- Robot to water plants in Pillnitz Castle Park
In the park of Schloss Pillnitz, a robot will soon be watering plants, especially those in pots. Over the past two and a half years, researchers at TU Dresden have developed a semi-automatic watering robot prototype. It will be publicly demonstrated for the first time on August 28, according to the Saxon State Palaces, Castles, and Gardens (SBG).
The robot's semi-automatic nature means it can autonomously perform certain tasks, but a gardener will always be present, said SBG spokesperson Anita Radicke. A name for the robot is still being sought, and suggestions can be submitted until September 17.
Measures against climate change in historic gardens
The Saxon State Palaces, Castles, and Gardens have been involved in the "Climate Change in Historic Gardens" project since 2022, funded by the Federal Ministry for Housing, Urban Development, and Building. The project aims to mitigate the effects of climate change on historic park and garden landscapes, which face unique challenges as important cultural heritage sites. The development of the watering robot is a key part of this project.
Two massive red beech trees that once dominated the Pillnitz Park's landscape and drew visitors' attention until 2021 have now become a stark reminder of climate change. One of the trees, which was planted in 1895, succumbed to drought and had to be felled. Its trunk now serves as a memorial to the consequences of climate change. A genetically identical sapling is currently being cared for in a nursery and will be planted in the same spot in a few years.
The Saxon State Palaces and Gardens authority fears for the valuable tree stock in its historic parks due to prolonged drought. "We are facing the greatest, existential threat to our historic park landscapes. If the climate continues to develop as it has in recent years, the garden monuments that have grown over centuries will not be preserved in their current form," said Schloßland Director Christian Striefler two years ago. As short-term countermeasures, trees have been watered more intensively, and some beech trees have been protected from sunburn by covering their trunks and branches with shade-providing mats.
The watering robot, a crucial component of the "Climate Change in Historic Gardens" project, is specifically designed to conserve water in the face of changing climatic conditions. The climate in these historic gardens poses unique challenges due to their status as significant cultural heritage sites.
