Why you should install a smart security camera in your back garden

Having the best smart security camera at your disposal helps monitor your home, disturb intruders, capture footage and gives you peace of mind while you’re off the premises. But you’re really missing out if you haven’t installed a smart security system in your back garden.

Unsurprisingly, the most common spot for a security camera is outside your front door. The front door is the most obvious place to install a camera as it’s where you enter and leave your property, where your parcels are delivered to, and where the majority of burglars will try to break in.

But, you should also consider installing a smart camera in your back garden, and not just for security purposes. There are many advantages to having a smart security system in your garden, so to convince you, here are 5 ways you can use it, from birdwatching to scaring off the neighbours' cats.

1. Protect your garden from intruders

While the front door is where most burglars will attempt to break into your house, the back door is a close second. Having a security camera outside your back door overlooking your garden means you can see if someone is trying to break in and if someone is trying to steal your garden furniture or plants… yes, plant theft really does happen.

Similarly, if you have valuables in your garden shed, you might want to consider getting a smart security camera set up there, too. One thing you’ll need to take into account is the type of camera you have, as if it runs on a Wi-Fi connection, the camera might struggle if it’s too far away from your home. To fix this, invest in the best Wi-Fi extender to make sure it reaches.

2. Use it for birdwatching

Putting security aside, having a security camera in your back garden is a great way to keep on top of what furry creatures are visiting your lawn. Birds tend to be frequent visitors, especially if you leave food out for them, and having a camera installed to catch these instances is entertaining and lets you in on the different types of birds in your area.

For birdwatching, you can find cameras that are specially designed for this purpose and have a camera and bird feeder combined into one device. Alternatively, wildlife cameras typically come camouflaged and easily blend into the background without disturbing any winged guests. If you’d rather use a different camera, you can easily set up a compact outdoor camera next to your bird feeding station and monitor them this way. Blink cameras tend to be the best for this as they’re petite, compact and weather resistant.

3. Watch the grass grow

If you’re into flora and vegetation, you can use your security camera to watch your grass and flowers grow. This might sound like a long winded process (and to an extent, it is) but let’s say you want to see how much your hanging baskets grow over the summer. Having a smart camera recording during the summer means you can watch it back and see how much your flowers have blossomed.

Not only is this fun and rewarding to watch, but you can use the footage to gain knowledge on where you might have gone wrong with your garden. For example, if you notice a lack of growth in a certain month, you can reassess if it’s because you overwatered them or if they were placed in the wrong position. So you’re not traipsing through hours and hours of recordings, most cameras will allow you to speed up the video so you can see how your garden grew in a quicker time lapse.

4. Scare off unwanted animals

Taking a slightly different approach to watching animals in your garden, you can use a smart security camera to scare off any unwanted pests. There always seems to be that one neighbours’ cat who insists on doing their business in your flower pots, so if you catch this happening on your camera, you can stop them from doing it.

Now, we’re not saying you should run out shouting and bashing pots and pans together to spook any unwanted guests, but to speak to them through your camera instead. Most cameras have two-way audio so you can speak into it and put the cat off using your garden as a litter tray. This is a handy feature when you’re away from your home, and it also works for any human visitors, wanted or not.

5. Capture wildlife nestings

Another exciting way to use your security camera is to capture wildlife nestings. Nesting seasons tend to be between March and August, and during this time, birds or other wildlife might choose your garden to have babies. Of course, if this is happening, you definitely shouldn’t be running up and shoving a camera in there but if your camera is near the action, you can reposition it slightly to get a better look. If you want a device which is specifically designed for watching bird nesting, the Netvue Birdy Nest is a smart birdhouse that gives birds a safe enclosed space to nest and lets you see their nesting habits up close and personal without disturbing them.

For more garden advice, here are 3 smart cameras to see your garden differently and make sure to check out T3’s Garden Tech Month.