Whether you like it or not, technology has made its way into the world of gardening and landscape design. Using technology in landscape architecture has become easier than ever. There are loads of web-based programs and mobile apps that handle practically all phases of landscape design, installation, and maintenance. Gardening technology and garden gadgets are booming too. Read on to learn more.
Technology and Garden Gadgets
For luddites who treasure the peace and quiet of slow-paced, hands-on gardening, this may sound like a nightmare. However, using technology in landscape design is saving many people loads of time, money, and hassle. For people working in the field, using technology in landscape design is a dream come true. Just consider how much time is saved by computer-aided design (CAD) software. Design drawings are clear, colorful, and communicative. During the design process, conceptual changes can be re-drawn in a fraction of the time it took for changes by hand drawings. Designers and clients can communicate from a distance with photos and documents housed in Pinterest, Dropbox, and Docusign. Landscape installers will really want to learn how to use technology in the landscape. There are mobile and online apps for employee training, cost estimating, mobile crew tracking, project management, fleet management, invoicing, and taking credit cards. Smart irrigation controllers allow landscape managers of large land parcels to control and track complex, multi-faceted irrigation schedules from afar utilizing satellite technology and weather data. The list of garden gadgets and gardening technology keeps growing.
- There are a number of gardening apps available for people on the go – including the GKH Companion.
- Some engineering students at the University of Victoria in British Columbia invented a drone that deters backyard garden pests, such as raccoons and squirrels.
- A Belgian sculptor named Stephen Verstraete invented a robot that can detect sunlight levels and move potted plants to sunnier locations.
- A product called the Rapitest 4-Way Analyzer measures soil moisture, soil pH, sunlight levels, and when fertilizer needs to be added to planting beds. What next?
Garden gadgets and technology in landscape architecture are becoming more and more prevalent and useful. We are only limited by our imagination.