There is a very real band which one could call ESPgarden where it is not worth setting up LoRa or similar because the Wi-Fi can just about make it, but not quite to be reliable. I've found success with Wi-Fi extenders which aren't very good, but are just good enough to be able to be able to let some of my garden reach the network.
There is BLE Long Range (also called Coded PHY) which is Bluetooth with range of 1km. I bet that would be perfect for outdoor sensors. Longer range and lower power than Wifi, and Bluetooth ecosystem.
The Olimux ESP32-POE / wESP32 boards have a proper ethernet connection and PoE support. Means you don't need to worry about wifi coverage or power as long as you can get an ethernet cable to it - and those are cheap & easy to find in ludicrous lengths for outdoor use.
