from Landscape Architect, April 2004

Color temperature and color rendering are two of the most critical aspects in understanding how light and landscape design is so very intertwined. If you read a technical manual on lighting and look up the term "color temperature", you will get a description similar to: "Color temperature is a comparison of the color produced by a light source to a standard (black body radiator) source heated to a particular temperature." This is a tough concept to comprehend.What does it really mean? The bottom line is this: all lamps emit a color; that color affects the colors you choose in your design. Understanding this interrelationship could dramatically alter how you select your finishes for any project. Full story.