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!

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

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

toad ca thanks for posting this. I was wondering the same thing. BTW I live right up the road from you in Birch Bay.

Hey there neighbor earthworm73!

Hi is anybody know aa design software for greenhouse design which coud give approx. building cost?