Top 10 Free Landscape Design Software for Mac

Part 1

1. Landscaper's Companion

Features and functions:

· This software is one of the most sought-after guide for plant references while effectively assisting with gardening.

· Landscaper's Companion keeps the user ease in mind as well as provides some valuable plant education by maintaining the leading databa_x_se of plant records.

· Thisfree landscape design software for Macoffers easy and fast browsing capabilities for do-it-yourself landscaping projects and also professional tools that teach design expertise and smart maintenance of landscape designing.

Pros of Landscaper's Companion:

· This software is made available for the web as well as mobile devices.

· The Landscaper's Companion maintains an extensive catalogue that lists out a number or plants, thereby helping professionals to ensure maintainability and an organized way of dealing clients and business.

· The images provided are of superior quality - which are not just confined to viewing and referential purposes but can also be shared and mailed out.

· Scaling from weather preferences to technical constraints such as bloom time, the landscaper's companion supports the ability of filtered searches.

Cons of Landscaper's Companion:

· Since this is afree landscape design software for Mac,users expect information that would be effective for varied climate and geographical locations. Landscaper's companion has been designed mostly keeping in view the plant species that mostly thrive in the UK, Australia and North-American belts, thereby restricting users from the knowledge of other rare species that thrive in other parts of the world.

· If any of the search result fails, the software boots you out of the app (specifically occurs in mobile devices). This is a hindrance for the user fails to understand the real cause for this behaviour.

· Users ask for more information on specific plant diseases, propagation and pruning techniques, etc. Detailed studies and data are provided only after purchase of the app.

User Comments/Reviews:

· The Landscaper's Companion for iPad app offers users a place to start when creating or adding to their existing garden.

http://www.apppicker.com/reviews/20705/Landscapers-Companion-for-iPad-app-review-no-need-to-call-in-the-professionals-ust-yet

· Deer resistance, Kangaroo resistance - these are important technologies only available in the latest Mac OSX

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/40582/landscaper-s-companion-gardening-reference-guide

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Part 2

2. Plangarden Vegetable garden design software

Features and functions:

· This is afree landscape design software for Macthat provides a technical and completely scientific approach to vegetable gardening concepts.

· Visualization techniques of virtual gardens are of supreme quality. Starting from intricate detailing approach to profound aspects of weather influences, all are handled effectively.

· It maintains a log that lists out new techniques adopted and related consequences, which is of great help for future references.

· It also provides feature such as the Harvest Estimator.

Pros of Plangarden Vegetable garden design software:

· This software provides comprehensive design layouts for designs, with flexibility of using preferred colours and shapes. The software helps detail out technical aspects as per one's requirement - such as designing any odd or rare-shaped plot, containers and/or beds for landscaping, etc.

· Thisfree landscape design software for Machas a graphical interface with drag-and-drop facilities that help the user to clearly represent his required landscape design.

· Vegetable calculators and metric units are effectively handled by this software.

· One of the greatest advantage(s) of the Plangarden Vegetable garden design software is that it does not require any downloads, all developments by the user are run through dynamic programs, which saves everything on remote servers and takes off the burden of saving data on your own system.

· The updated version provides tips on managing frost dates and maximum plants that your designed row(s) would support.

Cons of Plangarden Vegetable garden design software:

· The software just allows for tracking at a very basic range. It is hard to derive production estimates from a particular row and such other calculations.

· Calendar or graphs, charts, etc. are not made readily available.

User Comments/Reviews:

· Starting with a plot size as large as five acres, you can use PlanGarden to draw your envisioned garden beds, lay out all of your imagined plants including plant spacings, set frost dates and indoor starting dates, and start a daily PlanGarden log.

· PlanGarden works online through any browser and no download.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/233821/plangarden_vegetable_garden_design_software.html

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Part 3

3. Kitchen Garden Aid

Features and functions:

· The Kitchen Garden Aid is onefree landscape design software for Macthat keeps a track of crop rotation mechanisms and presents techniques and solutions accordingly.

· Also, this software has the feature for supporting the art of companion planting.

· The ability to visualize your garden on a square feet basis is one of the key features of the Kitchen Garden aid.

Pros of Kitchen Garden Aid:

· A comprehensive databa_x_se of companion plants is maintained.

· Thisfree landscape design software for Machas been developed to respect and adhere to the rules of crop rotation, intercropping, etc.

· The Kitchen Garden Aid helps you to sketch or outline your landscape specifically and provides design aids ba_x_sed on corresponding requirements.

Cons of Kitchen Garden Aid:

· The software fails to support the data entering for very specific species.

· This does not provide aid for landscaping in containers.

· Details such as certain comments, dates for plantation, etc. cannot be entered.

User comments/reviews:

· This project is really useful for people starting to gardening, as it helps to distribute plants that help each other to grow.

· It works good enough to pay for.

http://sourceforge.net/projects/kitchengarden/

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Part 4

4. Garden Sketch

Features and Functions:

· This is a software that enables the user to layout his garden entirely in a visual format, prior to purchase of plants and landscaping tools.

· Specialized tools are provided for drawing.

· Search mechanism is quite advanced, thereby providing the capability to choose appropriate plants ba_x_sed out of filtered results.

· Garden Sketch is afree landscape design software for Macthat does not put any restriction on the allowable limit of unique designs that can be created for a particular property.

Pros of Garden Sketch:

· This software allows photos from satellite or aerial viewing to be incorporated.

· It is easy to compute the number of shrubs, plants, trees and hedges and the corresponding mulch amount that would be required for a certain area.

· Skilled drawings made in desc_x_riptive colours and shapes can also be supported here, along with the ability to attach comments and notes specific to a layout or any plant.

Cons of Garden Sketch:

· Tools for designing are not ample. Also, documentation is unclear and does not provide much help to users.

· The software does not seem to be the most intuitive one.

· Latest version of this software reports major performance issues such as system crash, refusal in launching application, etc.

User Comments/Reviews:

· If you are tired of wasting money in purchasing plants on the spur of the moment then coming home trying to figure out where to put it, and wasting money on expensive landscaping software then this program is for you!

· Great for a gardener.

http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/20861/gardensketch

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Part 5

5. Garden Plot

Features and Functions:

· This software offers a very special feature called "My Garden" wherein one can track produces of his garden, gauge the success rate of plantation, and also make harvest estimates ba_x_sed on the software-enabled calculations.

· Vegetables, fruits, herbs are all listed out in distinct categories.

· Harvesting techniques and tips are provided to help grow plants in abundance.

Pros of Garden Plot:

· Thisfree landscape design software for Macis proficient in adding notes and snippets, photographs, and other important documentation against plants, thereby serving as an important record.

· A to-do list is an advantageous feature provided.

· List of your favourites can be easily and effectively maintained.

· Calendar to show what needs to be done for definite time fr_x_ames, plot planners to list out varieties in plantations and allow succession mechanism in planting, and details of bugs and their resolutions are all provided by the Garden Plot software.

Cons of Garden Plot:

· This software has a drawback that one would fail to add plants of his own, only those available at the databa_x_se of the application can be added.

· It is ba_x_sed particularly in the UK and harvesting tips apply to seasons particular to the region.

User Comments/Reviews:

· I like the garden plot feature. I really like that you type in your own variety name.

https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/garden-plot/id430310833?mt=8

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Part 6

6. Home Design Studio Pro 15

Features and Functions:

· This is one of the bestfree landscape design software for Macthat helps users with intelligent features such as the room detection mechanism, auto roof generation and room assistant tools, extensive library ob_x_jects with 3D looks, etc.

· This software provides with a cursor which is intelligently designed to align and snap walls and other landscape ob_x_jects in design, quickly and effectively.

· Wall coverings, siding, painting, roofing, drag -and-drop feature with floor coverings, countertops, mulch, etc. are some of the distinct functional abilities of the Home Design Studio Pro 15.

Pros of Home Design Studio Pro 15:

· This tool helps in designing dynamic elevation views.

· An organizer tool for maintaining building ob_x_jects is provided by this software.

· Starting from intricate designing to cost estimates, everything is handled efficiently by the Home Design Studio Pro 15.

· Versatile and personalized landscape designs and topographical elements are made available for design.

Cons of Home Design Studio Pro 15:

· Going through tutorials might take up quite a lot of time for simple design requirements.

· Commercial licenses may be difficult to acquire.

User Comments/Reviews:

· It is the sophisticated way to explore creative new possibilities for home design, interiors, exteriors, remodeling and more!

http://home-design-studio-pro-15.sharewarejunction.com/

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Part 7

7. Sweet Home 3D 3.4

Features and functions:

· Thisfree landscape design software for Machelps create rounded wall designs with its tools and techniques.

· New plug-ins for advanced photo-view rendering have been introduced.

· The compass rose is an attribute that is unique to Sweet Home 3D.

Pros of Sweet Home 3D 3.4:

· The Sweet Home 3D provides the facility to pass an existing design layout as input and then develop a design by manipulating the available elements.

· Be it a virtual visitor type view or the aerial one, thisfree landscape design software for Machelps you render a perfect design of your 2D landscape plan, in a sharp and profound 3D format.

· Interiors of a house, cabinets, walls, floors and roofs can all be viewed and designed. The software allows to drag and drop your preferred furniture or any other landscape units and play around.

Cons of Sweet Home 3D 3.4:

· The help and support menu provided for the software needs to be expanded and rendered with precision, so that more use can be derived of the product.

· The elements allowed for selection are limited.

· The software has been reported to have crashed on several circumstances.

User comments/ reviews:

· It's very simple and fairly intuitive, particularly if you pay close attention to the feature tabs across the top of the grid.

· It has a number of default pieces of furniture that you drag and drop onto a grid.

https://ssl-download.cnet.com/Sweet-Home-3D/3000-6677_4-10747645.html

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Part 8

8. Live Interior 3D Pro

Features and Functions:

· The primary feature that helps Live Interior 3D Pro stand out as one of the most effectivefree landscape design software for Macis that it provides the ability to transform designs into real-life images and render them as videos in 3D format and walkthrough the same, for personal or professional developments.

· Interior decoration tips, smart colour pickers and decision-making, optimal furniture patterns can be achieved through this software.

Pros of Live Interior 3D Pro:

· The Live Interior 3D Pro earns its name in the market for providing the ability to render real-time 3D images, thereby enabling structures and workflows, paints and walls, furniture, etc. to all look as live ones.

· Flooring plans can be designed in two-dimension architecture format.

· Fabrics, materials, furniture, finishes, are all provided in abundance to choose from and design. One can easily drag and drop the desired features or arrangements at preferred positions and check at different angular locations, with the ability to manipulate the direction(s) of light.

Cons of Live Interior 3D Pro:

· Many users find the interface too cluttered with a plethora of options.

· Thisfree landscape design software for Macis too basic to appeal professionals or cater to complex designing requirements.

User Comments/Reviews:

· This app allows me to design a room quickly and share it easily. I love the ability to import from Trimble 3D Warehouse, I can find almost any 3D ob_x_ject I need and there is no hassle, it just works! Best app I know for home design.

·I found this app very easy to use - it did everything I needed it to do in a very intuitive manner. The integration between the 2D and 3D views is outstanding.

https://www.belightsoft.com/products/liveinterior/

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Part 9

9. Home Designer Suite

Features and functions:

· This is afree landscape design software for Macthat helps one to design interior structures as well as exterior elements with equal ease.

· This software provides an extensive collection of materials and fr_x_amework, cuts and designs, styles, ob_x_jects, colours, that would not just help design an intriguing landscape or property but also materialize the same with a three-dimensional visualization.

· The software licensing provides with the feature to activate or deactivate the same and hence offers portability options.

Pros of Home Designer Suite:

· It is an effective tool to help people who want to design or remodel their properties on their own. Landscape ideas can be clearly visualized through the software and new designing mechanisms help materialize them.

· Starting from kitchen cabinets to backsplash, countertops to bath interiors, colour or hardware, crown moulding or door-styles, all are provided for by the Home Designer Suite.

· It provides integration of Hardness zone maps. Patios, fireplaces and decks can be effectively designed too.

· Plants and flower specifications are also handled by this software - ranging from features that outline bloom time and climate requirements to leaf size and flower colours, etc.

Cons of Home Designer Suite:

· The software involves complex programs and usage, which becomes difficult for users to cope up, and thus calls for longer involvements and playing around with the system.

· The terrain tool is somewhat difficult to learn and utilize properly.

User comments/reviews:

· Home Designer Suite offers templates as jumping-off points, including layouts for interior rooms, exterior landscaping, and entire home plans of various sizes and styles.

· Home Designer Suite can also help you plan and visualize your outdoor rooms--patios, decks, pools, and landscaped spaces, including terrain.

http://www.pcadvisor.co.uk/review/graphic-design-publishing-software/home-designer-suite-review-3294322/

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Part 10

10. HGTV Home Design

Features and functions:

· The HGTV Home Design is afree landscape design software for Macwith unique features such as the Go Green functionality, which motivates into designing energy-efficient and environmental-friendly property layouts and homes.

· The ability to use lighting simulator is specific to this software, thereby helping manipulate the time for the day and/or distance from equator.

· Kitchen and Bathroom designing features are unique for this software, for it provides with tools to achieve customized ob_x_jects.

Pros of HGTV Home Design:

· This software helps achieve landscape designs without requiring much experience in this field.

· A live chat support program is provided, wherein one can contact with any manufacturer for help. Community forums are also made available.

· Flooring plans in 2D as well as 3D work seamlessly.

Cons of HGTV Home Design:

· ob_x_ject library is limited, in comparison to other products.

· Custom tools are not offered.

User comments/reviews:

· The lighting simulator within this Mac home design software is intuitive and powerful.

· You don’t need any experience to use HGTV Home Design for Mac. Its user-friendly interface allows you to change your model by simply dragging and dropping items, which makes this program easy to use for novices ofinterior design.

http://home-design-software-review.toptenreviews.com/mac-home-design-software/hgtv-home-design-review.html

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