Landscape Design
Tips & Advice to help you make your decision on Landscape Design
Landscape design focuses on a property's master landscape plan and the garden design of the objects and plants within its boundaries. If you are creative and have an eye for detail, landscape design might be a good business opportunity for you.
You will design and maintain gardens and lawns for both residential and commercial customers, such as hotels or malls. The success of your business will depend on your experience and formal training. Therefore, you should obtain both on-the-job-training and a landscape design degree or certificate to better market your business, gain customers, and increase profits.
Because entry-level positions are easy to obtain with little or no training, you might consider working for an established designer for hands-on experience working with equipment, such as mowers and trimmers. This will also give you good idea whether this is the type of business you could operate successfully.
Many community colleges and universities offer design components in their horticulture or agriculture programs. Some even offer certifications or degrees. Check with local schools in your area for more information. In addition, the Stratford Career Institute and Penn Foster Schools offer online programs in landscaping and gardening.
You may wish to join the American Nursery & Landscape Association to keep up to date with current trends.
Visit the links on this Business.com page for more information about landscape design.
Landscape Design Software
Landscape design software can help you grow your landscaping businessBy R. Portnoy Landscape designers put themselves above the crowd when they use professional landscape design software. When you show potential clients a photo-realistic, 3D representation of their own house and yard filled in with lush, professionally designed plantings, you will have already gone a long way toward making a sale.
With a full suite of integrated plant libraries, patio and deck designs and even cost estimation tools, landscape design programs can present you in the most professional, organized light possible. But the wide variety of available features, and prices that range all the way from 2 figures to 4, can be confusing, so you'll want to think a bit before rushing into a purchase.
Consider the following when choosing professional landscape design software:
- Most landscape design software suppliers offer free trials, so you can evaluate the software before spending your money.
- Landscape design varies by region, so a good landscape design program will too.
- Mastering high-end landscape design programs can take time and training. An expensive home and garden landscape design package won’t benefit you if no one can figure out how to use the program.
Test drive landscape design software before you buy with free downloads
Landscape design programs cover a full spectrum, from programs based on the architectural drawing system CAD, to programs that let you present your landscape design ideas with much simpler tools. Use free online demos to determine the style, graphics and tools best suited your business.
Try:
PRO Landscape Version 14 is a high-end, CAD based program that you'll definitely want to try before buying. IDEA Spectrum is a mid-priced program that allows you to download a free trial. You can also test drive SmartDraw, which offers tiered pricing based on the number of users in your business.
Look for a landscape design program with region-specific features
Many programs take into account your region's climate, terrain, water considerations and ideal plants. If you have clients who like to scroll through your software's plant libraries, this can save a lot of time.
Try:
PlantMaster offers several landscape design programs, each tailored to a different geographic region. With Landscape Vision Design Software, you enter your region first, and then see only geographically appropriate plants.
Get the most from your professional landscape design software with training
Mastering any software program is the only way to unlock its full potential. If you decide to invest in one of the more complex garden design programs, training may be the most efficient way to get you and your staff up to speed.
Try:
Both PRO Landscape and DynaSCAPE offer live, online and even on-site training.
- Landscape designers who leave quality materials behind after a presentation also leave a better impression. Many landscape design programs provide tools that help you produce professional proposals and bids, in addition to the standard printouts of design plans.
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