Just curious – have any of you tried SketchUp when planning a new garden? Or even one of the multitude of free online drafting programs like this one?
I know many gardeners don’t plan their gardens or beds down to the last detail. More often than not, I do the same – even when my best intentions are to follow my thoughtfully laid-out plan — a key plant isn’t available, I can’t afford the stone I picked out, etc. But now that I’m designing for others, I have to present a plan — even if it ultimately changes. And although I love sketching out ideas, I’d rather do the detailed drafting on the computer.
What about you? Do you hit the nursery or the pad of paper first?
Stuart says
Definitely the nursery. I don’t usually buy anything but I like to know what’s available and get some inspiration from the plants before I start designing it out.
Craig says
being a landscape architect my professional life is based around “hitting the pad of paper”. That being said, sketchup is a great tool for understanding spaces in 3d, and it is super easy to learn and use. I would suggest it more for understanding the relationship between large forms that may define the space, I would NOT try to plan out details with it. One of the really cool options is that you can insert your designed model into google earth and view it in context of the aerial photograph
Gabriola gardener says
I love the idea of using computer assisted design, but unlike what the promo material suggests it generally takes a significant amount of skill. My only experience was using a house design software program: ended up with a beautiful house with all the furniture and the fireplace on the outside. I’ve tried the pencil and graph paper approach but real life does not lend itself to two dimensional solutions. I’m on 21/2 acres in the country with flats, slopes, gravel, clay, forests, wetlands and every other topographical element you can imagine. What works for me is to stand in my house and look out at the particular garden space I am trying to wrestle with and envision how I want it to look from the inside out. Given that I live in a pretty wet climate, I figure most of my looking will be from the inside out. Also, I’m a long way from the road or any neighbours so I don’t care what they think of my garden. After I’ve drafted a concept plan from the inside, I go outside and try to envision what is will look like from different vantage points. Then I edit my very sketchy plan.
My garden is barely three years old, so I can’t tell you at this point whether my approach to planning is paying off or not. But it does make me happy.
J says
A friend on LJ has used Sketch up for massing models.
See her work here:
http://bezigebij.livejournal.com/85679.html#cutid1
Maryam in Marrakesh says
This sounds like a great tip actually. We are in desperate need of a landscaper in Marrakesh but that might not be in the cards for this. But this might be able to help.
Taryn Domingos says
The nursery first (but I cheat…I work at one, so I’m there more often than usual). I like to be at the nursery first for initial inspiration. Then the paper, then back to the nursery for final purchase.
Zebra says
Absolutely no computer input at all! I like to keep it simple and natural with no computer intervention.
Andrea says
Thanks for all the great feedback, friends! It’s great to see how everyone does things differently.
I love Jenn’s friend’s drawings (see link above). Now, if I could use SketchUp that well, I’d be using it all the time!
Mulysa says
I always start with pencil and paper to record my first impressions of a space.. and to jot down ideas for the key plants that will set the theme of the space.
Ususally once I have a strong sense of the theme (including colors, functions, etc.), the plant list comes easily and I can see the planting diagram unfold. When I get stuck on what plant to use in a certain place, I will go out and ‘shop’. (I too work in a nursery.)
I haven’t used computer programs ever, though I feel I should know how to. I think it would be neat to explore another way of designing.