Landscape Architect Tools

Landscape architect tools help you design and lay out your outdoor space.Buena Vista Images/Photodisc/Getty Images

A landscape architect is responsible for designing resident or public outdoor spaces, including laying out these spaces so that they are both useful and attractive. Professionals will try to figure out where to put trees, flowers, walkways and architectural features so that they work with each other and the surrounding home or buildings. While you can hire a contractor to help you with this, you can also use landscape architect tools to design and shape your own lawn.

Realtime Landscaping Architect

This software uses 3D technology to allow you to lay out your outdoor space, and you can view your landscape from different angles and heights. You can create your own landscape plans, including laying out fences, decks, water features, pools and garden beds. The program also provides you with templates and wizards to help you with the layout process, and you can also import photos of your own or your clients' yards. You can add landscaping features like hills and/or slopes to simulate the actual look of the real property. In addition, you can create a virtual walk-through presentation, which you can burn to either a CD or DVD. There is a free trial download of this program, but you must purchase the full version once the trial period ends. The program costs $249.95 as of 2010.

Land F/X uses computer aided design (CAD) techniques to create both blueprints and virtual layouts of landscape designs, and the program has a design library with common design components, including plants, structures, cars and people. You can view designs in either 2D or 3D, and you can also add irrigation lines and set up irrigation schedules. This tool is also customizable based on your needs, and it allows you to manage different aspects of your landscape design project. There is a free trial version of the Land F/X program, and the full version costs $1,995, as of 2010. This tool is mainly for industry professionals.

This program allows you to create 3D landscape designs, and it is compatible with both the Windows and Macintosh operating systems. With this tool, you can lay out walkways, garden beds, water features, decks, fences, patios, gates and retaining walls, and it also comes with a plant library of more than 2,300 plants. In addition, you can see a projection of how your lawn will look over different periods of time based on plant and tree growth. You can either download this product or purchase the DVD, and the product costs $29.99 in 2010.