Landscape Lighting Design · New Orleans

Yes — this is one of the more common challenges we work around in New Orleans, where live oaks and other mature trees have extensive surface and shallow root systems. We use hand-trenching and directional boring techniques where needed, and we plan cable routes that avoid known root zones. Protecting the tree is part of the design conversation from the start.

Some areas — particularly in the French Quarter and Marigny — have guidelines about visible exterior modifications, which can include prominent fixture mounting. We're familiar with these considerations and design accordingly, choosing low-profile fixtures and placement that achieves the lighting effect without creating a compliance issue. We recommend confirming specific requirements with the HDLC if your property falls under their jurisdiction.

Off-the-shelf kits place generic fixtures at generic intervals — they don't account for your specific trees, architecture, or the way light actually behaves in your yard. A designed system considers beam angles, color temperature, fixture height, and zoning so the result looks intentional rather than improvised. The difference is visible the first night the system is on.

We specify fixtures rated for the heat, humidity, and wet conditions that are the baseline reality in Southeast Louisiana — not fixtures that happen to be weather-resistant in a milder climate. Cable and connections are buried and sealed appropriately, and we discuss storm-season considerations during the design phase for properties in flood-prone areas. The goal is a system that requires minimal intervention after a weather event.

Courtyard and backyard lighting is a significant part of what we do for New Orleans properties — many homeowners here have outdoor entertaining spaces that are more private and more used than the front yard. We approach courtyard lighting with a different hand than street-facing work: it's about creating the right atmosphere for the space, not maximizing visibility from the street. We treat each zone of your property as its own design challenge.