GM Privacy Policy

The short version: Garden Mentor is a personal garden management app. All your garden data stays in your own iCloud account — we never see it, sell it, or share it with anyone. The only information we handle is what you choose to share on the optional friends leaderboard.

This policy explains how Garden Mentor (the "app"), developed by Lachlan Ransome ("we", "us"), handles your personal information. It is written in plain English and complies with the Australian Privacy Act 1988 and the Australian Privacy Principles (APPs).

What information we collect

Garden Mentor collects the minimum information needed to run the app. Here is exactly what is stored and where:

We do not collect analytics, crash reports, advertising identifiers, or any behavioural tracking data.

How we collect it

All information is provided directly by you when you use the app — there is no background data collection, no tracking pixels, and no third-party data brokers. Specifically:

• Plant and task data — entered by you in the app.
• Garden location — you search for and select a location. We do not access your device's GPS automatically.
• Display name and score — you enter your display name during onboarding; your score is calculated locally based on your task activity.
• Camera — only when you tap to photograph a plant. Photos are passed to Apple's Visual Look Up and are not stored or transmitted by us.
• Weather data — we send your saved garden location's coordinates to Apple's WeatherKit service to retrieve local weather. No other data is sent.

How we use your information

We use your information only to make the app work as you'd expect:

• To display your plants, tasks, and garden sections.
• To schedule and deliver maintenance reminders.
• To show relevant local weather for your garden.
• To power the AI Mentor feature with context about your garden (processed on-device using Apple's Foundation Models — your data is never sent to an external AI server).
• To show your name and score on the optional friends leaderboard.
• To sync your data across your own Apple devices via iCloud.

We do not use your information for advertising, profiling, or any purpose beyond running the app.

Third parties and overseas disclosure

Garden Mentor relies on Apple's platforms to function. By using the app, your information may be processed by Apple Inc. (USA) through the following services:

• iCloud / CloudKit — stores your private garden data. Governed by Apple's Privacy Policy.
• WeatherKit — your garden's coordinates are sent to Apple's weather servers to retrieve local conditions.
• Apple Foundation Models — AI features run on-device and do not transmit your data externally.
• Apple Push Notifications — used to deliver local maintenance reminders (no personal content is sent through Apple's servers).

We do not share your information with any other third parties, and we do not sell your data.

Because Apple operates globally, your iCloud data may be stored on servers outside Australia. Apple's handling of this data is subject to their privacy policy and their commitments under international data transfer frameworks.

The friends leaderboard

The leaderboard is entirely optional. If you choose to enable it:

• Your display name and garden score are stored in a CloudKit public database so your friends can see them.
• Friendships are created only when both people agree — you send an invite link, and the other person must accept it.
• You can remove a friend at any time, and your profile can be deleted by resetting all garden data in the app settings.
• Friends can see your display name and score only — no other personal information is visible.

If you never enable the leaderboard, none of this data is created or shared.

Security

Your garden data is protected by Apple's CloudKit security, which includes encryption at rest and in transit. Access requires your Apple ID credentials — we have no way to access your private iCloud data. App settings and preferences are synced via iCloud Key-Value Store under the same protections.

Local notifications are scheduled entirely on your device and do not involve any external servers.

How long we keep your data

Your data lives in your iCloud account for as long as you keep the app. You are in control:

• You can delete individual plants, tasks, or garden sections at any time.
• You can reset all garden data from within Settings → Reset.
• Deleting the app removes local data from your device. iCloud data can be managed through your iCloud settings or by resetting the app before deleting it.

Your rights

Under the Australian Privacy Act, you have the right to:

• Access your personal information — because all data is stored in your own iCloud account, you can view it directly in the app at any time.
• Correct your personal information — you can edit or delete any data directly in the app.
• Request information about how we handle your data — contact us using the details below.

Children

Garden Mentor is not directed at children under 13. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children. If you believe a child has used the app and shared personal information, please contact us and we will take steps to address it.

Complaints

If you have a privacy concern or complaint, please contact us first and we will do our best to resolve it promptly. If you are not satisfied with our response, you can lodge a complaint with the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (OAIC):

• Website: oaic.gov.au
• Phone: 1300 363 992

Changes to this policy

If we make significant changes to this policy, we will update the effective date above. For major changes that affect your rights, we will notify you via an in-app message. Continued use of the app after changes means you accept the updated policy.