Smart garden: intelligent technology for outside

Smart robots don’t just ensure a neat and tidy garden. They also save you a lot of time and effort. We introduce you to the three most important device types:

Smart lawn-mowing robots are a sensible purchase for any smart garden. Maintaining a neat and attractive lawn is always a labor-intensive affair. A robotic mower is the perfect solution. For example, in the summer you can relax in the sun and watch the robotic mower at work. Not only does it regularly cut the lawn to the perfect length, but it also independently calculates the most efficient mowing path. Depending on the model, the automatic mowers can manage a lawn area of up to 700 m². The cutting height can be adjusted between 30 mm and 50 mm. After the work is done, the robotic mower automatically returns to its charging station and is then ready for use again after a very short time, in some models after just 45 minutes.

Of course, you can also control and program the smart robotic mower directly via an app. Internet-enabled robotic mowers even receive weather data to avoid mowing the lawn in bad weather. And the latest devices are equipped with many sensors so that objects or living creatures are detected and bypassed. 

Accurate weather data is of course useful not just for the lawn mower. Do you know the feeling that the weather forecast for your place of residence, of all places, was once again wrong? For example, you’re expecting rain, but it’s sunny outside. With your own smart weather station, this can no longer happen to you. The systems with various sensors give you reliable, real-time data about the weather in your garden, for example temperature, air pressure, and humidity. 

And you can also use this data for your smart gardening tools: with a rain sensor, the amount of rain that has fallen is analyzed directly on your smartphone. It also sounds an alarm when it starts to rain. That’s handy when you’re inside the house, for example. In the event of a rain alarm, you can then quickly move the cushions of the garden furniture to safety in the garden or open the rain barrel to store water. In the same way, a smart wind meter warns you of strong gusts of wind so that you can, for example, retract the awning on the terrace in time. And of course, you can also access the data from your smart weather station with the Home Connect Plus app. 

Your own swimming pool in the garden is the perfect refreshment in the summer. Unfortunately, keeping the pool clean also requires a lot of effort. The solution is a pool robot, which independently takes over the cleaning of the pool under water. This way, you can relax and swim your laps in your pool on the surface, while the pool robot diligently scrubs the tiles underneath you. Some pool robots can also be connected to the Wi-Fi and then controlled via smartphone and app. 

The pool is even more fun when not only the pool walls, but also the water itself is nice and clean. Normally, you have to do regular tests. With a smart pool sensor, you no longer have to worry about water quality. The smart pool sensor is like a small, connected island that floats in the pool water and constantly measures various values in the water. These include PH value, chlorine content, conductivity (TDS), and of course the water temperature. The pool sensor is connected to your smart home via Wifi. This way, you can conveniently retrieve the values via smartphone app and no longer need to worry about testing for bacteria, other microbes, or a too-high chlorine content. 

Especially on hot summer days, the plants in the garden need sufficient water. You have often wondered how much you actually have to water? Because for many plants, too much water can be as bad as not enough. With an intelligent watering system, these worries are a thing of the past. You can be sure that all your garden plants always get the right amount of water. 

Connected sensors measure the moisture in the soil, even in deeper layers. Depending on the setting and design, the system will give you an alarm that it’s time to water, or an irrigation computer will initiate automatic watering of your flower beds and other garden plants. This is usually done via what’s called a micro-drip system. These are inconspicuous hoses that are distributed over the plant bed and deliver water to the soil drop by drop in a controlled manner. This means you don’t need to spend a lot of time watering with a garden hose or lugging watering cans around. Instead, you can sit in the garden and enjoy time with your family. 

The smart irrigation system is controlled via a gateway and a smart valve that is connected directly to the faucet. The adapter is integrated into your smart home system and can thus be operated via your smartphone. Or you integrate your irrigation into scenarios, for example, a vacation scenario or an absence scenario. Some garden watering systems even allow you to control them by voice command. 

In the summer garden, awnings and pergolas protect you from the sun. In order to have pleasant shade in the smart garden, you no longer have to operate cranks or wall switches. Instead, you can sit comfortably in the garden lounge and operate the awning or the folding roof of the pergola with only your smartphone or tablet. Connected drive systems let you extend and retract them at will. 

Or you can leave the control entirely to smart garden technology. Sensors detect sunshine, rain or wind and adjust the canopy to the current weather conditions. When the sun shines, the awning automatically extends; when it rains or the wind blows, the system retracts the sunshade to protect it from damage. 

You can also control or automate smart blinds and shutters in the sun room via a remote control or app and integrate them into your smart home. For example, sunlight sensors automatically raise the sunshades in winter to warm up the sun room, while they lower them in summer to keep the house as cool as possible.

What would a summer evening in the garden be without the right light? What works in the smart home is also a good idea for the smart garden – smart lighting. There are weatherproof, smart lights especially for outdoor use that you can integrate into the smart home lighting system and switch on and off with the Home Connect Plus app. 

In summer, it stays bright for a pleasantly long time in the evening. In the smart garden, you never miss the right time to turn on the patio lights during a garden party, for example. That’s because, just as with the smart indoor lighting, you can of course also automate and program the connected outdoor lights in the garden. For example, set them to turn on or off at a specific time, or have your outdoor lights greet you when you get home. And when you’re on vacation, you can start a presence simulation to scare away potential burglars. 

You can also incorporate smart outdoor lighting into the design of your garden. With multicolor lamps, for example, you can create the right atmosphere for any situation, such as dimmed light for a romantic evening or colorful lighting for the barbecue party. For example, you can make the grill or salad bar the center of attention for your guests by using a special light. With colored spots and other light elements, you can even create your own imaginative light installation. 

With these smart systems, you can transform your yard into the perfect oasis of well-being. The smart devices from our partners can be easily controlled and automated centrally via the Home Connect Plus app. For example, coordinate the use of your lawn mower with watering times in just a few steps.

What does an intelligent home look like in reality? We’ll make it easier for you to get started in the world of smart homes and show you – using real-life examples – how your own personal smart home can support you in your everyday life.