Smart landscape management optimises control over a lesser-considered but essential supply chain, reducing total operational costs. Landscapers’ necessities include:

• Soil
• Mulch
• Stones
• Pots
• Fertiliser
• Pesticides
• Labour needs
• Fuel

Ongoing external factors — such as economic fluctuations or geopolitical tensions — may remain outside immediate influence. However, connected products increase visibility, reduce waste and improve resource utilisation. Incorporating IoT and automation technologies into landscape management can further enhance these benefits, aligning with broader supply chain optimization strategies. How can leaders apply them for meaningful results?

1. Use Connected Pest Control Solutions

Climate change, urbanisation and waste management practices affect the distribution and prevalence of pests in the U.K. and worldwide. Controlling them may require using new products and application techniques.

Some manufacturers have created specialised products for industrial use. They detect pest infestations and deliver real-time notifications to authorised users. Such customised solutions prevent waste that can inflate operating costs.

Additionally, a 2025 global study that included two U.K. organisations within the international research team emphasised the need for thoughtful decisions. Researchers analysed over 1,700 studies to determine the impacts of 471 pesticide types. It concluded that those products cause wide-ranging adverse wildlife effects, harming biodiversity. Managing application strategies supports the planet and minimises unnecessary expenses.

2. Encourage Clients to Select Native Plants

Professionals discussing landscaping goals with clients should advise them which varieties will grow best on their properties according to the soil, climate and other particulars. For example, native plants can better defend themselves against local pests, generally thrive without fertiliser and show excellent resilience despite seasonal shifts.

Those choosing these options also enable natural habitat restoration. People live on more than three-quarters of the Earth’s surface. The resultant encroachment on wildlife highlights the need to support it with native plants.

3. Deploy Monitoring Tools

Some clients may have dozens or hundreds of species on their properties, making it challenging to oversee the condition of individual items. Connected tools can help.

One solution showcased at the Chelsea Flower Show uses sensors and artificial intelligence algorithms to assess tree health. Its designers said 50% of urban trees do not survive longer than a decade. They hope their innovation can empower caretakers by providing specific care recommendations based on sensor data.

Landscapers can also benefit from automation in supply chain management, such as by using sensors to detect the exact positions of live plants and other delicate or time-sensitive items. This increased visibility aligns with the IT supply chain’s focus on data management and analytics, aiding landscapers’ client communications, especially about delayed, urgent shipments.

Landscapers can also benefit from automation in supply chain management, such as by using sensors to detect the exact positions of live plants and other delicate or time-sensitive items. That increased visibility can aid landscapers’ client communications, especially about delayed, urgent shipments.

Some types of supply chain automation software can also detect unwanted events, such as harsh handling or instances where items requiring refrigeration remain in room-temperature settings for too long. Real-time notifications about those problems prevent waste and increase oversight.

4. Get Inspired by Robotics in Supply Chain Settings

Supply chain robots improve accuracy, elevate output and help companies achieve more with smaller workforces. Landscaping company leaders can experience many of these advantages by exploring the most appropriate ways to apply automated technologies. The wide availability of autonomous lawn-mowing equipment provides an excellent starting point.

Some machines can finish jobs with one-third the labour force usually required. Additionally, operators can create safety zones around obstacles or define property boundaries in virtually any configuration. This customisation enables flexibility, ensuring busy landscaping professionals keep clients happy whilst remaining productive.

5. Prioritise Responsible Irrigation Methods

Excessive watering creates shallow root systems, increases disease risks and reduces drought tolerance. However, it can be challenging to resist overwatering when heat waves happen with increasing frequency.

According to a 2024 U.K. climate report, the previous three years featured five of the region’s hottest summers. Additionally, last year was the fourth-warmest in a dataset originating in 1884. Just as autonomous mowing innovations can save time and keep lawns tidy with less human labour, smart landscape management can focus on improved irrigation, measuring soil conditions and recommending appropriate regimens.

6. Track Activity Through Data Analytics Platforms

Supply chain management tools track trends, predict demands and inform decision-making. Some users also rely on them to make wiser choices when selecting new suppliers. Accurate statistics can mitigate risks and facilitate contract negotiations. Improved visibility lowers operational costs and enhances preparedness.

Landscaping professionals should also stay informed about emerging ways to gather insights into properties under their care. In one case, a technology firm received a grant of nearly £220,000 to further the development of an acoustic landscape-monitoring system.

It uses audio analysis algorithms and cloud-based artificial intelligence to provide biodiversity metrics across properties. Because it gives suggestions to maintain or enhance ecosystems, landscapers might use the tool to create or improve areas for wildlife. They could also verify that proposed measures would not adversely affect operations.

Investigate Smart Landscape Management Today

While considering these smart landscape management techniques, leaders should assess their long-term impacts on budgets, labour needs and client rosters. Those anticipated outcomes can help them turn research into action, strengthening their supply chains, lowering costs and achieving other desirable results.