the Story

It all began when Chris Montgomery’s wife brought home solar landscape lights and assigned Montgomery the task of finding the perfect location for them. Montgomery’s problem was how to fully utilize the lights while maintaining balance and symmetry in the yard. His solution was to place the light inside a patio planter.

When nighttime fell, the light reflected off the blooms and created an elegant patio glow. Guests commented on how much they enjoyed the uniquely lighted patio planter. The success among friends encouraged Montgomery to improve the concept and better incorporate light into the design of a planter. He thought other people would want this new breed of illuminating planter for their homes as well.

To eliminate worries about lights falling out, Montgomery physically attached a light to the planter through a removable trellis. He added an oval twist and faux leaves to the trellis to make the planter ornate and decorated. Montgomery also designed and sized a solar light and globe to fit the planter. After his concept was fully developed, Montgomery found a manufacturer with the same appreciation of quality and detail.

Fifteen months after the day he placed the solar light in the planter on his patio, Montgomery had his first solar planters, which he named SolaRadiance^®. Due to Montgomery’s search for the perfect lighting solution, gardens, patios, walkways and yards can now be more than lit, they can be illuminated.