Mar 07 2008
Three Best Landscape Software Programs For Regular People
I am not a gardener, nor do I play one on TV. I do have a lawn and a back yard, but I also have a dog. The dog does all the gardening and landscaping and she does a really good job (or so she thinks). The only thing she can’t do is mow the lawn (and I wouldn’t bother with that if it wasn’t for the grass height law in my town). But I have written many articles on landscape software for professionals and non-professionals. Here are the ones that consistently get a good buzz.
Better Homes And Gardens
Well, the actual title of one of the best landscape software you’ll come across is called Better Homes and Gardens Landscaping and Deck Designer 8.0, but that’s a mouthful. This is a colorful and user-friendly program that offers tech support (not seen in many other programs) and costs just under $100 (US). This also has some fun bells and whistles like a mini gardening encyclopedia.
The Better Homes and Garden program is one of the best landscape software programs because it as fun to tinker with as it is a useful planning tool. If you are going to have to spend hours trying to decide on how far apart to plant trees and where to put landscape lighting, you might as well enjoy the chore.
Turbo FLOORPLAN
Turbo FLOORPLAN Landscape and Deck 12 is part of a series on designing indoor and outdoor spaces. It has many of the features of the other best landscape software programs, but it is only about $50 (US). One of the reasons it’s half the price is because you have to pay an extra fee to use tech support.
Some users of Turbo FLOORPLAN claim it is slower to load and run than the other of the best landscape software programs, but if you are not a professional, then time might not be so much of an issue. This is also very colorful and graphics-intensive, giving you the option of 2D or 3D plans.
Total 3D
Despite the name, the program’s graphics look flatter and a bit more cartoon-like than the other best landscape software’s graphics. However, it’s cheap and cheerful and helps you get the job done. Total 3D Home and Landscape Design Suite also comes with tech and customer support that you don’t have to pay an extra fee for. My dog would probably like this one. I hope it has a section on landscaping holes.
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