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Garden Design Software

Sam JessonSam Jesson Posts: 121
in Garden design

Good afternoon Gardeners' World!

I'd like to find out what software people use for garden design? I've got enough spare time and computer no-how to get to grips with professional grade software but also interested to see what people use for amateur or quick drawings.

Thanks image

Sam

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Posts

  • Mel MMel M Posts: 347

    Same here. Pencil and paper to lay out my allotment for the comming season, taking into account plot rotation. Usually takes three or so attempts, mind, due to my uncontrolable urge to purchase seed at the drop of a hat!!

  • YviestevieYviestevie Posts: 7,066

    We've had a couple of threads on this subject in the past, in fact I started one.  The concensus seems to be that there is nothing out there at a reasonable price that would suit the amateur gardener.  Unless someone has found something recentlyimage

    Hi from Kingswinford in the West Midlands
  • ClaringtonClarington Posts: 4,949

    Pencil and paper. Mind you as someone who used to design oil refineries my garden designs work on a +/- 5mm tolerance.

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Paper and  technical pencil, and a good scale rule - for obvious reasons image

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039

    hose pipe is essential for marking the shape of beds

    Never draw anything to scale.

    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • D0rdogne_DamselD0rdogne_Damsel Posts: 4,184

    My OH is a software writer and when I asked him to write something for me he said anything that would be of any use would be too complicated for me to operate. image I hope that is a reflection of the complicated nature of the software and not the simplicity of my brain. image

    • “Coffee. Garden. Coffee. Does a good morning need anything else?” —Betsy Cañas Garmon
  • Mulberry badgerMulberry badger Posts: 20

    I think it is essential to know about plants first so that you can stick to the right plant, right place rule.  There are so many things to consider with garden design but there are a number of good books out there to help.  I have always found the computer programmes on design difficult.  I am not a young whiz kid on computers but I am not too bad.  If you do find a gardener friendly design programme I would be interested too.  Good luck

  • pete6pete6 Posts: 4

    I was taught on autocad in horticulture college, after pencil and a scale ruler of course. 

  • Lyn Sycamore CottageLyn Sycamore Cottage Posts: 21

    Had a software prog bought as present have to say never got past trying to put boundaries in; pencil and paper way easier and less frustrating, also marking out in the garden and looking at it essential, I'm far from a Luddite( teach in secondary school DT dept) just the design programmes all seem to be to overcomplicated and take the fun out of planning. Some of my best designs have been sketched out on scrap bit of paper over a cuppa before I forget my great idea lol and that's without full design spec; manu spec or flow chart or Gantt chart image but don't tell my gcse students image

  • Sharon116Sharon116 Posts: 11

    Any suggestions for SOFTWARE would be useful. I have heard about pencil and paper before but this is not what I want. 

    Pencil and paper is OK for some people but for others, software is preferred. I don't want to use pencil and paper as I might change my mind and need to amend many, many times and don't want to have to start from scratch every time. This is why software is better!

    Something simple would be good - I'm OK on the computer but want to be able to work out how to use it easily.

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