Try This: Pot Lights
Light your garden with this simple project.
By Susan Wasinger
March/April 2005
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As charming as farolitos (New Mexican candles inside a paper bag), these are much safer and add a subtle glow of color in addition to light.
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The only thing that can compete with a moonlit garden is a candlelit one. These pots of colored light illuminate a garden path or serve as a rustic centerpiece for outdoor dining. Tiny pots get a quick swipe of paint, a bit of sand, and a votive candle.
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Tips for creating pot lights:
• For these little terra-cotta pots to give off maximum light, apply a pale-colored paint on the inside surface. Try gloss for maximum reflection, flat for a warmer, subtler glow.
• Use a low-VOC latex exterior grade paint if you plan to leave them outside all the time.
• To get a range of tones, use white paint as your base and add small amounts of different pigments. Alternatively, most paint retailers now sell tiny containers of sample paint in a vast array of colors. Buy a few, then mix them to extend your palette.
• Use a brush, sponge, or cloth to paint the pot interiors, stopping at the top edge.
• When dry, cover the hole with tape or a pebble, add a bit of sand, and a votive candle.