Software Packages For 3-D Landscaping Design

Google Sketchup.

Does Sketchup Pro really do 3-D landscaping design ?
What about objects ?
Must one buy these separately online and ensure they are compatible with the
formats of Sketchup ?

Will Sketchup itself really allow importation of house plans, site layout, elevations &
section created on another CAD system ?

I’m sure there are plenty more software packages.
I’ve seen Sketchup used by landscape architects.
It also has a huge online library of objects/trees/furniture etc., free to download because they have been uploaded by Sketchup users.
You can download a free add-on that allows importation of Autocad .dwg files. Don’t know about other file types. There are also add-ons for landscaping-related tasks such as contour creation.

That’s my tuppence worth.

Haven’t used sketchup myself yet but have been impressed with what i’ve seen of it…seems to be widely used at all levels.

PC World used to stock a 3d Home Architect package that had a landscape module. Theres also a dedicated landscape package from the same company. Detail here of the software :

http://www.3dhaonline.com/

One of the interesting aspects of the software was that you could “grow” the planting to see how it would mature over time. Plant selection is veering to the American market and while its not photo-realistic by any means you can get some pretty decent results.

Best of luck,
JJ

Had a look at what Skethup Pro can do on YouTube.
Not great.

I’d have little interest in the PC World type of package.
Seem to think we all live in US utopo-suburbia, giving us what they think is
good enough for people like us.

It looks like the main expense here is the cost of making suitable landscaping
objects that are vivid enough and plausible (i.e. not all the same size/shape,
not growing alongside other species in an unlikely way for adjacent growth)
in the eye of an experienced person.

But thanks to everyone for your suggestions.:)

@teak wrote:

Had a look at what Skethup Pro can do on YouTube.
Not great.

I’d have little interest in the PC World type of package.
Seem to think we all live in US utopo-suburbia, giving us what they think is
good enough for people like us.

It looks like the main expense here is the cost of making suitable landscaping
objects that are vivid enough and plausible (i.e. not all the same size/shape,
not growing alongside other species in an unlikely way for adjacent growth)
in the eye of an experienced person.

But thanks to everyone for your suggestions.

I find most plant symbols and hard landscaing representations available on software packages very poor generally, and yep, often striaght out of an american patio garden… which is why I still hand draw all plans. Google sketchup isn’t too bad because of the selection of symbols available online and elsewhere, but requires a lot of searching … the most I could see myself migrating to for now is use of CAD for building and perimeter lines but reverting back to the trusty hand for everything else.

I’ve only ever used SketchUp with Microstation files. You just plot to file as an .eps file. It’s a brilliant programme, great when used with Photoshop. I’ve only used it for views of buildings, before and after street scenes, so I don’t know what it’s like for landscape design. I’m sure there are plenty of free growies online, just google it.