Smart landscape lighting is outdoor lighting you can control from an app, a schedule, a keypad or a sensor instead of a plug-in timer. There are two common ways to set it up. Smaller yards use a smart plug, a smart transformer or a Wi-Fi light kit with its own app. Larger homes tie the landscape lighting into the same Lutron or Savant system that runs the lights inside, so the outdoor zones follow the same schedules and scenes as the rest of the house.
What smart control adds
- Sunset schedules that follow the seasons. An astronomic timeclock turns the lights on at sunset in June and in December without anyone resetting it.
- Zones. The driveway, the front of the house, the back lawn and the pool each run on their own schedule.
- Dimming. Run the lights at full brightness while you have guests and lower them later in the evening.
- Scenes. One button brings up the patio, pool and trees together.
- Control from anywhere. Check and change the lights from your phone when you are away.
- Sensors. Motion sensors can bring up the driveway or a side yard when someone walks through.
- Color. Color-changing fixtures can light trees or the facade for holidays. Most people use color sparingly and keep warm white for everyday.
Ways to control landscape lights
Smart plugs and app-based transformers
The simplest option is an outdoor-rated smart plug between the outlet and a plug-in transformer. Some landscape lighting brands also sell transformers and controllers with their own Wi-Fi or Bluetooth apps for scheduling, zones and color. These are inexpensive and easy to set up yourself. The downsides are one more app to manage, a dependence on Wi-Fi reaching the yard, and controls that usually only work with that one brand.
Lutron
If you already use Lutron Caséta inside, the Caséta outdoor smart plug puts a plug-in transformer on a sunrise and sunset schedule in the same Lutron app. For whole-home systems, Lutron RadioRA 3 and Lutron HomeWorks switch or dim each transformer as its own zone, run them from an astronomic timeclock, and put outdoor scenes on keypads by the doors.
Savant and Control4
With a whole-home platform such as Savant or Control4, the landscape lighting becomes part of scenes that also involve audio, shades, the pool and security. A single Entertain scene can bring up the patio lights, start music outside and open the shades onto the deck.
Voice
Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri can control landscape lights through most of these systems. On a whole-home system, Josh.ai gives you voice control built for the house as a whole.
Compatibility checklist
- Transformer type and dimming. Switching a transformer on and off is easy with almost any control. Dimming is more particular. The dimmer has to be rated for the transformer type (magnetic or electronic), and the LED fixtures have to be dimmable. Check both spec sheets before you buy.
- Wireless protocol. Wi-Fi, Lutron’s Clear Connect, Zigbee and Z-Wave don’t talk to each other directly. Pick controls that match the system you already have, or look for Matter support if you mix brands.
- Wi-Fi outdoors. If your controls use Wi-Fi, test the signal at the transformer location. A weak signal outdoors usually calls for an outdoor access point rather than an extender.
- One app. Try not to end up with separate apps for the lights, the plugs and the transformers. A single system is easier to live with.
- Power where you need it. Transformers need a GFCI-protected outlet or circuit. On a larger property, plan where the transformers go so the controls can reach them.
Useful scenes and schedules
- Evening. Facade, trees and paths from sunset to 11 PM.
- Late night. Low-level path and entry lights until sunrise, or everything off.
- Entertain. Patio, pool and gardens at full brightness.
- Arrive. Driveway and front walk light up when the gate opens or at a tap on your phone.
- Alarm. Every outdoor zone goes to full brightness if the security system is triggered.
- Away. Lights follow a normal evening pattern while you travel.
- Holiday. Color fixtures on the trees for the season.
Where solar and smart string lights fit
Smart string lights and solar fixtures are fine for a patio or a few garden beds. They usually don’t connect to whole-home systems, though, and solar lights depend on how much sun they got that day, which is a real limitation in a New England winter. Our post on cleaning solar landscape lights also covers how much sun they need and when low-voltage lighting is the better choice.
Setup tips
- Plan your zones before you buy any controls.
- Check the transformer sizing. An overloaded transformer causes dimming and flicker that no control can fix. Our guide to choosing the right size transformer walks through it.
- Name zones clearly, such as “Front Trees” and “Pool Steps”, so they make sense in the app and to a voice assistant.
- Check your schedules after the clocks change the first time, even with an astronomic timeclock, to confirm the location is set correctly.
If you only need a schedule, our landscape light timer guide covers mechanical, digital and smart timers.
Can I add smart control to the landscape lights I already have?
Usually, yes. Most existing low-voltage systems can be put on a smart plug or wired to a lighting control system without replacing the fixtures. If you want dimming, check that the transformer and fixtures support it. Older halogen fixtures are worth converting to LED at the same time, since LED lamps use far less power and free up transformer capacity for new fixtures.
Planning a landscape lighting project?
We design and install landscape lighting with Lutron and Savant control for homes across Greater Boston, the South Shore and Rhode Island. Book a free consultation or read more about our landscape lighting.
