AuralFeast wrote:
I'm thinking of adding a few lights to my backyard garden - the little
ones
that stick into the soil and stand a foot or so above the ground. I'm
interested in the solar powered version (laziness factor) - are any of
these
lights any good? Are they dependable? How much light do they throw
in
comparison to their hard-wired bretheren? Any brands better than
others?

It partly depends upon how much sunlight they'll get each day.

I'm near Portland, OR. In the summer, the solar lights I have in full
sun for most of the day will glow past midnight. Those in partial sun
don't make it too far past sundown. I did have one in mostly shade,
thinking that the ambient light would charge it, but it wouldn't stay on
more than 10 or 15 minutes. In the fall, winter and spring, they're all
next to worthless. None of these lights give off enough light to be
useful for anything other than decoration. I will never waste my money
on solar lights again.

On the other hand, I also have some inexpensive hardwired low-voltage
lights. I believe they're just 4 watt bulbs, but they put out enough
light to outline pathways. The higher wattage lights can actually be
used for highlighting things.

They're really not that hard to put in. Nearly all of my wiring is
laying above ground, somewhat covered by the mulch. (I just need to be
careful if I rake in these areas.) I have two circuits. One runs through
the beds next to the house, and pass under some deck steps so not to
trip people. The other runs along the outside of the property, and is
powered by the existing outlet for the water feature pump, and crosses
no paths.

I found that the most work involved assembling the fixtures, not
installing them.

--
Warren H.

==========
Disclaimer: My views reflect those of myself, and not my
employer, my friends, nor (as she often tells me) my wife.
Any resemblance to the views of anybody living or dead is
coincidental. No animals were hurt in the writing of this
response -- unless you count my dog who desperately wants
to go outside now.