Landscape Software

Erj1230

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Aug 25, 2004, 11:42:23 PM8/25/04

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We bought our house here in the Northwest two years ago. I'd like to totally
re-do the front yard. The landscape software I have is several years old and
isn't much help. Does anyone have any recommendations?

Doug Kanter

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Aug 26, 2004, 11:51:44 AM8/26/04

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Why isn't the software still useful?

"Erj1230" <erj...@aol.com> wrote in message
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Anonny Moose

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Aug 26, 2004, 1:35:04 PM8/26/04

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"Erj1230" <erj...@aol.com> wrote in message
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This question comes up from time to time. I'm hoping someone eventually will
see the need and develop a reasonably priced, good program for the
non-professional landscaper. Still waiting....

Karen

Doug Kanter

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Aug 26, 2004, 1:42:46 PM8/26/04

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"Anonny Moose" <nos...@leavemealone.com> wrote in message
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Does such software actually provide planning advice, or does it just give
graphical assistance in placing symbols on the screen?

Erj1230

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Aug 26, 2004, 2:39:06 PM8/26/04

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What I have seen in the past does both: it should give advice on plants based
on your location (zones) as well as design assistance in your specified area.
Ideally, it would allow you to place 3D pictures of the plants either on a plan
or even into a photo of your yard/home. They've got them for home design...how
about gardens?

Pam - gardengal

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Aug 27, 2004, 2:15:04 AM8/27/04

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"Doug Kanter" <ancien...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
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Planting advice? perhaps, and some better than others. Designing advice,
most likely none worth mentioning. From the viewpoint of a professional
landscape designer, the variables involved in real life design situations
are so extensive as to be virtually impossible to reproduce in any detail or
thoroughness through a software program. Design software is only a tool,
just like pencil and paper - unless you have the design skills and basic
elements already in place, the software is not going to solve the problem
nor offer the solution.

The general consensus is that other than professional CAD programs, design
software is uniformly user unfriendly and limited in scope.

pam - gardengal

Ben Tuinman

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Aug 27, 2004, 11:05:42 PM8/27/04

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Just happen to browse the website of the BBC. Their Garden Section offers a
3D Virtual Garden that may be downloaded for off -line use for Windows and
Mac. (Windows 6.52 Mb) Go to www.bbc.co.uk/gardening I have not tried it
myself, but just wanted to pass it along !

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Erj1230

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Aug 28, 2004, 2:01:41 AM8/28/04

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Thanks! I'm checking it out! That might actually be a good site for me
anyway. Our Northwest climate is very similar to the UK!

Bill Oliver

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Aug 28, 2004, 8:16:42 AM8/28/04

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In article <LCSXc.35113$DG.18...@news20.bellglobal.com>,

Ben Tuinman <bentu...@hotmail.com> wrote:
>Just happen to browse the website of the BBC. Their Garden Section offers a

>3D Virtual Garden that may be downloaded for off -line ...
>

The first in this thread didn't propagate to me, but let me add a plug
for a wonderful piece of software that is not specfically a garden
program, but a general 3D modeling program that can easily be used for
landscaping. The software is called Blender, and it is a www.blender.org.

Blender is generalized 3D modeling and animation software. As such, it
has a significant learning curve. However, it allows you to do a lot
more than most more limited software -- you can model your entire house,
the terrain, water, etc. and get a truly realistic result. The other
disadvantage is that there are a limited number of pre-built models
available free; if you want to have realistic-looking rosebushes, for
instance, you will either have to create them yourself or find a mesh
that you can download from the net.

This software is absolutely free and is about as good as any of the
midlevel commercial 3D modeling and rendering packages like Lightwave
ro 3D Studio Max. It has *some* of the features of the higher end
packages like Maya or SoftImage. I am very impressed with it and
use it for forensic scene reconstruction in the investigation of
homicides. Because it is a full realistic rendering package, you
can model how it would look under different lighting conditions, weather,
etc.

Since I have paid the price for the learning curve, I also used it
to model my house and lot, have used it to plan both the painting
of the interior of my house, and also the landscaping of my yard.

billo

Doug Kanter

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Aug 30, 2004, 9:46:33 AM8/30/04

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"Pam - gardengal" <grdn...@comcast.net> wrote in message
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> > Does such software actually provide planning advice, or does it just
give
> > graphical assistance in placing symbols on the screen?
>
> Planting advice? perhaps, and some better than others. Designing advice,
> most likely none worth mentioning. From the viewpoint of a professional
> landscape designer, the variables involved in real life design situations
> are so extensive as to be virtually impossible to reproduce in any detail
or
> thoroughness through a software program.

This is sort of what my intuition tells me, too.