Tag Archives: Landscape

3D Landscape Design Freeware Makes Landscaping Simple

Most landscape designers utilize similar design methods and tools; prior to the computer age architects designed on paper then to blueprints. Technology revolutionized every area of design including landscape designers making it possible for any amateur to make a professional design with 3D landscape design freeware. There are free and paid options for 3D landscape design software making hi-tech landscape design available to anyone with a computer, some patience and a desire to learn. Once you have the basics of the freeware or software down then it is time to let your creativity run wild. I have seen many people create professional looking patio landscape designs for their condos and apartments that would rival what you see in some design magazines.

Picking 3D Landscape Design Freeware or Software

If you’re a professional designer, or even if you’re just someone who wants to get started designing landscapes, you need to find a 3D landscape design freeware that is packed with quality features and easy to use. The 3D landscape design software should be able to do everything you need it to in a logical manner. Remember that most experts use the best software since it makes the design process that much more fun, easy and in a short time. One way to find out which design software is recommended by pros is to check consumer reports, review customer software ratings and even look for designer forums where likeminded people can share ideas as well as boast about which 3D landscape design freeware programs are in their arsenal.

Hobbyist 3D Landscape Design Freeware

If you’re not an expert, it’s crucial that the 3D landscape design freeware you pick is very logical plus easy to use. You don’t want to get a program that is so complicated you need hours of training just to do simple tasks. Inevitably you will be frustrated by all the lost time trying to figure out a complex software program built for trained experts; not to mention you probably paid for the expert software so that money is flushed away with no gain.

You may want to try Google SketchUp for a free solution or you can go with paid software. There are various price ranges for paid landscape design software including SmartDraw and IDEA Spectrum. Many professional landscapers draft their design as a draftsman then create a CAD 3D representation. You probably don’t need to go this far unless you are a landscaper or architect presenting to customers.

Do it yourself landscape designers will feel like a pro when they utilize quality software that is not very expensive or likely even free. If you use good 3D landscape design freeware you will find that creating a professional front yard, back yard or patio landscape design is only a few creative hours away. The easy & intuitive software might make you want to become a professional yourself but hold that thought until you have completed your landscaping project from the 3D landscape design freeware to a new garden landscape that fits your style perfectly.

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Landscape Garden Design

If you’re thinking about some new ideas for your landscape garden design, Exterior Worlds has plenty of good ones to get you started. Just dive in and start planning.

Landscape Garden Design: Gathering Places & Focal Points

Your landscape will be more interesting and enjoyable if you consider:

• Outdoor kitchens. These structures create a focal point for your yard and, similar to the kitchen inside the home, become a natural gathering place. It is imperative that you have a good layout so that all your appliances fit and are convenient for use. Landscape designers and landscape architects will help you during the planning phase to check your deed restrictions concerning rules regulating such items as size, lot coverage percentages, height, and color materials.

• Patio design. A patio creates a transition space between the house and the yard. Depending on your preference, your patio design can run the gamut from an elegant open-air greenhouse to an outdoor living room. Patios affect the emotional and physical space of the interior by changing the view out the window.

• Landscape lighting. Expertise is essential in landscape lighting design, planning and installation. “About 50 percent of the technical work has to do with placement of the light fixtures,” explains Jeff Halper, landscape garden design specialist with Exterior Worlds. “You really don’t want to see the nuts and bolts of the system. You only want to see the beautiful effect created by the lights.”

• Other hardscapes. You have many choices with hardscapes, the non-plant material of your yard. They include pool decking, entry walks and pathways, gates, decks and arbors, retaining walls, driveways and motor courts.

Landscape Garden Design: Themes

Many homeowners like to choose a theme for their landscape architecture. One popular choice is classical landscape design, which is a type of formal landscape design that uses linear, clean lines to develop an orderly look. These “lines” can be drawn with rows of trees and well-trimmed hedges or perhaps a seat wall made of perfectly arranged terra cotta tiles. Greenery can soften any harshness.

Another idea is an English garden design, which is noted for its informal approach to gardening and is hugely popular in the United States. Houston’s semi-tropical climate is well suited for vine-covered arbors, riotous rose gardens, dazzling azaleas and beds of seasonal color-all plant materials that fit well within the English garden’s impression of abundance.

If your home’s architecture is a good match, think about a modern landscape design. In this style, boundaries between areas of color, textures and shapes are undefined-or conversely, sharply defined. Color and composition create the emotional response. Combining freshness and flair, these designs use dramatic geometric shapes to convey a point of view that is elegant and natural. Water and light are often used, as in beautifully-lit outdoor water fountains, to enhance the sensual loveliness and liveliness.

Don’t forget a “green” green garden. That is, one that is ecologically helpful, practical and sustainable. “With a design for a green garden, the goals are similar to any other landscape project. However, we do put a special focus on reducing the Big Four of ongoing landscape maintenance: watering, trimming, weeding and mulching,” says Halper.

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