Spotlight
Spotlights cast a directed beam to accent plants, walls, and features. Fixture styles: Ground Spike, Wall Mount, Tree Mount, Flush Mount.
SpotlightThe Spotlight tool places a directional fixture that casts a focused beam — ideal for uplighting trees, washing walls, and highlighting sculptural features. Unlike a point light that radiates in all directions, the spotlight gives you full control over beam width and falloff through separate Horizontal and Vertical angle sliders. Choose a fixture style (Ground Spike, Wall Mount, Tree Mount, or Flush Mount) to match how the fitting is physically installed, then fine-tune brightness, color temperature, and reach to complete the effect in both 2D and 3D views.
Place the spotlight
Make sure the Select tool is active to open the Add Objects panel on the right side of the canvas, then click the Lights tab and choose Spotlight under Core Fixtures. Click once on the canvas to place the fixture. The Inspector panel opens on the right, showing all spotlight controls grouped into collapsible accordion sections.
Choose a fixture style
Expand the Fixture Style accordion and choose from Ground Spike, Wall Mount, Tree Mount, or Flush Mount. The style controls how the fixture appears in the 3D view and indicates the physical mounting method to the client. Ground Spike and Tree Mount are the most common choices for uplighting plants and trees.
Set the beam spread
Expand the Beam Spread section. Drag the Horizontal slider to set the side-to-side width of the cone (top-down view), and the Vertical slider to set how tall the cone is (side view). A live SVG diagram updates as you drag so you can see the exact cone shape before committing. Use a narrow spread (10–20°) for tight feature accents and a wider spread (40–60°) for wall washes.
Control edge softness
In the Edge Softness section, drag the Softness slider between 0% and 100%. At 0% the beam edge is crisp and defined; at 100% the cone dissolves gradually into the surroundings. A softness of 30–50% suits most garden lighting scenarios and avoids an unnatural hard cutoff.
Adjust brightness and color
In the Brightness section set the output in lumens (0–2000 range). Then open the Light Color section and choose Color Temperature for a realistic warm-to-cool range (displayed as a gradient from amber to daylight white), or switch to Custom Color to pick any tint. Warm temperatures around 2700–3000 K work well for plants and timber; cooler temperatures suit stone and contemporary walls.
Position and aim the beam
In the Location section, set the Height field to raise the fixture off the ground (useful for wall-mount and tree-mount scenarios), and the Reach field to control how far the beam projects. Increase Reach if the target feature is further away from the fixture. Switch to 3D view to confirm the beam is landing where intended.
For tree uplighting, combine a Ground Spike or Tree Mount fixture style with a narrow Horizontal angle (15–25°), a Softness of around 40%, and a warm color temperature (2700 K). This gives foliage a natural glow without a harsh cone edge.
The Beam Spread SVG diagrams in the Inspector update in real time — the top diagram shows the horizontal (top-down) cone, and the side diagram shows the vertical (elevation) cone. Use both together to understand the full 3D spread before switching to the 3D view.
Key Parameters
| Name | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Fixture Style | Ground Spike | Physical mounting method shown in 3D view: Ground Spike, Wall Mount, Tree Mount, or Flush Mount. |
| Horizontal angle | 30° | Side-to-side beam width as seen from above. Lower values create narrow accent spots; higher values produce wide washes. |
| Vertical angle | 30° | Up-and-down beam spread as seen from the side. Controls how tall the lit area is on a vertical surface. |
| Edge Softness | 30% | Blends the edge of the beam cone. 0% = sharp cutoff; 100% = fully graduated falloff. |
| Brightness | 500 lm | Light output in lumens, from 0 to 2000. |
| Color Temperature | 3000 K | Warm (2000 K) through neutral white to cool daylight white (8000 K). Only active when Light Color is set to Color Temperature mode. |
| Reach | 10 m | Maximum distance the beam projects from the fixture. Increase this to cover features that are further away. |
| Height | 0.3 m | Elevation of the fixture above ground level. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between the Horizontal and Vertical angle sliders?
Horizontal sets how wide the cone is when viewed from above — it controls the left-to-right spread on the ground or target surface. Vertical sets how tall the cone is when viewed from the side — it controls the up-and-down reach on a vertical surface such as a wall or tree trunk. Adjusting both together shapes the full 3D footprint of the light.
The beam edge looks too harsh and unnatural.
Raise the Softness slider in the Edge Softness section. A value between 30% and 60% gives a gradual falloff that reads as natural in most garden lighting scenarios. Very low softness (0–10%) is intentional for theatrical or contemporary designs where a crisp beam edge is part of the effect.
My spotlight isn't reaching the tree or wall I'm targeting.
Increase the Reach value in the Location section. Also check the Height field — if the fixture is at ground level but the target surface is far away, raising both the height and the Vertical angle together will help the beam arrive at the right point. Confirm the aim in 3D view.
Which fixture style should I use for uplighting a tree?
Ground Spike is the standard choice: it sits at the base of the tree and aims the beam upward through the canopy. Tree Mount is appropriate when the fixture is physically clamped to a trunk or branch. Both styles produce the same beam controls — the style only affects the fixture icon shown in the 3D view.
Can I show a specific wattage or product name on the spotlight?
The Spotlight tool works at a design-intent level — lumens rather than wattage, and fixture styles rather than product SKUs. To add product-specific information, use the Name field at the top of the Inspector and the notes or annotation tools to document specifications on the plan.