There's nothing quite like a stunningly illuminated yard during the festive period. Adorning bushes, hedges, and trees with lights truly makes a space shine. The pleasure of seeing a glittering yard, enjoyed by both you and your neighbors, is a genuine delight.

So, what's the best way to light up your yard and outdoor greenery? There are two main techniques—using Christmas net lights and hand-strung lights. We're pitting these options against each other so you can choose the ideal style for your needs. Don't forget to read to the end for our expert opinion.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Christmas Net Lights

net lighting on bushes and shrubsEffortless Installation and Removal

Christmas net lights are designed for simplicity, making setup and takedown hassle-free. To place them, start with one corner of the net at the bottom, wrap the other corner around, and do the same with the top. Reversing this process makes removal just as easy.

Perfect for Symmetric Bushes, Hedges, or Tree Trunks

If you have neatly shaped rectangular hedges or trees with circular trunks, net lights are ideal. Their structure suits plants with symmetrical shapes, bringing an equal distribution of lights to your setup.

Consistently Uniform

Christmas net lights feature a uniform design, ensuring a consistent spread of lights. This even distribution is perfect for those who prefer a neat appearance, though it may limit creativity in your display.

Christmas net lights on hedgeIdeal for Novices

For beginners uncertain about the number of light strings needed or those not wanting to calculate it, Christmas net lights are an excellent option. But if you're ready to figure out your requirements or already know what you need, hand lighting might be more suitable. Check out our tutorial on how to light your bushes, shrubs, and hedges by hand.

Defines the Edges of Your Plants

Christmas net lights highlight the perimeters of your bushes or foliage, adding a defined and appealing look to geometric or square hedges. This edge definition contributes to a coherent impression of your overall yard design.

Faster for Tree Wrapping Compared to Strings

Net lights offer a quicker alternative to wrapping trees with strings. As we've mentioned, the installation is simple, though hand lighting requires more time and attention. However, the detailed effort in hand lighting is evident in the final display.

Christmas Net Lights: Overview

Christmas net lights provide an easy method for illuminating your bushes, hedges, or trees due to their even bulb distribution. However, they're constrained by the net's size, making them less suitable for larger or uniquely shaped plants. Creativity may be needed when wrapping them around different outdoor elements.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Hand-Strung Lighting: Using Christmas Light Strings or Other Types

hand lighting bushes and shrubs by handRandom and Unique Effects

Hand-strung lights allow for random arrangements, creating eye-catching effects like falling star patterns. Unlike net lighting, hand lighting provides the only way to achieve such creative displays.

Creative Color Dispersion

The predictable patterns of net lighting differ from the flexibility of hand lighting, which enables a wide range of colorful arrangements. Whether you prefer a coordinated motif or a vibrant technicolor palette, the choice is yours!

Enhanced Twinkling Light Effects

Uneven placement with hand lighting enhances designs featuring twinkling lights. Randomly spread twinkling lights maximize the visual impact of these effects.

More Artistic and Professional Appearance

Hand lighting tends to look more artistic and professional compared to net lights. The flexibility in string placement is key to creating artful displays from your bushes, hedges, and trees. This is why it's often the preferred choice for professional displays.

Favored by Professionals for Custom Designs

Professionals prefer hand lighting for its ability to deliver high-end results. Most outdoor plants don't have perfect rectangular shapes, and hand lighting offers precise coverage over specific areas, accommodating various plant forms.

hand lighting on bushes and treesEasier Storage and Packing

String lights are simpler to store and pack away, an important aspect of holiday decorating. They can be wrapped around objects like Christmas wrapping paper tubes or clothes hangers. Check out our YouTube video for innovative packing methods. String lights offer more versatility in storage spaces compared to net lights.

Hand Lighting: Overview

Hand lighting provides more control over light coverage, resulting in naturally scattered and visually appealing displays. It's also ideal for custom designs and for plants with uneven shapes.

Guidelines for Choosing and Purchasing

Start by measuring your application area. Consider the length and width, noting that net lights are typically sold in 4-foot by 6-foot rectangles. Larger or smaller plants will be better served by hand lighting.

For more design options, hand lighting is the superior choice. String lights offer flexibility in bulb spacing and counts, unlike the consistent nature of net lights.

If you prefer varied spacing, color, and overall placement of your Christmas lights, hand lighting is the way to go.

Net Lights vs. Hand-Strung Lights: Our Perspective

Although Christmas net lights have many perks and we offer a fine selection, we don't recommend them for the best look on your bushes, hedges, and trees. Hand lighting achieves a more professional and creative style. Hand-lit displays can also be customized to suit the diverse shapes and types of outdoor plants.

comparison pic of hand lighting vs net lightingReady to give your bushes, hedges, and trees the glow they deserve? We've got everything you need. Check out our selection of premium LED Christmas lights to brighten your holidays. Should you have any questions about setting up your displays, don't hesitate to reach out through the contact information below.