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Northwestern Gardening

free garden design software?

14 years ago

We're preparing a sizeable (for us) area for a garden and figured that making a plan before we rush out and put in all the plants we've been stockpiling might be a wise idea. Aside from just buying some graph paper, are there free garden design programs available on the web that any of you knows about and have used?

Thanks!

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Comments (6)

gardengal48 (PNW Z8/9)
14 years ago
You might want to visit the Landscape Design forum and search the archives for this topic........it comes up frequently and various products have been suggested. And with varying degrees of recommendation :-) Some are very workable and user-friendly, others much less so. Generally the free programs are less flexible and efficient than those that are purchased.

Like the graph paper/pencil route, design software is only a tool and will offer the best results with a good understanding of basic design principles and the plants and their requirements. Some find the pseudo 3-dimensional aspect many programs offer easier to visualize than just plan views created on paper. But you need to be cautious about some of the photoshop aspects, which can distort scale and spacing and alter perspective. And show everything blooming at the same time as well :-)

Personally, I prefer the graph paper and circle template, but then I was trained in hand drafting and feel very compfortable with that method. Another handy tool is to take photos of the area in question, blow them up to a workable size and then do tissue paper overlays sketching in the appropriate plants at the appropriate sizes. That combined with a layout to scale on graph paper should get you a long way.

There are also various DIY landscaping texts that would be helpful. Sunset's Western Landscaping, the companion to the Western Garden Book, is pretty good. My library is still packed or I'd suggest others but Lowe's and HD usually have a decent selection in their book/magazine area. Look through and find one that presents a reasonable discussion of design principles and a step by step method to preparing a design. That should help a LOT!
alifeyl
14 years ago
I recently ordered CanVis for free from the USDA. I've done pen & pencil landscape planning but had never used software before. It has some limitations but I found it easy to use and definitely helpful for visualizing an area. And did I mention it's free? It came in less than a week, too. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: CanVIs
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You could always use google Sketchup. Its not elaborate but will let you create a basic design.
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Marti, I think that answers your question about the dining room project, honey. My crowbar wielding days are over I'm afraid, because my right shoulder is objecting to any stress or pressure I put on it. I'm thinking that like my brother I may have torn the muscles loose from the bone. He is post op and in PT on that one. But I wanted to also comment on the Virtual Design Planner. It is only for kitchens and baths and laundries. I spent about two hours last night trying to floor plan my new kitchen which is an irregular shape. I am refreshed this morning and might tackle it from scratch this time. I had the same problem with the IKEA planner, same sort of software, but it works with other rooms. My kitchen now is a plain rectangle. But the back porch, which will be added to it, is offset at one exterior wall by one foot, and at the opposite it, it extends about 3 feet further than the kitchen wall. I think that in my sleep I figured out how to fool the planner into doing what I want. I can put in an obstacle wall to create that indent, and it will think the space is not supposed to be furnished. And I wanted a 42 inch high bar perpendicular to my stove wall, but it does not let me put the wall cabs on the floor to use that way. I tried the island, but it was on wheels and it could not be resized. I also have a stub wall which will remain because it contains the inside breaker panels. That creates the need for a corner cabinet, with another one forming an "L" between the sink and the permanent fridge location. If I can leave the old base cabs where they are now and just remove the wall cabs, I'd be willing to do that. It provides a good surface to set things on when I open the fridge. It is like a short peninsular. I will keep my stainless top rolling cart beside the back door. It is so useful and not so wide that it gets in the way. It is long, however. My stainless top white wood buffet which is now in the kitchen will migrate to the dining room, where it will continue to be our liquor cabinet...even though we are not stocking much of that, it would look good there next to the stools for the bar. And of course, on the opposite wall which has the south facing windows, will be the window seat/storage/dining table bookended by the floor/ceiling tall cabs serving as pantries. Of course there will be file storage space under the window seat. Oh but I am running on. So sorry. As if I did not have chores I need to do that are more pressing. I don't have time to learn this software, or to think about the kitchen now, when I'm knee deep in alligators!!!!
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Joe_Harper
12 years ago
Hi. Google SketchUp is free and powerful - http://sketchup.google.com/ - There is also a pro version which you'll pay a few hundred dollars for but is well worth it as you get the 'plan view' option which is great. A really useful garden design package. Take a look at my website if you'd like to get an idea of what can be achieved with SketchUp - http://www.dimensionsgardendesign.co.uk

Hope this helps.

Joe
Garden Design London

Dimensions Garden Design

Here is a link that might be useful: Garden Design London
earthworm73
12 years ago
toad ca thanks for posting this. I was wondering the same thing. BTW I live right up the road from you in Birch Bay.
toad_ca
Original Author
12 years ago
Hey there neighbor earthworm73!
Abdulsamad Ebrahim
last year
Hi is anybody know aa design software for greenhouse design which coud give approx. building cost?

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