A garden watering controller (1) for operating a valve (33) for controlling a supply of water into a garden watering arrangement. The controller (1) comprises a light sensor (21) for sensing ambient light levels and a central unit (22) for receiving sensed light level signals from the light sensor (21) and for outputting control signals for operating the valve (33) in dependence on the sensed light level signals. The central unit may be arranged to determine the occurrence of dawn and dusk.