How to Design Garden Plans Online
Web-based garden design programs are readily available both through paid memberships and as free-to-use services. All offer common functions such as specifying the size of the garden space and adding plants and other structures to the design. They differ in that some offer more detailed features and capabilities, and are accordingly more difficult to use. Just as an example, the Better Homes and Gardens Plan-A-Garden tool provides a free and simple means of becoming familiar with online garden design tools. Does this Spark an idea?
Instructions
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Determine which plants you would like to grow. Using the BHG.com online plant encyclopedia (find a link in Resources), you can obtain a list of plants suitable to your area, based on your region and your preferences.
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Record the heights and widths of your chosen plants. Note the desired quantity of each plant. Keep in mind that a single large plant provides a good focal point in the garden, while smaller plants look better when grouped in odd-number quantities.
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Launch the Plan-A-Garden tool (find a link in References), and select a garden layout. Plan-a-Garden offers a blank template plus three preshaped gardens. Choose the layout that is closest to your garden space. You can refine it by clicking on the end points and dragging them to the proper dimensions.
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For an asymmetrical layout, you can add additional corners by clicking anywhere on one of the edges of the garden. A new point will appear, which you can drag until your borders reach the proper dimensions. To remove a point, click on it. An "X" will appear; click on the "X" to remove that point.
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Click on the "Garden Items" tab. If you wish to add structures such as trellises to your garden, select the category "Structures" from the menu alongside the garden layout.
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Add plants to your garden design by selecting the appropriate category, such as annuals, perennials, grasses or shrubs. Plant options are limited in this program. If the plant you wish to grow does not appear in the list, select one that is similar. Click on the plant and drag it to the desired location. A red menu will appear, allowing you to increase or decrease the plant size, rotate it, or duplicate it.
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Add accents to your garden. Click on the "Accents" category to insert stepping stones, bird baths, rocks, or garden sculpture. Like the plant icons, these images can be enlarged or reduced after you've dragged them to the garden layout.
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Save your design by clicking the "Save As" tab and entering a name for your garden. You can then print the design or email it to yourself or a friend by clicking the links in the top right corner of the layout screen.
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Tips & Warnings
If you find the Plan-A-Garden tool to be too limited, explore some of the more complicated--and feature-packed--Web-based applications.
