Simple string lights bring your yard's bushes to life at night. Bushes adorned with Christmas lights illuminate the yard and give your home an overall festive look, whether you use them as season decor or a landscaping feature. Before you get started, always check your lights first by plugging them in, because one malfunctioning light can dim the rest of the string. Don’t install more than 1,400 watts on a circuit and use green extension cords and power stakes to reduce clutter. Start With a Plan Haphazard, messy Christmas light displays are the direct result of opening a box of lights and tossing them up without thought. Take several photos of your yard and use them to create a plan regarding which bushes to decorate and which to leave empty. For example, if you have several bushes along your driveway, in front of your home and in the center of your yard, covering everything may be overwhelming, yet lighting the perimeter bushes and one larger shrub in the center is often just enough.

Before you purchase lights, measure the bushes, both the height and the widest point, to determine how many light strings you'll need to complete your design. The Best Lights for Bushes Christmas lights come in all shapes and sizes, but not all of them work for bushes. Net lights and mini-light strings provide overall illumination, making them ideal for most bushes. Avoid large globe and bulb lights unless you’re decorating a very large bush. Even then, opt for strings of lights where the globe or bubble is spaced farther apart on the wire. This creates a better balance of size and makes it less likely that you’ll overwhelm the bush. Icicle lights tend to get lost in bushes and work best as an option for the eaves of your home. Laying the Lights When working with string lights, lay them in an “S” or zigzag motion, working from the top down, for a full, nonlinear look. Nestle the lights far enough into the bush so that they rest comfortably on the branches, yet not so far back that they get lost beneath the foliage.

For thicker bushes, start with one set of lights further back and another in front of the first set for complete illumination. Bathroom Mirrors With Lights Battery PoweredWhen installing a net light, take the time to pull branches and leaves through the holes in the net to set the lights a bit further back into the bush. Cats For Sale Rome NyThis creates a more natural effect. Air Handling Unit Bag FiltersFraming the Bushes Arrange lights or decorations around the bushes so that they’re still festive during the day, and to create a ground-effect when lit up at night. When you just light the bushes, they can appear to be floating in the yard, which isn’t always the desired effect. For basic landscaping year-round, install ground lights along the perimeter of the bushes or along the outside of the garden bed.

Seasonal decor choices such as lit candy canes, mini reindeer or LED outdoor candles can balance the lights on the bushes as well as tie into your overall Christmas yard theme. Outdoor Lighting Ideas for Added Sparkle There’s something magical about sitting on your patio at night, but whether you’re having a wild salsa party or a quiet conversation, you’re going to need some light! Here are some fun outdoor lighting ideas that are easy to incorporate into your outdoor décor. You can buy outdoor string lights in various designs in many places, from big box to specialty stores. I like them because they remind me of stars — day or night. You’ll need to do a little work, like attaching wooden or metal posts, but it’s definitely a good DIY project. When you’re finished, you can have a “fairy garden,” like the picture above, or the French Courtyard style patio below. Or, if you prefer, you can do something like this modern approach that mirrors the lines on the house.

Of course, you don’t have to put in metal or wooden posts. These hang like Christmas lights. Another great way to illuminate an outdoor space is by using candles and lanterns. Plus, during the day the candles can still be part of your outdoor décor, like the ones below. The Houston patio below uses an eclectic mix of lantern styles. Another option is to find larger lanterns and candle pillars. Last but certainly not least, we have chandeliers, which come in countless sizes and styles. The one below, for example, could be considered a grouping of “string lights. The lights nestle within the orb of this one. Finally, we come to my favorite, designed by Jary Ralston, a visual manager at Macy’s. “For this set up my columns were poorly anchored into 2×2’s in the ground holding the pavers in and 2×2’s running from each column on the top.  I ran heavy wire from each column creating an X. Then I hung the light weight lanterns from that.”

“Since that party a wind storm blew it over and I had a much stronger metal one duplicate this same look, and was able to rework the same vines onto it.” Do you have a picture or outdoor lighting ideas to share? Post them on our Facebook page so we can see it! toll free: (866) 663-3420 Check out some of the press coverage, interviews, and awards we have received here. An Omaha residential project installed by McKay Landscape Lighting was featured on the cover as well as the article on page 34 in the April Issue of Landscape Contractors. The article gives tips for creating an ambience and setting the mood with lighting for any room and outdoor space. Thank you Omaha and to everyone that voted for us! We greatly appreciate receiving the 2016 First Place title for Landscape Lighting again this year – four years in a row! We are thrilled to receive Best of houzz 2016 Design again this year! Make sure you check out our houzz page» In the Landscape Life blog post Andrew Coleman, outdoor lighting designer, shares how one client added outdoor lighting to get more use out of their outdoor living space at night. 

McKay Landscape Lighting worked with Hoodscapes on a project in South Dakota. The project was featured in Landscape Contractors April Issue. A case study on a topic featured at The Lighting Summit on McKay’s marketing efforts and how we focus on three key areas. One of McKay’s holiday lighting projects was featured in article, Seasonal Splash. Andrew Coleman discusses working with a client on developing a holiday display that is unique and presented well in the neighborhood, but not over the top. We are thrilled to receive Best of houzz 2015 Design again this year! Doug Smith, executive chairman of Ervin & Smith, a digital marketing agency that specializes in optimized brand marketing, was a featured speaker at The Lighting Summit. Attendee, Marisa Palmieri, shares her take aways from his topic. Thank you Omaha and to everyone that voted for us! We greatly appreciate receiving the 2015 First Place title for Landscape Lighting again this year – three years in a row!

McKay Landscape Lighting received a few mentions in from Creighton University for our work on the Jesuit Gardens, one of the most popular spots on campus for students and faculty. “In the Garden,” article featured in the Creighton University Magazine. Read the full issue» “New lights brighten Jesuit Gardens,” article in The Creightonian newsletter.  Andrew Coleman an outdoor lighting designer shares trends, tips and new options for improving Christmas lighting services. Andrew Coleman, outdoor lighting designer with Mckay Lighting discusses lighting tips to create an enjoyable area even after the sun goes down. Jerry McKay, owner of McKay Lighting, shares some tips to nightscape and amp up a home’s curb appeal after hours. McKay Landscape Lighting had two projects featured that demonstrate our ability to tackle a variety of endeavors featured in their annual lighting issue.  Find Beaver Lake Shine on page 22 and Omaha Glow on page 26. View the online issue»

McKay Landscape Lighting was featured for our work on a redesign of an Omaha home that required an overhaul the landscape lighting. During The Lighting Summit, Jerry McKay sheds light on how hiring a lighting service tech freed his team from the burden of service calls. McKay Landscape Lighting, Owner & Lighting Designer, Jerry McKay, was featured in an article for Lawn & Landscape’s February issue. Landscape contractors should be serious about lighting if they are adding it as a service. We are thrilled to receive Best of houzz two years in a row! A big THANKS to our clients for voting McKay Landscape Lighting as the #1 Landscape Lighting contractor in Omaha Magazine’s Best of Omaha 2014 contest! We won First Place again – two years running! McKay lighting designer, Andrew Coleman, discusses some of the techniques and challenges faced when illuminating a water feature.   McKay Landscape Lighting’s founder, Jerry McKay, was featured on the cover of Landscape Management.

In the interview he shares the story behind starting McKay Lighting and how his business has been successful by sticking to a “niche.” as the spotlight story for July. We shared a story of a particular job we installed this year and discussed how we improved the client’s sense of security and safety while outdoors at night. Be sure to read the spotlight story here and take a look at the photos as well! Andrew Coleman, outdoor lighting designer, gives his advice on using low-voltage lighting for your water feature projects. McKay recently installed lighting for Mutual of Omaha’s statue of US Senior Open golfer, Fred Funk. If you are down by Midtown Crossing, be sure to check out Fred Funk at night just outside of Mutual of Omaha. We recorded the installation and lighting design that went into lighting up Fred Funk.  Be sure to pick up a copy of June’s Issue of This Old House. Lighting designer, Andrew Coleman, was quoted in the spread discussing maintaining your lighting system and adding path lighting to your “late-night dreamscape.”

A McKay picture was featured in the article as well. Jerry McKay joins Jody Shilan on FD2B “Talk” Radio show to discuss the evolution of landscape lighting over the years including the various lighting uses, styles and applications.   We were asked to showcase one of our latest projects in the February 2013 issue of Total Landscape Care called “Night Light“.  An informative article about various types of outdoor lighting and photos from a number of other prominent outdoor lighting companies from across the country.  A huge thank you to Houzz for featuring McKay in their article!  Pathway lighting can mean the difference between a path that is fully functional and safe to walk at night, to one that cannot be used at all. McKay contributes sound advice to this article featuring expert tips on walkway lighting Read more» This fall we finished the second phase of our outdoor lighting design at The Players Club at Deer Creek. The lighting design features downlighting on the putting green and uplighting on south trees by clubhouse.

The next time you finish your round of golf at dusk you will be able to see a little better on your way back to the car.  An article showcasing a broad range of lighting options now available, the sky’s the limit when it comes to landscape lighting. An article on the different ways to use outdoor lighting as she mentions her three S’s: Safety, Security and Sexy to landscape lighting.   McKay’s lighting designs were featured in two different articles, “The Backyard Oasis” on page 30 and “Paradise at Home” on page 58. Two great projects we were proud to be a part.  View the digital issue» Seven tips on how to increase your home’s security & get more enjoyment out of your property by using outdoor lighting. Thanks for to the team at  for asking us our professional advice on this article.   This summer we were asked to illuminate a special project for the Mutual of Omaha to promote the 2012 USA Olympic Swim Trails in Omaha. The Mutual of Omaha is a sponsor of the USA Olympic Swim Team.