Today on the Internet you can download a large number of ready-made landscape projects for suburban areas. But many people prefer to create a project themselves from scratch, taking into account their own taste preferences. In this case, you can use one of the landscape design programs.

To help you master landscape design programs, we present to your attention a tutorial that describes working with programs such as Garden Planner, X-Designer and 3D Home Architect Design Suite Delux. Visibility and accessibility of information ensures quick development functionality programs.


Download tutorial (124Mb)

X-Designer - 3D garden planner


This program does not require special training and allows you to easily model a site using the existing extensive library of plants and landscape objects. You can not only place any residential and commercial buildings, gazebos for relaxation, a wide variety of lawns, flower beds, trees and other components, but also see how the planned area will look at different times of the day in any season. There is also the opportunity to photograph your own creation in order to continue working on the project.


Our Garden Rubin 10.0

Multifunctional, but at the same time very convenient program allows you to design the landscape design of the site using high-quality digital photos. The editor-planner can be used both for modeling from scratch and for cases where there are already some objects on the site. The program's library includes many different construction objects and garden elements, so it is possible to create interesting landscape projects.



Download Our Garden 10.4 program for free (3.7 Gb)

Garden Planner 3


A very simple program for modeling a garden plot. All that is required is to arrange the proposed elements and objects in accordance with your own wishes, using the convenient “drag and drop” interface. To enhance clarity, the developers have provided the ability to change the scale and color of foliage.


Use Garden Planner 3 online
Download Garden Planner 3 for free (3.5 Mb)

3D Home Architect Design Suite Deluxe


This program turns the process of site modeling into an exciting experience. It is a powerful multifunctional scheduler, but at the same time it has a clear interface. A huge selection of design elements allows you to develop a highly accurate site design. Despite the fact that the project itself is created in 2D format, the modeling result can be viewed using the built-in functionality in a three-dimensional version.


Download 3D Home Architect Design Suite Delux for free from the official website

Professional programs for landscape design

Professionals with high level preparation can use the following programs when creating landscape projects:

AutoCAD

One of the most famous professional software for design design. Using this program, specialists can create projects taking into account all the subtleties of the site's topography. When modeling, coordinates and surface breaks are taken into account, and all designed objects are visualized. In addition, powerful software allows you to draw up various project documentation.


Download AutoCAD program for free (0.2 Gb)

3D Max

A very complex, full-featured and high-performance program that provides enormous capabilities for modeling in 3D format. In most cases, this planner is used by architects and engineers after completing specialized courses.

Download the 3D Max program for free (2.2 Gb)

Punch! Professional Home Design

This specialized 3D planning program features an extremely simple and efficient interface. In this regard, it is popular among ordinary people when modeling a plot, or even an apartment. The program library contains a huge number of standard objects and elements that can be modified. The value of this program for professionals lies in the ability to produce high-quality design documentation, as well as the ability to expand the library with your own components.

Programs for landscape design garden, can help achieve productivity in the arrangement of the surrounding area. Thanks to them, there is no need to make sketches of the garden from different angles. In addition, the sketches must correspond to all seasons. All this can be taken into account in one software; it is enough to make a model, and then simply select certain conditions, while the process of creating a project is greatly accelerated and becomes of higher quality.

Landscape design developed in a special program

Landscaping design software is designed with easy-to-learn designs. Even a PC user who does not have special knowledge can create a project sketch.

Produced by several companies. Previously, they were developing software for designers, but designing summer cottages has become so popular and in demand that manufacturers decided to start developing software for amateurs and beginners. This is a real find for those who want to arrange their own plot. All you have to do is choose one software, install it on your computer, and get creative.


Landscape design option for the site

All design software for beginners have some common characteristics:

  • Create a project from scratch, or upload a photo of the site;
  • Adding snapshot files;
  • Possibility of adding plants;
  • Paving paths;
  • Arrangement of flower beds;
  • Location of buildings;
  • Changes in the terrain of the site;
  • 3D - finished project.

For professionals, the software is more complex, with the help of which three-dimensional models are created.
I would like to note that free software for designers is quite conditional, they have trial period, but during this time a design project for personal use can be ready.

Virtual Project - Compilation Guide

Nowadays you can find many on the market computer programs By different directions, and landscape design is no exception. This program can be downloaded for free. But there is also a paid service designed for professionals.


An example of a virtual landscape design project for a site

Among this diversity, you can easily find a landscape composition that you like. But you shouldn’t immediately go to the nursery to purchase the necessary plantings. Visualize the project based on your site and landscaping plan.

Various programs for creating landscape design are a kind of encyclopedic guide that answers questions in detail in the following areas:


Encyclopedias are presented on disks that provide information on landscape design, art, with various kinds of lighting effects for different design options for a dacha area.

What do encyclopedic discs teach?

IN this moment There are six discs on the market - “Landscape Art Series”. It's kind of step-by-step instruction to create programs for designing landscape design of a summer cottage, and practical guide on the use of various elements in design. What can you learn from encyclopedic disks:


Thanks to these encyclopedias, even a novice designer can easily create a magnificent garden.

Free programs for landscape design

For comparison, let's look at several of the main programs used for online landscape design.

X-Designer - 3D summer cottage planner

Thanks to this program, it is possible that will be not only functionally holistic, but also artistically perfect. This will not be difficult to do even if you are not an expert in computer modeling. Thanks to the X-Designer program, you can correctly position all buildings, both residential and commercial, and plan the planting of shrubs, trees and flower beds.


The project can include paved paths and alpine slides.

Description


X-Designer allows you to experiment when creating a summer cottage project without financial investments and without spending a lot of effort.

Features of the program

  • Eat step by step description, instructions, hot keys;
  • There is a search system that responds even after entering the first word;
  • Creating a design project on a computer is possible without special education.

Downloading the X-Designer program will not take much time, and installing it on your computer is completely free.

Our Garden Rubin 9.0

This is an analogue of Sierra in Russian - both functions and design implementation capabilities. The program is made up of a certain amount blocks that are used when composing certain tasks. And a full-fledged project is created with a full range of integrated capabilities. The advantage is the Russian-language interface and the free nature of the program.


Interface of the program Our Garden ruby

The developers' calculations were aimed at mass use of this program. In addition to the desktop program, this program also has an online product, which is very easy to learn and use, but it is worth noting that they are primitive. You can create a project using them very quickly, although it will not be of the same quality as desktop programs can offer.

Program Garden Rubin version 10

This is unique with more advanced and new potentials, plus everything big reference book plants.

Garden Rubin 10 is suitable for both ordinary gardeners and professional designers. In addition, the program serves as a guide for teachers and students of schools and design courses.

This program allows you to monitor at any time, and you can see how the area will change in a month and even in a few years.


Option for planning and landscape design created in the Our Garden Rubin program

Characteristics Garden Rubin 10

The 10th edition has rules and advantages:


How to install and run

There are no special requirements for a PC - every user, both a beginner and a professional, can design landscape projects.
The installation is standard, just agree to the license terms and select various functions. The first one will be recommended. If you choose the second one, you can mark the functions you need.
There is a complete set:

  • Management;
  • Help;
  • Examples;
  • Textbook;
  • Themes;
  • 3D models of plantings;
  • Pictures in addition.

But we want to note that if you are a beginner, then it is better for you to accept the agreement with the recommended settings.

Interface

If you have an interest in landscape design, then this program is for you. Once the program is installed on your computer, you need to study it very carefully.


An example of a garden plot project in the Our Garden 10 program

The plan field is in a central location. In the toolbar at the top, there are items:

  • "file";
  • "editor";
  • "plantings";
  • "change";
  • "place", etc.

The program reminds Word page. But the pop-up panel says it’s landscape design software. For example, when choosing plants, the user sees specimens, a library that describes in detail the plant itself, the place, time of planting, and care for it. You can download the 10th edition of the Rubin Garden program Russian version for free.

When developing a design project for a personal plot, it is very important to have a visual representation at the different stages of its preparation. Landscaping, garden accessories, paths and ponds - all this can be organically and simply arranged using landscape design programs. Let's look at free apps.

Common to all: what to look for when choosing

When developing design projects, you should be guided by the principle “the simpler, the better.” If certain software satisfies the requirements in the context of a specific project, there is no point in chasing advanced tools for creating high-level graphics.

Most design visualization programs have primarily a presentational purpose. This is important when doing custom work, but if the development is carried out for yourself, mastering complex CAD mechanisms will result in an ineffective waste of time.

In the practical development of landscape design, you should always leave room for imagination. It is unlikely that you will be able to fill the one-to-one scene in the foreseeable future with the same elements that will take place in the real physical world. Therefore, the primitivism of objects in the virtual environment and the low degree of detail are more of a benefit than a disadvantage. They make it possible to evaluate the general, global side of the design without being distracted by minor details.

Considering the above, we recommend paying attention to software marked “for beginners”. Also of great importance is free access to educational literature authored by the creators of the program or the developers using it.

It is worth noting that the lack of a Russified version of the software usually does not become an obstacle to development simple projects gardening and landscape design. Also keep in mind that the concept of freeness for this kind of software is very conditional: even professional tools have a trial period, during which it is quite possible to develop your own project, but use paid program It won't work for commercial purposes.

Working with Content Libraries

The basis for working with most landscape design programs is the use of ready-made elements from a standard set. You simply create a scene of the required dimensions, and then place the necessary content on it: lawns, paths, buildings, trees and decorative paraphernalia.

One of the most popular free products, Sierra Land Designer, contains several modules with the ability to freely import projects between them. Strength This kit contains an impressive library of garden plants, supplemented with recommendations for climate suitability, features of planting, care and life cycle. The program suffers from a weak visualization tool: the garden planner has a two-dimensional top view, but after layout the project can be viewed in a rather modest 3D visualization module.

A developed community of users plays an important role in working with landscape design. SketchUp, for example, although not designed as a program for detailing garden plots, has an extensive library of 3D models that have been previously created and used by other users. Sketchup does not have a built-in encyclopedia of plants, but it allows you to create a visual environment with high degree detail and variety.

The golden mean in terms of libraries and display quality is FloorPlan 3D. The program has a developed set of components and design templates, both ready-made and third-party. And this doesn't come at the expense of usability or graphics.

User Interface Differences

Almost all programs differ in their individual layout of controls. This directly determines ease of use, speed of development and completion of the project.

For example: SketchUp has a very wide range of tools for editing and moving objects. They are located on two panels in different parts of the screen and can be customized individually. The same feature distinguishes most CAD programs (Autocad, ArchiCad, etc.): everything that should be at hand is located on the main editing screen, and all additional modules, such as setting the parameters of individual models, relationships between them and tools visual display are located in additional internal windows.

A slightly different organization scheme is used in programs that are specifically aimed at garden and landscape design. In Sierra Home&Land Designer 3D and 3D Home Architect Design Suite Deluxe, working with the project and its components is divided into stages, each of which has a separate module with its own tab. Switching between them is absolutely free; you can return at any time and, say, reconfigure global parameters scenes or properties of a group of objects.

Visual environment

Free programs Most of them do not pretend to produce high-quality graphics with good realism. But in their segment, they still differ from each other in the method of visual presentation and the degree of image elaboration.

The simplest programs, such as Expert Landscape Design or Garden Planner 3, are designed to effectively arrange objects on a site plan. 2D overhead views, purely schematic displays and, with rare exceptions, the inability to set up and film a scene for presentation are the hallmarks of programs designed for low-level design.

There is a special class of landscape design tools that use photographs to construct scenes by collaging them or rendering pseudo-3D. This group includes Realtime Landscaping Architect and 3D Home Landscape Designer. They allow you to walk around the site in three-dimensional mode and have the opportunity to film the project scene from unique angles or simulate conditions of changing weather and time of day. The main function of such programs is to automate the manual processing of photographic materials in graphic editors.

The best detail and photorealistic rendering are used by such 3D modeling “monsters” as Autodesk 3ds Max, Maya, Punch Home Design and SketchUp. These programs do not have (with the exception of special plugins) tools for working specifically with landscape and park design, but they allow you to work with sources of natural and artificial lighting, fully support shadows. This is possible due to the rendering included in a separate program module, therefore, with some effort, you can take incredibly realistic pictures of your virtual site. Unfortunately, such opportunities are quite expensive: programs have high system requirements and require time to master.

User level

The potential complexity of interacting with a program can be assessed by the range of its capabilities. Placing elements of a standard library on a plan using Expert Landscape Design does not require any preparation at all, while setting up a high-quality display in Sierra Home&Land Design can require several hours of attention and a number of unsuccessful attempts.

Don't forget that in the long run it's better to start with mid-level programs such as SketchUp or the more specific Complete Landscape Designer in order to master the full range of basic CAD capabilities for landscape design.

Free and paid literature on project development in specific program, various thematic forums and communities. For almost all of the programs described, there are series of videos with examples of work, from which you can evaluate the capabilities and control scheme of the program in a matter of hours.

Recommended sequence for developing your own project

Finally, we will suggest the optimal sequence of actions that will allow you to master most of the software’s potential in two or three evenings and quickly develop your own project. When you decide on the choice of program, study 3-5 lessons demonstrating work with both individual models and their groups and entire scenes, explaining the very concept of development.

When creating your project, start by designing and setting up your global scene. Remember that objects can be grouped and hidden once you've finished working on them, so you can focus on specific areas of the scene. When individual details have been worked out, start arranging them globally.

At the final stage, work is underway with special features programs: setting up materials, textures, lighting, simulating different conditions and angles. Obviously, the project will not gain physical implementation in one day, so you should return to the virtual plan of your site from time to time to look at it with fresh eyes and finalize small details.

In our age computer technology It is much easier to perform some tasks using machines rather than manually. Architectural and landscape design were not left out either. Now any non-professional user can create a simple project in a few minutes. In this article we will look at the main programs for planning the site of a country house - paid and free, with an interface in Russian and English language.

  • Simple programs for site planning and design

    Let's look at the list first simple programs, which are often free. Even a beginner without experience will be able to make a plot plan in them.

    Garden Planner

    Garden Planner is an easy-to-learn program from Artifact Interactive for designing a site in 2D format. Its advantages are that you can plan your site in literally 5 minutes. The only downside is that the interface is in English. But it is simple and intuitive.

    Design Interface

    In the program you can specify the dimensions and create a plan in just 5 minutes! The base of objects will be sufficient for the average summer cottage.

    Example plan created in 5 minutes

    There is also an online version of this application. It is practically no different from the desktop one.

    FloorPlan 3D

    FloorPlan 3D (TurboFloorPlan Home and Landscape Deluxe 2017) is a multifunctional complex for designing buildings, houses, offices and plots. Suitable for both professionals and beginners.

    Interface screenshot

    The interface is quite simple, so you'll get the hang of the program pretty quickly.

    2D plan view

    In FloorPlan 3D you can customize the sizes, colors and materials of objects. There is also a Vedomosti service where you can calculate estimates and costs of materials. Thus, the program is perfect for creating a plan of objects on the site, as well as a plan of your house with the arrangement of furniture and an estimate for construction.

    X-designer

    X-designer is a garden plot planner in 3D format. This product of the Russian developer “IDDK” allows you to design your site without special skills. In the program, you can choose a plan view from above or 3D display. The interface is entirely in Russian.

    Also in X-designer you can control the terrain of the site, seasons and days. The library contains more than 500 objects.

    Professional Design Products

    The following product line is designed for professional processing graphics and drawing up quality plans by specialists.

    Our Garden Crystal

    Our Garden Crystal version 10 ( previous version Our Garden Rubin 9.0) is a program of the domestic developer JSC DiComp. It is not only a design tool, but also a real encyclopedia of gardening. The database contains information about more than 17,000 plant species, including about 2,000 roses. It is possible to select plants according to more than 20 parameters: soil, life span, growth rate, etc...

    It is noteworthy that there is a built-in photo editor into which you can insert real photographs of objects, then process them and insert them into your summer cottage project.

    The program designer has a 2D and 3D view and allows you to design the terrain, paths, ponds on the site, decorative elements and construction objects.

    Sierra LandDesigner 3D

    Sierra LandDesigner 3D is a design application for landscape design in 2D and 3D format. The developer of the program is Sierra, a company known to many video game fans. Unfortunately, the program is old (2000) and cannot be found on the developer’s official website. However, you can download it on the Internet. There is a Russified version of the program.

    Punch Home Design

    Punch Home Design – a package of products for interior visualization and appearance houses and summer cottages.

    The simplest product “Punch! Landscape, Deck & Patio v19" allows you to design a landscape using a library, the import and export of which is possible from other AutoCad and Sketchup programs!

    It is as well suited for professional design as Realtime Landscaping Architect, and its integration with other 3D objects makes it indispensable.

    SketchUp

    SketchUp is a free software package for 3D modeling not only of summer cottages, but of any object or object in general. Suitable for beginners who want to plan their garden in three-dimensional form. For corporate clients you will need to purchase a license.

    The program has its own database of objects, which is updated by users. You can add them to your plan.

    Example of searching for a 3D object “spruce”

    Despite the fact that SketchUp allows you to create a site plan, its main purpose is 3D modeling. Therefore, it is most likely suitable for landscape design.


    One more example

    Realtime Landscaping Architect

    Realtime Landscaping Architect - a program for site planning in 2D and 3D format for operating system Windows. This product is distinguished by a more professional approach to design and is suitable for advanced users, as well as landscape designers.

    Interface screenshot

    The program is also distinguished by more detailed drawing of objects. The Plus package database contains 10,400 models, of which 5,100 are plants; the Architect package contains 16,400 objects, of which 7,200 are plants.

  • X-Designer is a landscape design software.

    Usage

    The software will be useful not only for those who are engaged in landscape design at a professional level, but also for those who independently decided to arrange the area adjacent to their home. X-Designer was released about ten years ago, so high-quality picture Don't expect anything from her. If this does not bother you, you can safely download the program and work with it, since it copes with its duties quite well.

    Functional

    X-Designer is a 3D constructor that the user will have to assemble. The program does not offer any schemes - you design everything as you wish. You cannot generate objects yourself here - you can only use ready-made templates. Before you start designing, you need to choose the size of the plot, as well as decide on the time of day and time of year.

    After this, you can proceed to the most important thing. X-Designer allows you to shape the terrain, creating hills or “hollows” that can be filled with water, planting plants in the ground - grass, flowers, trees, and, of course, adding various buildings. These include houses and gazebos. Finally, you can take care of the details - “arrange” lanterns, decorative stones, benches and other necessary elements. When viewing a three-dimensional model, the user has the opportunity to rotate the camera and examine the created layout from different angles. The finished project can be saved in JPG formats, PNG and BMP, and print.

    Key Features

    • creating a 3D model of the house and the adjacent garden;
    • choosing textures for the house, fence and other elements in the garden;
    • viewing the created model from different camera angles;
    • saving in graphic format and subsequent printing;
    • there is no possibility to create your own parts - only ready-made ones are allowed;
    • the program, due to the lack of updates, offers rather primitive graphics;
    • quite intuitive interface, which is completely translated into Russian.