Garden landscaping and design software

Hi all!
I know this topic may have been placed in "PC's" or somewhere but it is a gardening "tool" too so I feel it apt for this place on G.C.

Anyone had experience of cheap and simple garden design software please?

Kind regards
Roy

 

We have 'Your 3D Garden designer' from PC World it cost about �£9.99 I think. It is not too difficult to use. Not had it long so I haven't really had a good play with it yet.

 

Just had a little play with the CD, only problems so far is that I can't make a straight path and you cannot select plants by name you have to pick one you fancy, drag it into the plan then click on plant properties. You can import your own plant pictures though.

 

I use the 3D Landscape 2 deluxe, by Sierra - got via the gardeners book club, in Readers union. It's pretty useful, although has limitations, and beware floating sheds!!!!

If you're interested in it, let me know and I'll look up further details, Roy.

 

I never found anything the equal of MacDraw 2 for the(old fashioned) Mac. I keep my old 12 year old computer simply for this program. Long ago I 'upgraded' to a PC and although I have drifted by AutoCad, etc, none of them do what I want in the time I have available. Best to try first I feel. Floating sheds sounds hopeful for young Mr D.Gavins next venture! Roll on Chelsea

 

I find the best thing is a pencil and paper ... studied architectural design in the 60s and have designed ever since using pencil and paper. That includes my houses (kitchen included) and my gardens. I've never used computers for it.

A bit old fashioned, I think, but it works for me every time ... look at my sites!

PS Have to admit, I can do the "visionary" but it's more spectacular on a computer!

 

Celia - how many plants are on the database of the software you speak about please? Not that the plant info is really a problem but I just need to be able to show a fairly professional design without spending days upon the project. Thanks for your suggestion!

Dendrobe - floating sheds! I guess as Jazid mentions - Mr Gavin's territory! Checked out Gardeners Book Club - many thanks for that! Great prices! Thing I tend to find when I buy books is I love looking at the cover and the rest of the book fills my bookshelf, if you get my drift... Nevertheless, there are few things more important than the one or two key books that provide the mainstay to an otherwise redundant library

Jazid - I don't possess a Mac anymore so the MacDraw is maybe not an option. I take your point though - best to try first before investing. But how can you try unless you are involved in a garden design course?

L of L - no doubt your artwork is excellent, as the pics of your garden testify!! But, the thing I am looking for is fairly quick results and a relatively glossy presentation. My own drawing abilities are not the best to say the least, even though my "vision" is not too bad, I thinks, me does. However, it may come down to sticking with the paper and pencil as it is definately a more personal touch, afterall.

Cheers for now!
Kind regards
Roy

 

I use powerpoint to do all mine on, not quick but it didn't cost me anything as I already had it :D

Here's one i did earlier

http://i128.photobucket.com/albums/p175/nick_the_grief/Plans/shed-700.jpg

 

Sorry Royster I ahve just noticed your post. There are quite a few plants to choose from but they don't have names which is practically useless. If you select plants for our climate zone then that limits it even further. When I get round to trying to plan my secluded garden on it I think I'll just put plants in to create an effect then write the name of the plant I want next to it!

 

I started out looking for software, that mainly had a dictionary of plants. I never really found one. Many appeared to have a lot of plants, but once you eliminated trees, plants over 6 foot and under 6 inches, there were very few left over. And I never did find Artic Bramble on sale in the local garden centres.

Nowadays, I list my plants in a spreadsheet. You can have many fields, including a classification such as have/want/possible/died-on-me. I find it much more versatile, and the plants in it really relate to me.

The design phase tends to only happen once, and as LoL says you can use pencil and paper. In my case I found a simpe CAD program for free (nothing to do with gardens), but it allows me to print out many copies of the outline of the beds, onto which I can write the present location of plants. But I appreciate that this is not helpful if you want to make a professional presentation to a client.