Garden Design on Your Computer, Part 2: choosing the best software for you

By Jan Recchio (grampapa) February 24, 2008

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It's time to choose your garden design software now. There are some things you need to consider before you make your decision. When I was first contemplating such a purchase, I was in the process of having a new home built and had a completely unlandscaped 3/4 acre lot that was purely mud and rocks; a blank canvas, if you will. You may be in a similar situation, or you may have 25 acres, or possibly a tiny city lot that's already planted and you just want to rearrange. Your software should be tailored to your needs.

Some things to consider:

♦  This is non-negotiable.  You must choose a package that is compatible with your hardware/software platform.  So if you have a MAC and they do not make a MAC-compatible version, you are out of luck.  Similarly, if you run VISTA on your PC, you will be limited to the few that have advanced beyond Windows XP.  You should review all of the hardware requirements carefully and be sure that your PC meets all the mimimums. 

♦ How important is price to you?  If you only plan to use the software for a limited period of time or for only one project, you should probably keep the cost down.  However, if you are like many gardeners and are constantly building new beds, moving plants and redesigning existing garden space, you may want to spend more and be sure you have all the features you want.

♦ Do you have a dial-up internet connection or limited on-line access?  One package requires you to be online to access their objects database even though the application is installed on your PC.  And some programs are totally web-based. 

♦ Are you interested in building a scale model of your home (or using a pre-built model similar to your home), or would a photo be sufficient?  If you, or other family members, are interested in interior decorating or remodeling, you might want to expand your search slightly and be sure you get something that allows you to plan the interior of your home as well.  I planned my kitchen exactly as I wanted it and then gave it to the kitchen designer to see if he thought it would work. 

 

 

♦ Are you a very visual person who would like to see the whole plan in more realistic 3D, or would you be satisfied with a 2D planting diagram to scale?

                                       

                  2D line drawing                            2D garden plan                            3D garden plan

♦ Do you want to be able to indicate changes in terrain such as hills?   The image at left illustrates the drop-off at the end of my lot as you approach the water and also the raised bed of the Heather/Dwarf Conifer garden.

♦ Do you have plans to build a deck or pool that you will want to landscape around?  At right is the fencing and landscaping that surrounds my pool.

♦ Do you plan to include a water feature, such as a pond, stream or waterfall at any time?  Below is a small pond I'd like to have inside my pool fence someday.  Well, maybe not quite this ambitious.

                        

You should prioritize your list and match your needs and wants to what is available.  By the time you finish it should be fairly obvious to you which package is the right choice.

Next week I'll try to help you get your feet wet so you can get started on that new garden plan.

The table below from Part 1 of this series is included again for your reference.

About Jan Recchio   I'm a 'dabble' gardener. Been gardening for over 40 years. I will plant anything that will grow for me and some things that won't, indoors or out. Outdoors I have theme gardens: roses, butterfly/hummingbird, heathers/dwarf conifers, a rock garden (in progress) and a new English-style cottage garden with an herb garden at it's 'heart'. Indoors I try to concentrate on orchids, African violets, anything that will flower or has lots of color and unusual houseplants. I try to stay organic and keep chemicals to a bare minimum. My non-gardening interests include quilting, counted cross-stitch and watercolor painting. I am a proud grandma and before my recent retirement, I was a clinical systems analyst (computer geek) for 24 years.

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Subject: Total 3D...software has issues

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Posted by Sonoita (from Sonoita, AZ) on March 31, 2008 at 1:10 PM:

I bought this product and have had a minimum of 4 problems from downloading to simply saving the designs. I have requested customer support 2X and received none. Beware!

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Posted by grampapa (from Wheatfield, NY) on March 31, 2008 at 3:47 PM:

Thanks for posting the warning. The lack of customer support is a big issue in itself.

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Posted by DirtyKneesMe (from San Antonio, TX) on February 25, 2008 at 11:31 PM:

Great article. I've had 2 garden design packages (several years ago) and neither one was very good. Including examples of what you were able to do with your package gives me hope, I just wish you had said which package you are using. Also wish you had mentioned whether users are able to expand the database of plants, and if so, the maxium db size.

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Posted by grampapa (from Wheatfield, NY) on February 26, 2008 at 8:04 AM:

Hi, Dirty. I discussed which package I am using in Part 1. It's the last one in the table, and unfortunately it is no longer sold or supported by the company. I've had good results with it, but I think there are better ones now. I have just acquired Realtime Landscaping PRO, but haven't had it long enough to recommend it yet.

If you missed, you might want to go back and read Part 1. There are possibilities with some of the packages of adding your own objects to the db, but I don't know how practical that is. I have no knowledge of maximum db size. You would have to contact the vendors for that info. Here's the link to Part 1. (there are links to all the vendor sites)

[HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com]

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Posted by SapphiresMom (from Elm Mott, TX) on February 25, 2008 at 11:13 PM:

It sounds like a wonderful idea. Until now, my idea of garden design is to plant as many rose bushes as I can. I do pay attention to spacing them properly. Right now, I have roses in my front, back and one side yard. In the back they are along 100 feet of my back fence. I have started a second row along that same fence. The side fence is approximately 35 feet and I am already two rows of rose bushes there.

More roses are better, I say. They look beautiful in the spring and summer and fall when they are blooming. The smells of the different kinds of roses are wonderful, too.

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Posted by grampapa (from Wheatfield, NY) on February 26, 2008 at 7:55 AM:

S'Mom, I definitely agree on the roses. More is better!! But you may want to consider doing something different than just planting them in rows if you have the space.

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Posted by tashe6161 (from Hanson, MA) on February 25, 2008 at 9:05 AM:

Thanks so much for looking into this subject!
I picked up Punch Landscape Pro Vs 10 for $40 at Office Max. Right off the bat I'm not happy as it limits scale to architectural (ie 1' = 1/8") and it looks like most house plans are drawn in engineering scale (ie 1" = 20'). I believe this means if you want to scan in a house plan @ 20 scale & use it you need to be a math wiz to get it to print properly for 2D construction drawings. Besides that drawback, I am finding it very confusing to start out with.
I was dabbling in Sketchup a few months ago. Do you think that is worth the brain space to try to master instead? I also have used Publisher for some landscape drawings. It came free with my MS Office package. Its a pain to use but it does work ok.
I really appreciate your efforts!

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Posted by Forensicmom (from Millersville, MD) on February 25, 2008 at 10:01 AM:

I'm sorry you had trouble with it. I can see what you mean.

My only experience with landscape software is one called "Complete Landscape and Garden Designer" by Sierra. It was only $14.99 from Amazon.com and I've had a year now. It does everything that I wanted. It gives me a visual of what I'm doing. It doesn't make things to exact scale, which make things difficult unless you also draw a plan to scale (which I do).

Someone people have had bad problems with the software itself not loading properly but all of the files except one loaded for me and I'm able to do what I bought it for. Also, it is a DVD so you need a DVD drive. Some people could not get it to work but were trying it in a CD drive.

Good luck.

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Posted by grampapa (from Wheatfield, NY) on February 25, 2008 at 10:16 AM:

I found that it was easier to build the house in the software to scale from the original blueprints than to scan it in. Might take longer to start, but then you've got it right. The Punch product allows that, doesn't it? It's hard to tell from the descriptions.

In the long run, every one of the programs on the market will have some drawbacks, regardless of how much you pay for it. Unfortunately, you probably won't find them until after you work with it a while. So much depends on what you want you want to do with it.

Forensicmom, I'm glad you found a program you like at a reasonable price. You found a way to work within it's limitations. Good for you!

~ jan

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Posted by tashe6161 (from Hanson, MA) on February 25, 2008 at 11:36 AM:

Well, until I find something else that will allow me to draw in engineering scale, I guess I'll try to learn Sketchup. Just that drawback alone is enough to make me consider something else besides Punch Landscape Pro. If anyone has feedback/tips on landscape designing in Sketchup or any other program that allows designing to scale, I'd appreciate it. Tx again!

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Posted by KashtanGeorge (from Sochi
(Russia)) on February 24, 2008 at 5:47 PM:

Thanks for a real comprehensive research on the theme! It came just in time, cause I'm still in the process of organising
my garden.

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Posted by grampapa (from Wheatfield, NY) on February 24, 2008 at 7:11 PM:

I'm so glad you found it helpful.

~ jan

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Posted by Pamgarden (from Central, VA) on February 24, 2008 at 2:01 PM:

Jan, What a great comparison. I tried a Punch software package 5 years or more ago, but I could never get it to work properly for me. I finally gave up in disgust. I'm ready to try again. I'm sure they've improved immensely over the years, and it looks like the price isn't any higher than back then either. Thanks for a great article.

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Posted by grampapa (from Wheatfield, NY) on February 24, 2008 at 4:44 PM:

You're welcome. There are a lot more choices than there were 5 years ago. Graphics are better. They should be able to do a better job.

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Posted by Cordeledawg (from Cordele, GA) on February 24, 2008 at 3:47 AM:

Just what the gardening doctor ordered! Just minutes ago another DG'er and I were talking about gardening design programs. Then, your article appears on the Home page like magic. Thank you! Can hardly wait to read next week's article.

edit to say: I see now that this is part two. Somehow I missed your first one. See ya, gone searching for part one.

This message was edited Feb 24, 2008 2:50 AM

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Posted by grampapa (from Wheatfield, NY) on February 24, 2008 at 7:46 AM:

Your wish is my command (bowing). If you have any questions (the kind I can answer LOL), either ask here or shoot me a D-mail.

here's a link to Part 1

[HYPERLINK@davesgarden.com]

did you know you can just scroll down to the bottom of the article and click on

Read more articles by Jan Recchio

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Posted by Riverland (from Northeast, LA) on February 24, 2008 at 12:50 PM:

Outstanding article. Your research for this must have been very time consuming. I really appreciate your contributions.(all articles) thanks Cindy

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