This paper discusses in some detail, the issues involved in the use of computer software for garden design.

The process: step 1 - a base plan

Most garden designers begin by producing a base plan. They start by visiting the site, measure the boundaries and locate the building, paths and significant vegetation on the site by developing a simple map. This 'mud map' usually contains triangulation measurements so that back in the office, an accurate base plan (map) can be drawn.

Scales:

When working 'by hand', a scale ruler is used to do this, but with modern computer CAD software, the base map can be accurately drawn at full size. The key issue is that we are modelling the 'real world' and building an accurate model of the site in the computer.

This has some immediate benefits - you can for example get the computer to tell you the number of pavers required for an area or the quantity of mulch to cover a given area.

The CAD software (in this case IntelliCAD, but any vector based software could be used) is used to accurately lay out the site boundaries and locate existing trees and  building(s) on the site.

The process: step 2 - 'dress up' a CAD base plan with some construction and new planting details

Once the site boundaries are in the drawing and existing trees and shrubs have been accurately located, we dress up the plan, putting our design stamp on things. For example, we might use circles to denote new planting, create paths, apply hatch patterns to indicate particular types of paving etc.

A garden design plan produced in a CAD program. This time it is the CAD software AutoCAD.

We now have a working plan - a construction worker can build from this. However, if you want to 'sell' your design, you may wish to dress it up.

The process: step 3 - dress up the drawing

You might move the base CAD drawing into an illustrative program and dress it up.

The CAD plan is moved to a vector based illustrative tool. In this case we have used Adobe Illustrator

3D representation

You (or your client) may require a three dimensional representation of the design. You may well move your CAD model to a tool such as SketchUp.

What CAD software is available?

There are many different CAD programs on the Australian market – GardenCAD (Ours - visit http://www.gardencad.net), AutoCAD, AutoCAD LT, Caddsman, IntelliCAD, Design Cad 3D, Turbo CAD, Qikdraw, Catia, Solidworks, IronCAD, MicroStation, MiniCAD, Foresight, ListCAD, WESCOM, to name a just a few. These all have various strengths and weaknesses, but all would do the job.

Perhaps the most important thing to note is that they mostly save their drawing file in different file formats, variously .VEC, .DWG, .DGN, .CTA etc. This means that moving data from one CAD program to another is not necessarily a trivial task although the DXF format can be a lifesaver.

What software is available for vector based illustrations?

Again, to dress up the CAD drawing, many options are available. Our favourites are Adobe Illustrator for 2D work and Sketchup for 3D work, but Corel Draw could be used, as could 3D Studio.

A logical approach!

In selecting CAD software and training requirements, our advice is to firstly carefully define what it is that you want to achieve. This will be different for each individual and business. You may be designing and constructing gardens where the presentation of the design concept to the client is of crucial importance in winning jobs. You may need to produce coloured 'concept' plans of the type seen below.

Garden plan produced using GardenCAD, but any of the software mentioned above could be used to produce a similar plan.

Because you supervise the actual construction, working drawings are not so important, you just want to convey your design ideas. The majority of your training effort would go towards mastering illustrations.

In contrast, if you worked for local government or major building companies, accurately dimensioned working drawings may be more important to you.

Look at what your peers are doing.

You can bet a lot of help from your peers.

Look at the software being used in the local market

In SA and Victoria there is no question that IntelliCAD and Autodesk’s AutoCAD software dominates the market. Our guess is that >80% of CAD files are created in .DWG format used by IntelliCAD and AutoCAD in these states. This leads to the inescapable conclusion that the first piece of software you test should be GardenCAD because it can be downloaded for free (http://www.gardencad.net), if you are a landscape arcitect and want to buy software, then perhaps look at IntelliCAD (cost from us $A350.00). A second choice would be AutoCAD ($6500 or AutoCAD LT $2200).

Supply Chain

Suppose that your supply chain is a little unusual in that 50% of your work comes from a firm of architects who used to use MiniCAD on Macintosh computers and now use MiniCAD on a Windows computer. Ask yourself the following questions. "Are you getting drawings from these architects presently? Do they work well enough in (say) the IntelliCAD/AutoCAD environment you currently use (through DXF exchange)? Is it absolutely crucial to have at least one copy of MiniCAD in your office?" "Are there a pool of qualified landscape architects who are MiniCAD competent whom you can draw on for a project?" "What would be the real cost if you had to complete a project entirely in MiniCAD? "

Is the CAD software to be AutoCAD or AutoCAD light or IntelliCAD?

Having established that the .DWG format used by AutoCAD will be the office standard, a choice then has to be made between the full AutoCAD (at $AUD6500.00) and AutoCAD LT (at $AUD1200.00) or IntelliCAD ($AUD350.00)?

Now it is time to look at your own specific requirements more closely. Which version of AutoCAD will do the job for you? The list of questions below (in no particular order of importance) should assist in decision making.

Image files: Is there an absolute requirement for pasting carefully registered scanned images into drawings? In the $6500 version of AtoCAD, images can be placed into drawing files, but, like xREFs, they are not actually part of the drawing file. The image is linked to the drawing file through a path name or a data management document ID. Linked image paths can be changed or removed at any time. By attaching images using linked image paths, you can place images in your drawing, only slightly increasing the drawing file size. Early versions of AutoCAD LT did not have the ability to load this type of composite drawing, but some LT versions now do. If you need this feature, then perhaps you can get an associate company with a full AutoCAD to create the base drawing with its attached image files and then use LT for your design work. LT can handle pasting GIF, JPEG and PCX files into a drawing, but it may not give you the degree of control that you are after. IntelliCAD does handle image files.

Tip: It pays to keep checking on the features in the current version of AutoCAD LT, it tends to leapfrog the full AutoCAD. The development of IntelliCAD is also remarkable, check our web site from time to time - http://www.icad.net.au.

Programming: 

AutoCAD LT is not programmable. Ask yourself "Do you have a requirement for using any of the programming languages that come with the full AutoCAD (AutoLISP, VBA, ARX etc.)? If you choose LT then you cannot run (say) a program to read a data file of points and create a (rectangular) surface mesh with facets to give you the surface topography of a site including contours. In the same way, you cannot use AutoLISP to create a new command (we call it VERIFY) to enable you to audit a finished drawing against a project or company standard. the VERIFY command checks fonts and blocks used, layer names etc. The ‘Pack and Go’ feature of AutoCAD is a great feature where project files are being exchanged, but relies on AutoLISP being present.

3D Design:

Do you need to work in 3D? You may like to, but have you got the skills now? AutoCAD LT can read and display drawing files with 3D information in them, but it cannot create some very complex 3D shapes. Can you create and manipulate these complex 3D shapes in the full AutoCAD now, or is it a pipe dream?

Rendering:

AutoCAD LT does not allow rendering (creating photo realistic 3D images with light sources with (say) a sky with clouds as a background. Before you say 'yes I must have this feature', are you willing to spend the time to learn to draw in 3D? It is not a skill quickly acquired. Is there and alternative? Can you learn to use your digital camera more effectively and then use PhotoShop to dress up images, pasting them back into AutoCAD for final presentation. Maybe you can learn to build simple 3D geometry as a wire frame image and then 'dress it up' using Paint Shop Pro.

Fonts:

Do you need to use TrueType fonts in drawing? Although IntelliCAD has full command equivalence and almost all of the features of the full AutoCAD - it is programmable, can produced 3D images which can be rendered in applications such as SketchUp and works with native .DWG format, has a content explorer, can open multiple drawings at once, is less costly ($350.00 vs. $8000.00).

Cost:

How much money does your budget allow? Each CAD seat needs a software licence. The full AutoCAD has a hardware lock, so you can have the program loaded on several computers and simple move the lock around as needed while  AutoCAD LT and IntelliCAD need to be licensed for each computer on which they are loaded.

Training:

We are of course biased, but once you have chosen and installed your software, we believe that you need to be taught to use it correctly. Visit our broadband CAD training site and  courses pages for more information.