10.11.2017

Download the program for planning the yard. Free programs for landscape design in Russian: overview

Every business owner wants to see his land holdings well-maintained, beautiful, and pleasing to the eye. He hatches ideas to implement them in any free time. Some turn to the Internet, wander through its pages for a long time in search of the most suitable landscape design option, etc. It is impossible to consider all the options, but here we will offer the easiest free editors for beginner designers, as well as quite complex software materials for specialist designers.

An example of a program interface for creating landscape design

Usually, before the design begins, the garden plot already contains the necessary set of elements: trees, bushes, hills. When they are boring in their natural form and do not suit the owner, then they can be easily changed and given a comfortable appearance. If this is still flat, bare land, and the owner wants to have a luxurious garden, then he will have to fork out money to purchase the necessary components, and start developing a landscape project from a blank page.

With their mastery, an inexperienced landscape designer should begin developing a design with his own hands. These editors, as a rule, are Russified and contain video materials containing lessons.

Users are invited to download for beginners, the development of which does not require special skills. However, it is not so easy to compare programs in terms of complexity and the range of functions provided online.

It is better to evaluate them taking into account your own financial capabilities and the time required to develop them. Purchasing a pirated version may result in without considering the results in the 3D version, and moreover, it does not always guarantee trouble-free use.

If the owner of the estate has a great desire to create a wonderful garden with his own hands, then he should consider and download the “Landscape Art” materials for designing projects, offered to inexperienced designers. Or buy a set of disks containing programs in this series, which are freely sold on the market in Russian.

Disadvantages: files are saved and opened only in Punch formats; English language.

You can create a design project around it without downloading any landscape editors. There are programs that will help you develop a home landscape project without downloading in online conditions - connecting your computer to the Internet. And for beginner designers, the World Wide Web is full of training courses, which are replete with photographs and videos for developing a full-fledged design option for the design of the territory.

Developing landscape design is a task that arises both for specialists who carry out real projects, and for ordinary homeowners and gardeners who dream of creating a piece of paradise on their land. To solve this problem, different programs are used that meet different requirements in this area.

Design programs are used for fast and intuitive design. They are easy to learn and can be used by a person who does not have special knowledge to complete landscape design sketches.

Programs for professionals based on three-dimensional modeling and programming may be more complex and slower in creating a project, but in return they give the user complete freedom of creativity and graphic presentation of material.

Let's compare the main programs used in the landscape design environment and determine their compliance with the tasks.

Using the Realtime Landscaping Architect program, you can create a detailed landscape project with very beautiful and neat design graphics. A pleasant interface and simple operating logic, combined with a large library of standard elements, make the program suitable for both professionals and beginners in landscape design.

Realtime Landscaping Architect combines both the properties of a designer and drawing and modeling tools. The advantage of the program is the ability to create an individual house project. Site elements are assembled from library elements. An important function is the ability to model the relief with a brush. High-quality real-time visualization is another plus of the program, and the function of animation of a person in a scene is a real highlight in the graphic presentation of the project.

Despite its construction focus, Archicad is also used for landscape design. For these purposes, the program has a library of elements (with the possibility of its subsequent increase), the function of creating drawings and estimates, and unlimited possibilities in designing a residential building.

Relief in Archikad can be created based on topographic and geodetic surveys or modeled by points. Unlike other programs, it does not provide relief modeling with a brush, nor the creation of parametric landscape elements, such as custom paths. Archicad can be recommended for modeling simple and formal landscapes in addition to the main building design.

Our Garden Ruby

Our Ruby Garden is a program that can be safely recommended to people who are interested in gardening. This is a simple three-dimensional landscape design editor that does not pretend to carry out complex projects, however, unlike all other programs, it pays the greatest attention to the plant library. The library is implemented in the form of an encyclopedia, which contains comprehensive information about various plants that can be added to the project.

Our Rubin Garden does not have such graphics as Realtime Landscaping Architect; it cannot make detailed drawings, as in Archicad, but thanks to the Russian-language interface, convenient configurators and a flexible tool for drawing paths, the program can be used by a completely untrained user.

X-Designer

The X-Designer application has similar qualities to Our Garden Rubin - Russian-language interface, simplicity and formality of creating objects. X-Designer does not have the same powerful library of plants as its “sister”, but it has several important differences.

The project scene in X-Designer can be reflected for any season, including grass/snow cover and the presence of leaves and their colors on the trees. Another nice feature is the flexibility in terrain modeling, which even Realtime Landscaping Architect can envy.

Still, despite its advantages, X-Designer looks quite outdated, and its library of elements cannot be replenished. This program is suitable for simple and formal projects, as well as for teaching.

Being a universal and super-functional program for, Autodesk 3ds Max can easily handle the development of landscape design. This program is used by professionals, as it actually does not limit creative work.

Any 3D model of a plant or inanimate object can be easily downloaded or modeled yourself. If you need to create realistic grass or a random scattering of stones, you can use additional plugins such as MultiScatter or Forrest Pack. Realistic renderings are also created in the 3ds Max environment. The only limitation is the inability to create drawings based on the completed scene, as in Archicad.

Working professionally in Autodesk 3ds Max will take time to learn and practice, but the results are worth it.

Punch Home Design

Punch Home Design is a somewhat crude but functional program with which you can design a house and its surrounding area. The main focus of the program is on creating a house, for which the user can use various configurators.

Punch Home Design has no advantages over Realtime Landscaping Architect in landscape design features, but lags behind in terms of graphics and usability. The program cannot build a relief, but there is a free modeling function. The Punch Home Design program can hardly be recommended for landscape design by specialists and amateurs.

Envisioneer Express

This program, like Archicad, is used for building design, but at the same time it has quite good functionality for landscape design. The highlight of Envisioneer Express is a huge library of objects, especially plants, which will allow you to create an individual and living project for your local area. Using the program, you can obtain estimates and drawings for the project. Envisioneer Express will also allow you to create high-quality sketch renderings of the scene.

FloorPlane 3D

FloorPlane 3D is a building sketching tool that also includes landscaping capabilities. The functions of reproducing nature around the house are quite formal. The user can fill the scene with flower beds, paths and plants, but the rough and non-Russian interface will not allow them to enjoy creativity. The program's graphics are inferior to both Realtime Landscaping Architect and Punch Home Design.

To quickly design a garden, it will be easier for a beginner to use X-Designer or Our Garden Rubin.

SketchUp

Sketchup, traditionally, is used for 3D sketch modeling. Unlike specialized programs for landscape design, SketchUp does not have designer functions and a large library of elements.

This program will not be able to cope with landscape design tasks to the same extent as Autodesk 3ds Max, but it will allow you to quickly create a sketch model of a house and surrounding area. Professionals often use SketchUp in cases where detailed elaboration of the scene is not required, and speed of work and graphic presentation come first.

So we looked at the main programs used for landscape design. As a conclusion, we will describe for what purposes this or that program is better suited.

Fast modeling of landscape objects - SketchUp, Realtime Landscaping Architect, X-Designer, Our Garden Rubin.

Development of visualizations and drawings of adjacent areas - Archicad, Envisioneer Express, FloorPlane 3D, Punch Home Design.

Designing complex landscapes, performing professional visualizations - Autodesk 3ds Max, Realtime Landscaping Architect.

Creating a model of your own garden or local area - Realtime Landscaping Architect, X-Designer, Our Garden Rubin.

A landscape design sketch can be drawn by hand in front of the customer or in the office, at home, but this can be done either with a regular pencil or by adding paints. If we move on to more complex stages (general plan, layout and planting drawings), then in the modern world we simply cannot do without computer technology.

Programs for site design will satisfy both a novice designer and a professional - everyone chooses a program according to their level and capabilities.

Our Garden Ruby

If you want to work with the best programs, then contact Our Garden Rubin. This is a special landscape planner that will help you design a garden plot at any level of complexity.

Our Garden Crystal

This program combines a unique plant encyclopedia with the latest landscape design capabilities. Whether you are a beginner, an amateur gardener, or have been designing a landscape for years, this software will help you in any case.

Using it you can not only learn yourself, but also teach others, which is why “Our Garden Crystal” can be found more than once as a teaching aid for teachers and students of design schools, colleges, and institutes.

Realtime Landscaping Architect

If you want not just to arrange elements around your site, but to turn your landscape into a dream, then turn your attention to this program. It uses new 3D technologies that even a beginner can master. Dream, fantasize, and make your visions come true!

FloorPlan 3D Deluxe

The program helps to visualize the design of landscapes, houses and apartments in 3D space. It is simple and reliable. Will help you simulate a landscape area.

This program is distinguished by high quality graphics, the presence of various and convenient tools, and great opportunities for creating 3D projects.

PUNCH!

This program is good because it allows you to add various landscape elements, buildings, and even work in three-dimensional mode to your site. However, it has significant drawbacks - in PUNCH you will not be able to add your own objects (only standard ones), and you will also not be able to export your work to any 3D format.

Sierra Land Designer 3D

This program is also very attractive to users due to its versatility. It allows you not only to design your future landscape (not only in 2D, but also in 3D visualization), but also change the position of the camera to see your garden from different angles. It is also possible to see how your garden will look in different seasons and at different times of the day, which is especially important when designing lighting.

Google SketchUp

There are programs for site design that were not originally intended for this. Google SketchUp is just one of them. However, it can be safely used for this task, for example, to check the effects of shadow from the sun at any time of the day.

We present to your attention an online program for planning a summer cottage plot measuring 6 acres for Opera, Chrome, Firefox browsers. Our program is very easy to use. It is intended for independent planning of a summer cottage, a garden plot, as well as a plot for a cottage or country house. The dacha plot planning program is constantly updated with new objects. For now, it is designed for planning a rectangular plot of 6 acres measuring 20x30 m. You can familiarize yourself with the description of the operation of the online program for planning a summer cottage.

Our garden layout software comes with a large selection of buildings and plants that can be placed on the plan. We tried to make the images of objects clear and additionally labeled each object in the tooltip. Most objects are shown from above, but some objects are shown from the front for clarity. Almost every object is presented in several copies. For example, you can put two parking lots and one garden swing on the plan.

The program's menu of buildings contains: house, outbuildings, greenhouse, swimming pool, parking lot, garden path, well, swing.

The plant menu contains: green and red apple trees, pear, plum, cherry, spruce, birch, flower beds, including roses and tulips, berry and ornamental bushes, lawn, garden bed.

Online network service for Chrome, Firefox, Opera browsers:

The program for planning a summer cottage allows you to set the required size of an object with an accuracy of up to 50 cm. The smallest size of an object can be made 50x50 cm. The initial size of objects is set to the average for the most popular site - 6 acres. The site plan is provided with a dimensional grid every 1 m. The cells on the plan have a size of 1x1 m. Thickened lines are drawn every 5 m. The program allows you to place an object on the plan with an accuracy of up to 50 cm (i.e., up to half a cell).

As the site is planned, the program makes it possible online to repeatedly change the size of objects, move them, remove them from the plan and add them again.

How to make a plan for a summer cottage using an online program

You can make a rough site plan when only the approximate dimensions of the site, buildings and plants are known, and this may be enough to create an image of the site.

For an accurate plan, you first need to measure the site and all objects on it (position and size of objects in length, width, height). As well as the position of the site relative to the cardinal points to determine the shady and sunny places of the site in the morning, afternoon and evening. An accurate plan is necessary when planning a new house or other buildings, for landscaping work, for the correct selection of sizes and for estimating the volume of material.

Based on the known dimensions, we begin to plan the garden plot. Using the planning program, we will first establish on the plan permanent buildings (house, outbuildings, well), trees and bushes that will remain on the site. When choosing the location of a new house, it is necessary to take into account the supply of electricity, water, gas, as well as the direction and size of the shadow from the house. Then we place the car parking. Now is the time to conveniently arrange the tracks. The remaining space on the site is occupied by a recreation area, a lawn, a garden, a flower bed, and a vegetable garden. We set up a gazebo, swing, barbecue, table, pool. It is important to take into account the presence of shade during the daytime in the recreation area, flower garden, or vegetable garden. It is convenient to place the recreation area in the shade, and place the pool, flower garden and vegetable garden mainly in the sunlit part of the site, taking into account the nature of the plants.

Happy planning!

The computer has firmly entered our professional and everyday life. It is also a familiar working tool for me - having tried a number of programs at different levels, I settled on two that most satisfy professional requirements and are convenient from a user point of view. Being a professional interior designer, I got used to using Autodesk products in my work: AutoCad for drawings and 3D Max for three-dimensional modeling and visualization.

But, with a large plot of land - 103 acres, I was faced with the fact that the usual combination of "AutoCad + Max" for such areas is not a very good solution: if drawings are still convenient to make using AutoCad, then 3D Max is very cumbersome. And rendering anything larger than a room becomes basically impossible for my hardware - at least in a logical time.
At first I followed the path of what was already familiar and well-known - I tried to use other Autodesk products: Revit is familiar and convenient, it has the ability to create a real landscape - with different heights and a large area, but still, the program is more suitable for architectural design: it is much more convenient to design structures there from channels and I-beams than beds. AutoCAD Civil 3D is designed for landscapes, but operates on a much larger scale - highways, bridges, and even a hectare of land, Civil 3D is like a bull in a china shop.
I came to the conclusion that if new requirements appeared, it was necessary to master something new - special programs for landscape design: after all, modern landscape designers work in some programs. What a surprise and disappointment it was: finding a program suitable for landscape design that satisfies my understanding of the working tool turned out to be difficult. More precisely, it’s not possible - at least it didn’t work out for me.

What software do landscape designers work with?

There are programs designed for designing a summer cottage or suburban area. Most often, when searching for “landscape design software,” the following options are offered:

Punch Home Design;
SketchUp;
Our Garden Crystal;
Our Ruby Garden;
Sierra Land Designer 3D.

Workspace of the program Our Garden Rubin

All of them have an intuitive interface, easy to learn for beginners in computer design. The programs allow you to build a house in virtual space; you can use the functions of paving, creating fences, including hedges, and artificial reservoirs. Place small architectural forms (gazebos, benches, etc.) in the designed landscape and plan plantings.

They have the ability to design in 2D and view 3D views. There is an option to view the site at different times of the day, and in different seasons - winter, summer or autumn. As an additional tool, large libraries of plants have been formed with an indication of climatic zonation, an encyclopedia of care and the ability to make any notes on planting, watering or other agricultural practices.

It seems that the creators of the programs have thought of everything for productive work. But, in my opinion, all these programs fall very far short of the professional level. It is, rather, a type of popular computer game, a real life simulator - “The Sims”.
The ability to create a real landscape with a vertical layout is either absent or very limited and fraught with difficulties. And the large area of the site in construction causes certain difficulties. Construction by size and binding to objects is also very conditional.
Some programs have the ability to create your own models - buildings, small architectural forms, but in most cases - you can only insert ready-made solutions offered in the kit. The possibilities of creating a specific bed or flower bed, with the exact number of real plants, are implemented poorly or not at all.
That is, it’s possible to have fun by changing the paving stones on the path from the proposed options or “planting” bushes and trees, but drawing up a working project, in my opinion, is not. Therefore, I can’t understand how professional landscapers use these tools: I can’t imagine that these “sketches” can be used by people who will actually lay out paths on the site or plant plants.
Of course, I don’t plan to hire people to improve my site, but I would also like to have clear working documentation for myself. Therefore, apparently, you will have to use what you are used to, especially since three-dimensional images are much less valuable than informative drawings.

Realtime Landscaping Architect 2016

By the way, I finally came across an interesting program that allows you to design a landscape. This
Realtime Landscaping Architect 2016 by Spectrum Idea. You can download the trial version or buy one of three options: Realtime Landscaping Pro Realtime Landscaping Plus or Realtime Landscaping Architect. All three versions make it possible to work on an area of up to 40 hectares. The coolest of the three versions is Realtime Landscaping Architect. It allows you to create quite acceptable drawings, and when designing, export the drawing in CAD format to the project, which makes construction very easy.

Realtime Landscaping Architect

On the plan you can put down dimensions, make callouts with captions, insert screenshots from a 3D view, and a list of plants. It is also possible to insert any document: an Excel table, text in Word, a photograph of a real view of the site.
The 3D image looks like this:

The conventional landscape in the background can be replaced with a real photograph of the surrounding area around your site. The appearance of the sky also changes - you can substitute a photograph of a thunderstorm, for example. In addition to the standard perspective view, cameras with adjustable position and viewing angle are installed - this makes it possible to see the territory from unusual angles - for example, from a bird's eye view. You can set the exact time, select the season - spring, winter, summer or autumn. And add background sound - for example, recording the sound of wind, rustling leaves or birdsong. In addition to static pictures, it is possible to take a video of a walk around the site.

The most valuable thing about Realtime Landscaping Architect, in my opinion, is the following.

Vertical layout

One of the features of Realtime Landscaping Architect that distinguishes it from other programs is the ability to create a terrain that is close to the real one.

By setting the shape and size of the area, you can increase the number of vertical and horizontal grid lines, and then select the point editing mode to create a relief. If you know the exact heights, you can set them in the window, or simply move the anchor points with the mouse. All objects placed on the created terrain - a stream, a house, paths, fences or hedges - automatically take into account the created terrain, “climbing” hills or “diving” into ravines.

Paths and streams can be edited: change the trajectory by adding or removing anchor points, or moving them. The type of paving of the path, the bottom of the stream and the amount of water in it also change - you can make it dry out and the water remains only in the depressions. For each object, the perimeter and area are automatically specified.

In addition to gentle hills, you can additionally make depressions with steep walls - for example, a ditch. The same tool is used to “excavation” for a pool or pond.

Plants grow

In total, the Realtime Landscaping Architect library contains more than 7,000 plants. There are images in the form of drawings and photographs. You can use your own photographs - exactly those varieties that you directly selected, adding images to the library. And the most important thing is that the plants you “planted” grow - you have the opportunity to imagine how they will look in a few years, how they will overgrow the area allotted to them.

Every business owner wants to see his land holdings well-maintained, beautiful, and pleasing to the eye. He hatches ideas to implement them in any free time. Some turn to the Internet, wander through its pages for a long time in search of the most suitable landscape design option and... It is impossible to consider all the options, but here we will offer the easiest free editors for beginner designers, as well as quite complex software materials for specialist designers.

An example of a program interface for creating landscape design

With their mastery, an inexperienced landscape designer should begin developing a design with his own hands. These editors, as a rule, are Russified and contain video materials containing lessons.

It is better to evaluate them taking into account your own financial capabilities and the time required to develop them. Purchasing a pirated version may result in without considering the results in the 3D version, and moreover, it does not always guarantee trouble-free use.

Google SketchUp program interface for designing landscape design on a site

They will help the novice designer in developing the following elements:

lawns, flower beds;
reservoirs, fountains;
paved paths;
stone decor in the garden.

Professional packages

They are not distributed free of charge, and, as a rule:

expensive;
for studying is labor intensive; difficult to use;
have options.

However, among them there are programs that are easy to learn. It would be a good idea to read the training manual before using them. Their language is usually English or Russian, or both.

Our Garden 10_4 Crystal

Professionals call this software in Russian for creating landscapes an encyclopedia. It consists of a set of programs with a simple interface and ease of management. No prior training is required; it is readily used by landscape design masters to carry out orders from their clients and demonstrate completed projects in 3D.

An example of landscape design development in the Our Garden program

Provides the following DIY design capabilities:

change the terrain of the site;
place lawns, fences, paths, plants, ponds;
see what the plot and garden will look like after a few years;
view the final result in 3D format.

Software Contents

For professional work, the program includes the following editors:

curbs;
fences;
relief;
stairs;
paving;
structures;
ground cover plants;
3D view;
changing photos.

In addition, there is a calculator with the help of which a working version of the estimate is developed in order to set a price for each object of the plan and show the client the geometric parameters of its calculation, such as units of length, area, etc. The creation of catalogs of price indicators, as well as their updating, is done manually. And a summary table of the cost of the entire project is calculated automatically. The name of each editor reveals its purpose. Together they cover the variety of designs used in landscape design.

Various elements for landscape design

They allow you to demonstrate created projects, show how shadows, the color of leaves, and lawns change at a specific time of day, month, or season. Even snow cover can be displayed on all design elements. The software's arsenal includes information on more than 7 thousand ornamental plants with photographs and detailed descriptions. It can be downloaded to your computer.

Trees, flowers, shrubs that will fill the designed garden are filtered during selection according to parameters such as size, soil for planting, time of flowering and replanting, life span, as well as many other characteristics.

The program includes an encyclopedia containing all kinds of plant diseases and pests. It also allows them to be identified by specific characteristics and suggests ways to prevent the harm they cause.

There are also free tables of agrotechnical regimes for caring for flora, as well as for controlling weeds, which will definitely visit a landscaped garden. Such a rich arsenal of software functions should not scare off a novice designer, because they are not difficult to understand, especially if the user is obsessed with the idea of designing his site in the highest class.

When a person has a dacha or just a plot of land, he is faced with the important question of how to properly manage the territory. You shouldn’t dig up everything, build, mark out everything at once. It’s better to start by reading the relevant literature and asking experienced gardeners for advice. When designing, you will need to take into account many different nuances, for example, how to correlate the site with the cardinal points (this is necessary in order to correctly position all future buildings). Generally, The planning process is a rather complex and costly process.

You will need to delimit a space for buildings, a recreation area, and a parking lot. All this is decided before the house is built. The fact is that from the first days you will need somewhere to sleep, relax, and have lunch. You can first build a temporary shed, and later move it to the utility block.

In general, there is a lot of work to be done. It is important not to make a mistake anywhere and plan everything in advance. Landscape design programs will help you with this. On the Internet you can find a huge number of ready-made layout options, but how nice it is to create and implement your own project based on your preferences and tastes.

Today there is more than a hundred different landscape editors that offer different functionality. It can be quite difficult to figure out which program is best suited. We will help you with this.

How to choose

First you need to determine your level of preparedness. For example, if you are not particularly good with technology and have only mastered basic computer knowledge, then it is better to give preference to simple home programs.

You will be required just enter the parameters of your land plot and choose from ready-made models presented in the database (there are quite a lot of projects, there will be plenty to choose from).

But, if you are serious, you need to create a drawing or layout with your own hands, then you will need a graphic editor with extensive functionality. Unfortunately, utilities for detailed model creation are not officially distributed free of charge. To work, you will have to purchase a licensed product (download a pirated version) offered by the developer.

Five best programs for home use

The advantage of home editors is that they have a very simple and understandable interface for everyone, they are distributed free of charge, allowing almost everyone to create their own site layout and change already available projects to suit their needs. This is really convenient; sometimes it is very difficult to understand what an idea will look like when implemented in life. We'll tell you about the five most convenient and functional landscape design programs.

X-Designer – garden plot planning

This is perhaps one of the simplest programs for designing landscape design. It does not require the user to have any knowledge or skills in operation. It's very easy to understand.

The program is easy to download and install (we downloaded), but the utility can be easily found using a search engine).

It’s not difficult to figure it out, it will take the average user no more than 10-15 minutes. First, you just need to enter the type of your plot, indicate its dimensions, set the date and other parameters. For example, let’s call our plot “my plot” and choose dimensions 60x80. Next, select the month, date and time of day.

Then all that remains is to fully plan the structure and select decorations from the library (quite a large selection of models). As an example, let’s take our site and display a house (the dimensions of each object can be changed, for example, specify the slope, dimensions, etc.).

Each plant is accompanied by a voluminous card, which describes how to care for, water and its characteristics. You can also monitor in real time the changes in the flower bed in the coming years, taking into account the characteristics of the growth and development of the selected landscaping.

The program is convenient in its simplicity. Like X-Designer, it is very easy to understand (it will take no more than 20 minutes to learn the basics and get into the process). You can download it using a search engine (we took the program).

After opening, you will need to choose whether to create a new design, open a plan from a computer, or edit a template design.

A new design means planning a project from scratch. For example, let's create a small area measuring 5x10.

Next, we will build a house, the same as in the previous program. Let's place a tree lantern and a bench. It will look something like this:

It is much easier to change an already prepared plan than to create a completely new one. However, your own design will help take into account all the details of the site and your wishes.

As in the previous program, here is presented a huge selection of objects and tools for working with the site. All of them are divided into categories to make it easier for the user to find the right model.

Tools are needed to create a site. With their help, you can mark out the territory and create the necessary areas. A distinctive feature of the program is its simplicity, it is easy to learn and it makes it possible to schematically evaluate the layout of your site.

SketchUp

Functional utility for creating projects. It allows you to develop a full-scale landscape design and carry out preliminary preparation and territory planning.

There are two versions of the software - free and paid. The first is suitable for home use, allowing the user to take advantage of all the necessary functions. The second is needed for commercial purposes of companies and ordinary designers.

The easiest way to download the program is through a torrent client or the official website (you will be provided with a temporary free license).

One of the most significant advantages of the utility is its collaboration with third-party Google products. For example, the service allows you to automatically exchange data with Google Earth. This is truly convenient, because you don’t need to create a three-dimensional model of the site manually, but you can simply take a ready-made one from the globe, which will fully correspond to the real parameters. This material is easier to work with.

However the average user will find it difficult to cope with this program. It is complex, because it allows you to work out each element in detail. SketchUp is more suitable for experienced designers; if you need such a detailed design, then it is better to turn to a professional.

Our Garden Rubin 9.0

This program is a kind of Russian version of Sierra (an excellent design program, but it is not translated into Russian). All the possibilities are similar, and the implementation methods are similar. The program is divided into several blocks, each of which is designed to solve a specific problem. If you use the entire range of functions at once, you can get a completely finished landscape design project for the territory.

One of the main advantages of the utility is that the interface is translated into Russian. It is distributed free of charge, which means it does not offer huge functions and is designed for the average user.

Yet again, the program is good because of its simplicity. An ordinary summer resident does not need complex and detailed plans, and he is unlikely to be able to create something similar on his own (it is better to contact a designer).

The program is quite simple, so even an inexperienced user can handle it (about 10-15 minutes is enough). When launched, the main screen opens with a ready-made site template.

Let's create a new plan. The program provides a large selection of models and template options that can be changed at your discretion.

First you need to mark the territory, then install objects in place as desired. For example, let's build our house with a bench, a lantern and trees.

After creating a two-dimensional plan, you can view the result in 3D. By the way, a whole assistant is provided for caring for plants.

Our Garden 6.0 Omega

Another version from the “Our Garden” series. It allows the user to create their own projects for planning or designing areas based on a digital photo.

The main advantage is the possibility integration of the plan with regular photographs. The program provides information about 7.7 thousand plants available for work. The selection of soil, flowering time, zone, timing, etc. is also provided. With the program you can easily create your own flower garden, which will continuously please the eye.

The layout you create can be viewed in 3D at any time (saved). You can specify different times based on which the plants will change in shape and size. Large amounts of information are provided regarding the care of flower beds of various types and the fight against harmful diseases. Our Garden 6.0 Omega can be an excellent option for those who want to create a cozy place in their dacha, decorated with amazing flowers and plants.

The functionality and process of creating an object is the same as in Our Garden Rubin 9.0.

There are not only computer versions of garden design software. If you don’t want to deal with the interface of conventional utilities, then you can use online options. They are very easy to learn (simpler than all those mentioned above), but the working methods are also simplified. The bottom line is that online versions do not have even a fraction of the capabilities that full-scale programs provide. But with their help you can get a schematic sketch of the layout of the territory.

Which video lessons should I choose?

For those who don’t like to learn at random, here are training videos. The material below is the first video in a whole series of lessons. This is not to say that this is a high-quality educational material, but in general it is more detailed and lively than other lessons presented on Youtube, and can be a good help for intuitive learning.

The dream of owning your own home usually starts with a simple drawing on paper and a lot of questions. Already at the planning stage, it is important to correctly place all the buildings on the site, to clearly imagine where the gazebo or garage, paths, flower beds, garden, and pool will be located.

There are special programs for visualizing construction and landscape design projects, some of which can be mastered independently . Programs for site planning allow you not only to draw up a plan with all significant objects marked on it, but also to see a three-dimensional 3D image and walk along the marked paths live. With their help, you can “plant” trees and plants in a flower garden, taking into account their adult habit, “build” a house, a gazebo, and even design an irrigation system.

Landscape design programs there are:

Paid and free
For professional landscape designers and amateurs
Designed for working with drawings or for 3D visualization.

Paid professional program for landscape design and design in 2D and 3D.

The developer is the American company Idea Spectrum. All the company’s activities are devoted to the creation and improvement of the program, the first version of which appeared in 2006.

On the Internet on various file hosting services you can find links to the free program Our Garden Rubin 9, which is no longer supported by the manufacturer.

X-Designer

Punch! Home & Landscape Design

Landscape design software Punch! is part of the product line of Encore Software (USA).

Punch! series programs declared by the developer as a powerful tool for creativity, which contains all materials, tools, textures, furniture, accessories, plants with a description of their life cycle for creating and designing landscape design of a highly realistic level.

The program contains many standard modules that you can edit to your own taste and even add to digital photographs or scanned plans of your site. At the end of the work, the user will receive drawings, photographs and 3D visualization of their project. One of the advantages of the software is its compatibility with Sketchup.

Several versions of the program are offered for sale, the cost of which varies depending on the functionality and content of object libraries (from 39.99 to 199.99 dollars). Punch! Home & Landscape Design Architectural Series v19 is a complete version for professional landscape designers and architects, with which you can design both houses and plots. Its cost is $399.99.

An intuitive interface, the presence of a huge number of freely distributed lessons and books on working in SketchUp (including on the developer’s website) allows almost anyone to master the art of 3D modeling. All created models have exact dimensions. The result of the work is immediately reflected on the screen - from the sketch to the finished project. You can view the project from various points of view “from the first person”, as in computer games. A huge number of ready-made objects are offered both by the developer himself and by many forums dedicated to the program.

The paid version includes SketchUp integration with Google Earth, which allows you to download a satellite photo of the area and design directly on it. It is also possible to set exact geographic coordinates for an object and thus obtain information about the insolation of the site at different times of the year.

The paid version of SketchUp Pro has greater capabilities in the field of animation, presentation of projects and export of files to other formats.

comparison table

Program	Price	Free version
Realtime Landscaping Architect	from $79.99	Yes

Agree, with powerful support it is much easier to improve your garden plot. Then the flower beds from spring to late autumn will always be covered with flowers, and the alpine hill will be visible almost from the gate. And the hedge will look not like a wild jungle, but like a work of art.

Master landscape design programs and you will immediately see how much more convenient it has become to create masterpieces.

We offer an overview of the 20 TOP programs for visualization of landscape design - the most popular and interesting. There are also free programs among them.

In some ways they are similar to programs for interior designers, only they work with the exterior, that is, with nature. Perhaps you have already tried some products - share your impressions in the comments.

An interesting and productive landscape modeling program. Quite accessible for beginning designers, since you can figure it out within half an hour.

The program is shareware.

Advantages: there is an extensive database of green objects: trees, flower beds, hedges, etc., tools - more than 1000 items. You can make adjustments to adjust for climate, light, minimum and maximum temperatures, that is, choose those plants that will take root in your climate zone. Each flower or shrub is accompanied by a descriptive card. And in fast forward mode you can see how the vegetation on the site will change in a year, two or five.

Flaws: English language product. But it is understandable on an intuitive level. No 3D projection. All plans contain developer watermarks.

You can download the program on the developer’s website http://www.smallblueprinter.com/.

The full name is X-Designer 3D garden planner. Developed by IDDK. One of the simplest, but quite functional programs.

It will also take a little time to master it - up to half an hour.

The program is shareware. After the trial period ends, the full version can be purchased on the company's official website.

Advantages: 3D mode allows you to see the area in space. You can set the size of the plot, time of year, date, time of day, and “plant” plants. And thus see how the landscape will look at night or during the day, in spring or late autumn. Like the previous product, X-Designer allows you to see changes in the site in perspective. A useful function is terrain modification.

Flaws: Quite simple functionality, which was reflected in weak graphics. However, it is possible to imagine at least approximately what a personal plot will look like.

Website: http://iddk.ru/ru/

The software is the result of the work of DiaComp. Under the name “Our Garden” the developer has released several versions of the programs. For example, Our Garden 6.0 Omega, Our Garden 9.0 Ruby, Our Garden 10.0 Crystal.

The program is accessible and understandable. Allows you to model your objects, calculate estimates, and present the site in a volumetric projection.

The program is shareware.

Advantages: an extensive catalog with plants and their detailed characteristics. The landscape can be supplemented with other objects: garages, houses, gazebos, ponds, etc. Trees and shrubs can be shaped. Change the terrain. The finished sketch can be saved, viewed at different times of the day and year, viewed in 3D mode and printed.

Flaws: For experienced landscape designers, it may seem overly simple.

Website: http://www.dicomp.ru/

The Google SketchUp utility was developed not exclusively for landscape design, but for constructing three-dimensional objects in general. However, it has proven itself well as a program for creating landscape design.

It was originally a Google product, and you can still collaborate online with other company products.

Two versions of the program: free and paid.

Advantages: 3D model of the site, you can develop a new model or use one presented on GoogleEarth. In the paid version, the program works in tandem with Google applications. You can set the terrain, shady and sunny areas of the area.

Flaws: The free version has limited functionality. But the paid version has many more features and will appeal to experienced designers. Only suitable for Mac OS versions 10.8, 10.7, 10.5 Intel and 10.6 Intel

Website: https://www.sketchup.com/ru

A beautiful and powerful computer program in which the created landscape looks very realistic.

The program is shareware.

Advantages: 3D projection, the details are perfectly drawn in the sketches. The ability to see the landscape in perspective, a large library of objects and models. You can not only print the sketch, but also create a video. Drawing up an estimate.

Flaws: there is no Russian version. The paid utility is expensive.

Website: https://www.ideaspectrum.com/

6. Sierra Land Designer

The program is similar to the Russian utilities of the Our Garden series, but has broader functionality. Despite the rich catalog of models, it can be supplemented with individual items.

The program is shareware.

Advantages: shows the site at different times of the day and in different seasons. An extensive database that can be supplemented with your own objects. Allows you to make adjustments according to your own measurements and change the illumination. An opportunity to see how landscaping has changed in the future.

Flaws: Initially, all objects are two-dimensional. But finished projects have a three-dimensional image. Not Russified.

Website: http://www.sierra.com

7. Punch Home Design

A universal utility for working with landscapes, buildings and premises with convenient graphical tools. Contains many modules, objects, textures. If necessary, you can edit them.

The program is paid. A 15-day trial period is provided. You can download the free trial version on the official website.

Advantages: There are 2D and 3D projections, you can switch between them without losing data. The program analyzes materials, tools, decor and other objects for their compatibility. The pictures are very realistic. The ability to create an estimate, set parameters, print or send by email.

Flaws: the program is paid. But during the trial period you can evaluate whether it is worth buying or not. Software and a virtual walk around the site will help with this.

Website: http://www.punchsoftware.com/

The developers of the interior design program FloorPan 3D decided to occupy another niche and released version 12 Deluxe to help landscape designers. All the same simplicity and three-dimensional graphics. But now you can model a plot of land, load measurement data, relief, vary time, illumination and climate type.

When installing it, make sure that there is enough free space on your hard drive.

The program is paid. After familiarizing yourself with the functionality, you need to buy a key from the developer.

Advantages: the project being developed can be seen from any angle. The ability to “install” fences, gates, gates, lay paths, and draw up estimates. The finished project is exported to a computer. The visual travel function remains with the ability to add or remove objects along the way. A huge catalog of everything that is needed on the site - from rolled lawns to statues and lanterns.

Flaws: In a short period of time, it is sometimes difficult to assess the usefulness of a utility. Unrealistic graphics. There is no program in Russian yet.

Website: http://www.floorplan.ru/

9. TurboFloorPlan 3D Home & Landscape Pro

TurboFloorPlan Landscape is a convenient and easy-to-use program with a wide variety of functions and objects. In it you can design the interiors of houses and create masterpiece landscapes with your own hands.

The program is shareware.

Advantages: understandable to both ordinary users and specialists in the field of landscape design. In addition to plants, shrubs, and trees, there are various objects for the garden: bridges, fences, ponds, buildings, sculptures, etc. You can create estimates. There is also a 3D projection, a visual tour of the site.

Flaws: the program is not Russified. However, its interface is intuitive.

Website: https://www.turbocad.com/

10. Complete Landscape Designer 3

Another program for landscape design. You can work both with the main background and overlay objects on a digital photograph.

You can download the program without registration on the website.

Advantages: There are many objects in the library: buildings, plants, etc. You can search by certain parameters, select the type, degree of moisture and acidity of the soil.

Flaws: The interface is English, but it’s easy to understand. There is no three-dimensional image, so the layout of the site can only be seen in a plane.

Website: https://www.alphasoftware.com/

The Landscape Design program is easy to use. You can create a completely decent site project in it.

The program is free.

Advantages: you can create a full-fledged project from scratch. Doesn't take up much space and doesn't require a lot of RAM. The functionality is clear even to a beginner. Large database of objects.

Flaws: the project is clearly visible in 2D mode. 3D projection is also available, but its quality leaves much to be desired. In the program you can create a project for yourself, and not for sale.

Website: http://expert-landscape-design-3d.software.informer.com/

This complex covers interior, architectural, and landscape design. It creates luxurious three-dimensional projects with detailed graphics.

The program is paid. You can see how the program works in the demo version.

Advantages: detailing, 3D projection, a wide selection of objects in the catalog, textures, special effects, limitless design possibilities.

Flaws: energy intensive, difficult for a beginner, high price.

Website: https://www.autodesk.com/

13. 3D Home Architect

A program with a fun and simple interface. Beginners can handle it, but it will also be interesting for professionals. You can choose plants based on their characteristics.

The program is paid.

Advantages: reports an error if objects are out of place, for example, stacked on top of each other. A rich library of various positions allows you to create various projects, change vegetation, buildings, lamps, etc. You can create an estimate. Upon completion, the finished project is sent to your computer or email. The project is created in 3D mode.

Flaws: not Russified. The graphics are a little weak, although this is enough for the project.

Website: http://3dhomearchitect.ru/

14. Better Homes and Gardens Landscaping & Deck Designer

A simple but functional utility for designing the landscape design of a site, including. The program was created by Chief Architect.

The program is paid. But on the website you can see her work.

Advantages: excellent graphics, a lot of plants and background information on them, and other objects with the help of which the landscape changes. Detailed drawing of the site, including its relief. 3D visualization of the project. Lighting options. An opportunity to put the garden into perspective.

Flaws: English version.

Website: https://www.homedesignersoftware.com

This is not just a utility. This is a series of landscape design programs released on disk. There are programs and encyclopedias, useful tips on arranging lawns, ponds, fences, growing conifers, shrubs, etc.

Such CDs, as well as books on interior design, will take their rightful place in your library.

The series is paid. Can't download. Can only be purchased on disc.

Advantages: You can learn the specifics of the work, starting from the very basics. For a summer cottage there will be ponds, vegetation, small architectural forms, etc. To figure it out, there is a training video.

Flaws: There is no electronic version of the program. Available only on discs.

5 Best Landscaping Apps

A professional landscape designer, visiting a client’s site, wants to immediately sketch out design options or at least enter the data not only into a diary, but also into a tablet. And here you will need applications for developing landscape design. We have also prepared a selection of the best products.

Before installation, check if they are compatible with your device.

Some are developed only for Android. Others work equally well on iPads and Android smartphones.

You need to learn how to operate applications, especially graphic editors. This will help both in work and for those who are just planning to become a designer.

1. Home Design 3D Outdoor/Garden

An application that allows you to completely create a landscape project: garden, plot, playground. You can enter measurements of the site, mark the location of the house, complete the project with furniture and various objects (there are a little more than 100 of them in the database).

There is an opportunity to see the spatial landscape.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=fr.anuman.HomeDesign3DOutdoorGarden

A good application with great potential. You can not only create new landscape projects, but also edit ready-made photos of the site. There are functions for adding plants. True, prices are indicated in conventional units. But they can also be edited.

The ability to save a project and send it by email, transfer data to a computer. The project is visible in three-dimensional graphics.

The only thing is. At difficult stages, the application asks for a key. At the time of writing, the developer did not indicate how to obtain this key.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.prolandscape.companion

3. Landscape design

You will not be able to create or edit projects in this application. This is a collection of beautiful courtyards and their individual zones. But it will help you find a common language with the client and understand how he sees the landscape.

Agree, it’s better to show it once than to try to explain it in words a hundred times.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.LandscapingIdeas.muntasir

4. FloraMe -Landscaping made easy

An English-language application that allows you to vary the landscape. There is a choice of soils and plants. At the end, you can save or edit the project.

You can’t call it a professional program for planning a plot at a dacha or near a cottage, but you can play with textures and flora.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.xubnaha.florame

An application that allows you to develop a rough site plan and planting plan. Upon completion, you can export the project to clients or to yourself by email.

An important function is creating a project based on a digital photo.

Great tool for planning. Now the client will visually imagine what the site will look like. The only negative is the paid, more advanced version. And the English language creates inconvenience. So, you just need to learn the terminology - it will come in handy.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.jmmds.palette

We have reflected the programs and applications that are most interesting to gardeners and landscape designers. Now it will be easier to figure out what programs are needed.

I'm glad that the developers thought not only about computer users, but also about those who work on tablets and smartphones.