I've got a decent outdoor Christmas light display I do each year on my house and yard, but my large (and continually growing) live oak tree in the front yard is creating a huge space of darkness over it's canopy and irritating me. Been trying to brainstorm ideas of how to use this space in regards to adding lights, but can't think of anything that wouldn't involve needing a 30 ft "A-frame" ladder and a crazy amount of difficulty. Been thinking of numerous spotlights pointing up into the tree with colored bulbs, but doubting if that will work on a tree this size. Picture of last year for reference and one in the daytime today to better show size of tree. I've seen homes lazily string tons of lights around the canopy but it always looks sloppily done and usually it's on trees smaller than this one.

Any ideas, besides chopping the whole tree down lol? I'm going to try and trim some of the canopy here in a few weeks so it hides less of the house, but it probably won't be drastic.

Could try having colored uplights to illuminate it red, green, gold, etc.

Can you get an angle to project laser lights at it? Perhaps the kind available at lowes or order something stronger

I'm not sure. I've thought of both laser lights and colored spotlights on the ground pointing up in and around the canopy. Problem is I just don't know if it'll work or be noticeable enough and I hate spending a bunch of money with being unsure.

Not sure I have big enough space in my small yard to get enough projection on to the leaves of the tree from the front. Guessing the angle would require the lights to be placed a good distance away from the tree.

Hang lights on branches like so.

Badass display OP

FDXAg said:

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I'm not sure. I've thought of both laser lights and colored spotlights on the ground pointing up in and around the canopy. Problem is I just don't know if it'll work or be noticeable enough and I hate spending a bunch of money with being unsure.

Not sure I have big enough space in my small yard to get enough projection on to the leaves of the tree from the front. Guessing the angle would require the lights to be placed a good distance away from the tree.

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Depending on the light and/or the amount of leaves/limbs then yes it will be noticeable.

https://www.kichler.com/tips-guides/landscape-lighting-guide/tree-lighting/

The above is decent info.

Get this:
https://www.amazon.com/Dyno-Seasonal-Solutions-Professional-Hanging/dp/B00CP85OHO/
Do this:

Great link on the lighting tips thanks! Ordered a couple large LED remote controlled floodlights that change colors off Amazon. Will test them out this week and see if it lights up enough of the tree. If not, looks like I'll be buying an extension pole and a crud ton of string lights and attempt to mimic the look of the tree above.

You have to make sure your flood lights are strong enough. In the below pictures the first had like 5w led floods(don't remember the exact rating). The second I replaced those with 18w (120w equiv). A strong enough light will light a lot of tree.

Brad06ag said:

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You have to make sure your flood lights are strong enough. In the below pictures the first had like 5w led floods(don't remember the exact rating). The second I replaced those with 18w (120w equiv). A strong enough light will light a lot of tree.

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Baller

Okay that's pretty much the look I was hoping for, although my trees have a lower and more dense canopy. Do you have a link to the floodlights you bought? Or where you got them??

FDXAg said:

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Okay that's pretty much the look I was hoping for, although my trees have a lower and more dense canopy. Do you have a link to the floodlights you bought? Or where you got them??

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I got these.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZQNT9M3/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_AD8HFRG46SWDQZJ0G9ZP?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

They sit in par-38 flood light bases like these

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07L4YQJ2V/ref=cm_sw_r_apan_glt_fabc_7TT7EEK56607QF5CEN8S?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Thanks! I'll try them out

agnerd said:

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Get this:
https://www.amazon.com/Dyno-Seasonal-Solutions-Professional-Hanging/dp/B00CP85OHO/
Do this:

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Don't buy that. Go to the paint section in Home Depot and pick up a Mr. Long Arm paint arm and a cheap roller...then follow these steps. Half the cost and much more rebust.

Norchester?

Sea Speed said:

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Norchester?

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No, Spring Shadows.

Our subdivision for years had a lights contest, winner got a Readfield smoked turkey

Some found success in bow/arrow shooting strings of lights over canopies like yours - from all directions, worked well. Since impossible to take down, use the tiny LEDS, controller within reach to turn OFF or change display features ... some are solar if out of tree shading area.

Many decorators "in the day" indeed used strong up color floods to impress many a drive-by.

Thanks for help all. I'm pretty pleased with the spotlights into the trees. I'll tinker with them more next year as far as placement because it's a pretty dense canopy, but I'm happy with the overall effect. Figured I'd show the final result of this year's display....

Where do you have the tree light at? Almost looks like you're trying to light it from the inside or is it just straight up?

Might consider moving it out front of the tree instead of uplighting since you have the trunk wrapped. Picture might be deceptive, but it looks like bring it out to the edge of the yard by the side walk would get you there...

I had a spare red light this year, so I added a canopy light to a larger crepe mrytle (still not as big as that oak and different shape) and it didn't have to be very far away at all to get a good up light, flood lights spread pretty well.

They are inside the tree right above where the trunk is and the lower branches are. I tried underneath the tree directly but didn't seem to be able to shine up into the canopy enough sense it's so dense so low. I really need to get the tree trimmed and that'll help.

Or I might just buy 2 more for and put them at ground level out as far as I can get from tree like you said as well. I tried that with the 2 originally and it didn't light it up enough on it's own, but maybe that combo with the ones currently in the tree will get everything lit up enough. Yours looks great!

I got the floodlights linked in this thread and put them in our oaks yesterday. Love the look. Thanks for the suggestions!

Ok, I guess I should have bought your exact flood light bulbs you recommended earlier. I went ahead and bought them and 2 more stake holders and put them out on the edges of the yard tonight. With the 4 total lights, THIS was the effect I was hoping for. These lights are much brighter than the ones that I first purchased. Thanks for your help!

NOW my Christmas light display is complete....

FDXAg said:

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Ok, I guess I should have bought your exact flood light bulbs you recommended earlier. I went ahead and bought them and 2 more stake holders and put them out on the edges of the yard tonight. With the 4 total lights, THIS was the effect I was hoping for. These lights are much brighter than the ones that I first purchased. Thanks for your help!

NOW my Christmas light display is complete....

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I probably should have mentioned that those exact ones were the result of some research, a bit of trial and error and then a recommendation for those in particular...

But yeah, that really helps complete things!