Gardening

Taming the garden is a big summer ritual, but the right tools make it much easier. STIHL ’s COMPACT Cordless

Power System (stihl.co.uk) includes a hedge trimmer, lawnmower and more, all powered by an interchangeable rechargeable battery.

Once you can see your paths again, you’ll probably need to get weeding, which is where the Batavia Maxx Heat (£59.99, batavia.eu) comes in. This heat blaster cooks weeds into submission. Don’t forget the hand protection: Bionic’s Tough

Pro (£ 29.99, bionic- glove.co.uk) gardening gloves are ideal.

Now it’s in shape, you’ve got to keep things looking great. A lush lawn needs an automated watering system, and the easiest option is Hozelock’s Cloud Controller Kit (£94, hozelock. com), which sits between your outside tap and your hose to any simple sprinkler system. Use the phone app to program when you want the water to run to the sprinklers, and for how long. For your patio’s potted plants,

Parrot’s Pot (£ 119.99, parrot. com/uk) monitors their soil condition, automatically waters them, and tells you if they need attending, before they wilt.

To prevent animals from digging up your RHS-standard

grass and plants, pop in Rentokil’s PestFree Cat and

Fox Deterrent (£ 27.90, rentokil. co.uk), which uses ultrasonic sound to put off your garden’s four-legged foes without harm.

And to keep an eye on it all while you’re away, the Netatmo Presence Smart Outdoor Security Camera (£ 249.95, netatmo.com) lights up the garden upon intrusion and alerts you via the companion app.