The pleasure of a beautifully landscaped garden can't be overstated. Extending the relaxation and enjoyment into the night, though, requires the installation of landscape lighting. In the not so distant past, this was both a labor intensive and prohibitively expensive objective. Fortunately for those of us who don't have Kennedy or Rockefeller in our names, low-cost, easy-to-install landscape lighting kits have come to the rescue. But before you begin shopping for them online, take the time to know what their limitations are. After all, there's no such thing as a free lunch and you're sure to be disappointed if you don't educate yourself first.

Low cost landscape lighting kits such as those manufactured by companies like Malibu Lighting are, in principle, a great idea. Their plastic construction offers several advantages over designer, metal counterparts. But along with those advantages come a few disadvantages you may not be aware of, and that's what could lead to a big letdown. We'll go over the good, the bad and the ugly but, as you read this article, I ask you one favor; don't make up your mind until you've reached the end.

The ugly is pretty straightforward. Plastic landscape lighting kits are relatively uninspired in their design compared to the myriad options available with metal lights. Now I don't mean to say they're truly ugly, just that mass production with an eye on keeping prices low means you aren't going to get much in the way of variety, particularly if you consider the alternatives available with much more expensive metal lights.

The cheaper models will be made of plastic and, though not entirely devoid of design, will have a bit of a dime-a-dozen look to them. If you buy a set, they'll all look alike excepting a set which includes both tier lights (for path and border lighting) and spotlights. The thing to remember here is that if you're looking at kits, you're looking to save money. Beauty and unique design are two of the sacrifices you'll have to accept in that pursuit.

As for the "bad" element, there really is only one you need be aware of and that's brightness (or, more accurately, the lack thereof). The culprit here is the very material these lights are made of. Plastic, as you may have noticed, melts at much lower temperatures than metal. That lower melting point limits the wattage of bulbs that can be used in plastic landscape lighting kits. Higher wattage equates to greater heat. If you aspire to a brightly illuminated garden and want to paint sculpture with light then you'll most likely have to shell out the extra coin for metal lights.

Now that we have the negatives out of the way, let's go over what's good about inexpensive plastic landscape lighting kits and that means discussing cost. I've already mentioned they are cheap, but what does that really mean? Well, going back to Malibu as an example, you can get a 20 piece plastic kit from Malibu containing 16 path lights and 4 spot lights, a power pack and all the cable you'll need for about $60 USD. Compare that with a metal kit by the same company containing only 6 lights for around $120 USD and you see what I mean when I say inexpensive.

What may not be so obvious in terms of savings is what you'll save should one of your lights be damaged by a clumsy guest or an overzealous landscaper with poor lawnmower control. A damaged plastic light will cost you very little to replace. A damaged metal light, crushed by a stray lawnmower or weed-whacker will cost you substantially more. I've trashed one of my own lights and can assure you, this is a very valid consideration.

Last but not least is the simple fact that, despite plastic seeming to be an inferior material, it is practically indistinguishable from metal at night and it is also surprisingly durable. Your plastic lights will weather well and will withstand wear and tear you might not have even considered. For example, my metal lights have unsightly dents and dings caused by debris cast from lawnmowers. Your plastic lights will probably survive the same abuse with barely a scratch. If not, well, just go back to the point that they're cheap to replace.

Having read this far I hope you've come to appreciate that there are some definite up sides to plastic landscape lighting kits including initial cost, replacement cost and durability. Saving money is the big selling point. Just know that you will be limited to using them to define paths and borders or spot lighting smaller features. If you have grander ambitions involving uplighting trees and statuary, you be better served by more expensive, higher-wattage metal lights.