I am often asked whether I use software, and what that software is.
The landscape designing software of choice when I design a garden for my clients is actually not one, but two types of software (at minimum).
The software that I primarily use to prepare landscape plans is called Dynascape. It is a vector-based software similar to Autocad and suitable for creating conceptual landscape drawings to present to my clients to communicate the vision of their landscape project. In this software I am able to create a design from scratch directly in the program without sketching by hand, something Autocad never allowed me to do. I can go straight from the ideas in my mind to testing them on screen, roughing out the ideas. From there the process leads directly to a refined drawing. My files are much smaller as a result without layers of tracing paper and sketches fattening up the files, as it is all now neatly stored onto my hard drive in my computer.
However there is one drawback — it is two-dimensional.
For a 3-dimensional representation of the design, I then take my finished drawing and import it (as a raster file) into a second program called Realtime Landscaping Architect, for those clients who need to have the extra step of 3D visualization. This program is revolutionary in that it allows both rapid pop-up of the terrain, buildings, walls, paving and plantings, as well as a quick rendering of the design. I no longer have to wait hours to have the computer sit and render slowly. 3D walkthroughs are ready in minutes, not hours, and exported quickly onto a DVD for easy viewing. 3D realtime walkthrough is available at any time throughout the design process so that I can move instantly back and forth from plan view to 3D within the landscape design. Building the pop-up virtual model is very satisfying, because the design unfolds and the garden is created right before your eyes. You can walk through the design and get a sense of what it would feel like to be there, even before the project is ever built.
I first use the vector-based program of Dynascape to create a professional drawing, and then, if needed, use Realtime Landscaping Architect to essentially make a fully rendered 3D pop-up of the landscape right over the flat drawing. I use the 3D software strictly as a visualization tool; designing in this program is not as precise in the 3D environment,which is why I make use of both tools. The reason that I do not use a product suite such as Vectorworks or Revit is because while these products are professional drafting products in 2D, they take much longer to create 3D models and to render than the little program Realtime Landscaping Architect. With its ability to import any objects in Google Sketchup, that opens up the possibilities for importing any necessary landscape objects such as a custom arbor, a manufacturer’s line of furniture, etc., etc. The reason that I do not use Google Sketchbasic up alone is because it is more suited to creating objects rather than complex terrains, instant building envelopes, instant pools, decks, waterfalls, and all the other timesaving features built right into Realtime Landscaping Architect. Since my time is more valuable than the cost of the programs, I selected Realtime Landscaping Architect for all of my 3D modeling needs.
All-in-all, I generally spend about 8-12 hours designing including site analysis, measurements and computer time entering in the field measurements, then executing the design as a (2D) conceptual landscape plan.
An additional 8-12 hours is required to create a 3D visualization, as terrain must be modeled, buildings and wall heights must be set, colors and finishes must be applied to all surfaces, and plants must be selected, to represent the overall finished look in a full 3-dimensional environment.
My learning curve on software is very quick, since I have over a dozen years of experience using AutoCad in a professional architectural environment. I was able to invest the time, effort and energy, combined with my computer skills, to quickly evaluate the numerous software applications available today on the market to select those that were the most efficient and cost-effective, while still producing a professional level quality design product.
If you are looking to dabble in software, then perhaps the Realtime Landscaping products are a good solution for you to see what things might look like quickly without investing much time in learning a new program. Dynascape is for someone willing to invest the time to use a dedicated software program on numerous projects since the learning curve is quite substantial, as it is in any CADD (computer-aided drafting and design) program. Several hours of tutorials are required to utilize the most basic functions of the program, not to mention a fundamental real-world understanding of landscape site measurements and analysis, to be able to accurately translate it into a computer environment.
After all is said and done, there is something to be said for a simple graph paper tablet, utilizing a scale of 1/8? = 1'-0?, a carpenter’s measuring tape, a straight edge and (if you are really fancy) a circle template for trees and shrubs, for designing a typical residential landscape. you as well. After all, any tool in the hands of talent can produce great results.
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