to see for yourself.
