As a homeowner, you know that your landscape needs to shine – but not just when the sun is out. One of the biggest considerations that homeowners in the Capital Region have to face is choosing between what type of light will illuminate their landscape when the sun goes down.

In other words, when the sun sets on your property in Saratoga Springs, Albany, or Clifton Park, the right landscape lighting design can truly make all the difference. And that's because a well-lit home exterior isn’t just about safety and visibility – it’s about creating atmosphere, highlighting your home’s architecture, and extending the enjoyment of your outdoor spaces well into the evening.

So when it comes to choosing the right lighting system, many homeowners find themselves weighing two options: solar landscape lights or low-voltage LED landscape lights.

At first glance, many tend to think that solar lighting seems like the easier path. No wires, no worries – just stake the fixtures in the ground and let the sun do the rest. But for homeowners who want lasting beauty, reliable performance, and a true investment in their home, professional LED landscape lighting systems often prove to be the smarter choice.

Ultimately, what you choose is up to what works best for you, your landscape, and your goals – this guide will help you understand the real differences between the two and determine your landscape's perfect lighting fit.

Your Landscape Lighting Systems Matter: Here's Why  

Landscape lighting is one of those details that homeowners sometimes overlook until they see the transformation it can create. It's easy to think about landscape lighting and assume it's just about showing off your yard at night. The right lighting does more than simply illuminate pathways; it adds depth, drama, and refinement to your property, turning a beautiful landscape into one that truly shines after dark.

In a lot of ways, that extra level of visibility is part of the purpose. But at the end of the day (pun very much intended), it's about so much more. For high-end homes in the Capital Region, from the historic neighborhoods of Albany to the tree-lined streets of Saratoga Springs and the expanding estates in Clifton Park, thoughtful lighting design elevates form and function.

A professionally planned landscape lighting system can:

• Enhance safety and security: Strategically placed path lights prevent trips and falls, while well-lit entries and driveways deter unwanted visitors.
• Extend your living space: Outdoor kitchens, patios, and pools become inviting gathering places even after sunset.
• Highlight architecture and landscaping: Uplighting draws attention to mature trees, façade details, or stonework, while subtle washes of light add ambiance to gardens and planting beds.
• Increase property value: Quality lighting is a long-term investment that adds curb appeal and makes a home stand out in the market.

Realistically, landscape lighting is about more than visibility, it’s about creating an atmosphere that reflects your lifestyle, enhances your home’s design, and keeps you and your guests safe in your outdoor space when the sun goes down.

Solar Landscape Lights vs. LED Landscape Lights: What You Need to Know

Curious about which of these types of landscape lights might fit your Capital Region landscape's needs? This comparison of each kind can shed light on everything you need to know.

Solar Landscape Lights: The Basics

Solar landscape lights are a popular choice for homeowners who want a quick and inexpensive way to brighten up their yard without much hassle. Each fixture is powered by a small solar panel that collects sunlight during the day (when the sun is out), stores the energy in a battery, and uses it to power a built-in LED to light your landscape once the sun goes down.

On the surface, it feels like a simple, maintenance-free solution, and in the right setting and for the right reasons, it can be.

The Benefits of Solar Landscape Lights

Just like anything, solar landscape lights have pros and cons. There are some hard-to-ignore benefits to these kinds of lights for your landscape, like:

• Easy, DIY installation: Just stake them in the ground and let the sun do the rest.
• Low upfront cost: Affordable entry point for outdoor lighting.
• Great for small, sunny areas: A quick way to add light to a garden bed, walkway, or accent feature.

The Disadvantages of Solar Landscape Lights

Just as solar landscape lights have pros, they have cons, too. These factors can be considered disadvantages of these kinds of landscape lights:

• Dependent on direct sunlight: Performance drops in wooded lots, cloudy weather, and during long New York winters with lower sun angles.
• Limited brightness, variety, and lifespan: Few style options, inconsistent light output and duration, and fixtures often need replacing.
• Cheaply made: Often made with inexpensive materials that wear down and break easily when exposed to outdoor elements for a length of time..
• Not scalable: Difficult to expand into a cohesive lighting system for larger properties.

When Does Solar Make Sense?

Remember, every kind of light system has pros and cons. Solar landscape lights can be a smart choice for small-scale, budget-friendly applications, like accenting a sunny corner of the yard or adding a touch of light to a pathway.

But for homeowners who want a reliable, design-forward system that elevates their property year-round, solar often falls short. This is especially true in our Capital Region area – the gloomy and dark New York winters can leave our solar lacking the juice it needs to truly shine a light on our landscapes.

LED Landscape Lights: What You Should Know

Low-voltage LED landscape lighting systems are often thought to be the gold standard for homeowners who want reliable, design-forward illumination. These systems are professionally wired and powered by a transformer, ensuring consistent performance across the property. Once installed, they can be controlled in a variety of ways – manually, on timers, or even through smart-home apps for seamless convenience.

The Benefits of LED Landscape Lights

Remember how we mentioned every landscape light system has pros and cons? The same goes for LED landscape lights. Here are a few of the pros we think you should know:

• Quality & Reliability: Bright, consistent light that performs regardless of weather or season and manufactured with durable, long-lasting materials and finishes.
• Energy Efficient: Modern LEDs use only a fraction of the electricity compared to traditional bulbs.
• Variety: Extensive fixture options including path lights, uplighting, downlighting, wall washes, and deck lights.
• Flexibility: Easy to expand or customize as your landscape evolves.
• Professional Design: Enhances architecture, plantings, and outdoor living areas with precision placement.

The Disadvantages of LED Landscape Lights

Of course, LED landscape lights can have disadvantages, too. Here are some typical holdups:

• Higher upfront investment: Quality fixtures and more parts means bigger price tags, costing more than cheaper solar options.
• Not a DIY project: Running wire, mounting and wiring transformers, and configuring systems are best handled by a professional landscape lighting company.
• Planning required: A good system needs thoughtful design to achieve balanced, elegant results.

When Do LED Landscape Lights Make Sense?

In our opinion, LED lighting is the clear choice for large properties, high-end homes, and homeowners who want a system that combines beauty, reliability, and long-term value.

If you’re looking for a custom lighting design that highlights architecture, enhances outdoor living, and performs year-round in the Capital Region’s variable climate, LED is, in our mind, the smarter investment.

Your Side-By-Side Comparison: Solar vs. LED Lights

If you're comparing solar and LED landscape lighting, the differences become clear pretty quickly. Solar lights may be attractive for their simplicity and low cost, but they fall short when it comes to consistency, longevity, and overall impact.

Because they rely on direct sunlight, their brightness, duration, and reliability fluctuate – especially in wooded areas or during long winters (both of which are common in the Capital Region).

Their limited styles and shorter lifespan also make them less suited for homeowners who want a cohesive, long-lasting design.

LED systems, on the flip side, are designed to deliver professional-grade performance. They provide bright, reliable light regardless of weather or season, and the variety of available fixtures – from path lights to uplighting, downlighting, and wall washes – offers endless design possibilities.

LED systems do require a higher upfront investment and professional installation, but they quickly prove their value and ROI through durability, energy efficiency, and the ability to expand as your property and lifestyle evolve.

For homeowners in Saratoga Springs, Albany, and Clifton Park who want lighting that elevates their landscape design or pool, ensures year-round reliability, and adds long-term value to their property, LED landscape lighting is the clear winner.

LED is the Better Long-Term Landscape Investment – Here's Why

For homeowners who see their outdoor spaces as an extension of their home, LED landscape lighting is more than just an upgrade; it’s an investment in beauty, safety, and value.

Unlike solar fixtures – which often need replacing after a season or two – LED systems are built to last. Their durability means fewer replacements, less maintenance, and peace of mind knowing your property will always be well-lit, regardless of the Capital Region’s unpredictable weather.

LED lighting also enhances a home’s long-term value. A professionally designed system can add curb appeal and create a sense of sophistication that sets high-end properties apart. From accentuating architectural features to illuminating gardens, patios, and pools, LEDs give you the flexibility to highlight what makes your home unique.

And if we're going beyond aesthetics (which you always should when considering the function and durability of your landscape), LED lighting delivers practical advantages, like:

• Safer walkways
• Better visibility
• A more secure property

All those factors combined with their energy efficiency (using only a fraction of the power of traditional bulbs), LED systems tend to pay dividends for years (and years) to come.

When viewed through the lens of reliability, design flexibility, and return on investment, LED landscape lighting isn’t just the better option – it’s the smarter choice for homeowners.

Hiring an LED Lighting Pro in the Capital Region: We're Here For You

Though solar lighting does have its place for quick, budget-friendly accents, the truth of the matter is that LED systems deliver beauty, reliability, and long-term value for Capital Region homeowners.

When it comes to proper design, placement, and installation for your LED landscape lighting, we urge you to work with a professional landscape lighting company. Why? An experienced company ensures correct placement, wiring, and design balance — especially for high-end homes in Saratoga Springs, Albany, and Clifton Park. Plus, they can provide you with warranties if there are any issues with the lighting system after install.

If you're looking to add custom LED lighting design to your Capital Region home, we're here to help. As experts in landscape design and lighting systems, Gallivan helps homeowners achieve timeless, elegant outdoor spaces.

At Gallivan, we put our clients first. With a dedicated team of in-house designers and decades of experience creating stunning Capital Region properties, it's our mission to illuminate your landscape in its best light. Reach out to our team for a landscape light system consultation.

Image Sources: solar lights in a row, solar light closeup