To plan the location of greenery and objects in the local area, it is not necessary to draw a site plan by hand. A much more detailed and high-quality project can be created using special software — and you don’t even need to be a professional for this. In the article we have collected the best programs for landscape design.

Top services for site design

For newbies
— Realtime Landscaping Architect
— My Garden by Gardenia
— Punch! Home & Landscape Design
— 3D Home Architect Design Suite Deluxe
— Our Crystal Garden (version 10)
— Marshall’s Garden Visualiser
— SmartDraw Planner
For advanced
— sketch-up
— Lands design
— Pro Landscape
— Autodesk 3Ds Max

Landscape design computer programs for beginners

1. Realtime Landscaping Architect

Language: English
License: paid, there is a trial version

One of the best 3d landscape design software. There are three versions, two of which are aimed at the pros. The easiest to understand is Realtime Landscaping Architect, even a beginner can figure it out, besides, you can find a lot of video tutorials.

The software makes it possible to create both professional drawings and simply draw up a detailed site plan with notes, a list of plants. Import of photos, Excel spreadsheets and Word documents is available. The database contains more than 1,600 items, including garden furniture, lighting and accessories. The full paid version costs $400, but the basic trial license is enough for personal use.

2. My Garden by Gardenia

Language: Russian
License: free

A simple free program for creating landscape design from the Russian company Gardenia. Although the main focus of the brand and their planner is related to irrigation equipment, it allows you to create a simple and visually understandable layout of a plot of any size.

The main advantages of My Garden: the simplicity of the interface, the ability to arrange furniture and ponds, planning the irrigation system. In addition, you do not need to download software to your computer — all work is done online.

3. Punch! Home & Landscape Design

Language: English
License: paid

A series of landscape design software from American developers Punch! includes 4 editions: Architectural, Essentials, Professionals and Studio. Each of them is aimed at designing both houses and outdoor areas, but Essentials focuses on the sites.

The program is paid (from $ 50) and in English, but even an amateur can understand the interface. Each version is duplicated for Windows and Mac, you can additionally buy an electronic textbook.

4. 3D Home Architect Design Suite Deluxe

Language: Russian
License: free.

A free program for landscape design in Russian, which does not require a large amount of computer memory and at the same time has a powerful set of tools. So, in it you can create a full-fledged plan of a country house and a plot, working in four tabs: structure, interior, landscape and land. The planner will warn you if you have placed something incorrectly, make an electronic estimate and allow you to view objects in several modes. A good analogue of the Floorplan constructor, which is no longer produced.

Useful chips that will come in handy when planning the territory

• Integration with related programs (for example, AutoCad).
• A collection of ready-made layouts, including utility blocks.
• 3D rendering of the final project.
• Assistant for beginners and video tutorials.
• Import objects from an image.
• Building design.
• Calculation of the approximate cost of materials.

5. Our Garden Crystal (version 10)

Language: Russian
License: paid

The program has been around for many years, so visually the graphics may seem outdated. However, it is quite enough to create a 2D and even 3D site plan, but the most important advantage is a huge library of plants, which is used by both amateurs and designers. The catalog includes more than 17,000 items that can be filtered by two dozen criteria: from soil type and geography to transplantability, size and flowering season. The encyclopedia is accompanied by illustrated tables on plant care, a collection of the most common diseases, as well as a separate page dedicated to roses, which includes descriptions of more than 2,000 varieties.

In addition to a handy reference guide, this landscape design software makes it easy to design your own. To do this, «Our Garden» has the following options.

• Day and night lighting.
• Ability to add objects to the photo.
• 3D view mode.
• Library of textures and volumetric objects.
• Editor for stairs, fences, curbs, paved paths, etc.
• Estimated cost estimate.
• Changing the appearance of objects depending on the time of year.

6. Marshalls Garden Visualiser

Language: English
License: free

Another English-language, but convenient online scheduler that does not require downloading and installation on a computer — the project can be done right in the browser. Despite the lack of Russification, the interface is simple, easy to understand, and all categories are supplemented with pictures.

The service allows you to create a quick project, which includes: placing a house, utility buildings, gazebos; the location of the tracks and the choice of paving; planting plan; 2D and 3D viewing of drawings.

The scheduler is not designed for professionals, so the final result is saved as a screenshot. The functionality will obviously not be enough for designers, but for amateurs who want to quickly and easily create a visual layout of the territory, the service will suit and please with its simplicity.

7.SmartDraw Planner

Language: English, there is a built-in translator
License: paid, there is a 7-day trial access to online and desktop versions

Not the most famous, but convenient and visual online service with modern graphics. It is available to design the site on their own from scratch, and beginners can choose as a basis a ready-made scheme from the following categories: garden, patio, park, pool.

In SmartDraw Planner, you can design a plot of any size, plan the landscape, the location of buildings and paths. The elements are available in the Image and Texture Library. The result is saved to the cloud.

For advanced

1. SketchUp

Language: English, there is a built-in translator
License: paid, there is a free version for private use

SketchUp utility is one of the main tools of architects and designers. It will be quite difficult for a beginner to figure it out, since the software is designed for professionals, but it gives a huge scope for creativity and all the necessary tools. It comes with instructional videos and instructions that will simplify the development of the designer.

Using Google SketchUp, you can create high-precision models of buildings and surrounding areas, visualize drawings, and plan the consumption of materials. If you only need a simple plot diagram, there is no point in using this utility for such a small task. It is mainly intended for complex projects.

2. Land design

Language: English
License: paid, there is a free trial

It is not a standalone program, but a powerful addition to the Rhino designer (also compatible with AutoCad), which is why it is in the pro section on our list. The utility includes the following options.

• Object Library.
• Catalog of garden furniture.
• Plant database (almost 2,000 species).
• Ability to work with 2D and 3D drawings.
• Importing objects from AutoCad.
• Creation of a relief of any type.
• Irrigation system layout.

Most often, Lands Design is used by professional architects for the integrated design of country houses and their surrounding areas. If you have Rhino, you can try to understand this add-on using a three-month free demo.

3.Pro Landscape

Language: English, Spanish
License: paid desktop version, partly free app

This software for garden landscape design is a complete professional solution from Spanish developers. The utility allows you to create detailed drawings, render the final project, view the plan in daylight and night lighting.

In addition to the desktop version, you can install an application with an unusual function on your phone or tablet — a photo project. Its essence lies in the fact that you need to take a picture and upload to the project a snapshot of the area with which you have to work. Further design is based on a real photo. For example, on an empty piece of land, you can add realistic images of flowers and shrubs, pave a path, and place household objects.

4. Autodesk 3ds Max

Language: English Russian
License: paid, there is a free trial

Like Google SketchUp, 3Ds Max is not designed specifically for landscape design, but its functionality makes it possible to do so. The software allows you to design any buildings, objects and landscapes, draw objects manually, and create realistic renderings. It is used by professional architects, designers and game developers.

3Ds Max requires a powerful computer to use, and rendering takes a long time — large projects can be converted within hours. The software has a built-in library of plants, but some of them are paid.