My backyard currently has two lights controlled by a switch on the house, but there is no further lighting. I want to brighten up my yard, however; it is deep and I only have one outlet, making string lights tough to operate. Any suggestions for lighting the tree and adding extra light without wiring? I am investigating wireless smart path lighting, fence fixtures, and smart string lights. Any suggestions on options? It would be ideal to control them all with a smart switch. I am new to home automation and searching for advice.
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Sorry, I’m not the best person to ask, but I do have some thoughts on your project. I wish you the best of luck. Home automation can be challenging, but it’s also a lot of fun.
Our house had flood lights, so we added a smart switch to control them. We replaced the halogens (which were 150 watts each, and we had 8 on one circuit) with LEDs. You might want to look into low-voltage landscape lighting paired with a connected transformer. Here’s a useful video on the topic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pn2Bh6dNP_w.
Alternatively, you can use an outdoor smart plug to control something that plugs in. Lutron and several Zwave manufacturers offer smart outdoor plugs.
My general approach is to design the solution first using off-the-shelf parts, then see how I can make it smart by either swapping out a part with a connected controller or buying a similar product. Shelly devices are also excellent for controlling hardwired devices.
Another important consideration is ecosystems. I recommend watching a video or reading a FAQ primer about Home Assistant vs. Alexa vs. Apple Home, etc. Decide what you want to be the brains of your system, and then ensure your chosen solutions are compatible with it. We chose Home Assistant and Zwave for most of our devices, with some Shelly and ESPHome WiFi smart plugs mixed in.