Easy to use CAD software for garden designers.
Using GardenCAD Pro - CAD software for garden design
This course introduces you to GardenCAD, a Computer Aided Design (CAD) software tool specifically developed for garden designers. GardenCAD allows you to easily set up a site layout, draw existing features, add new hard elements for contruction and, via a comprehensive suite of symbols allows you to specify planting. Almost every aspect of the garden design process can be accomplished via left and right clicks of the mouse. Symbols are placed, copied and scaled, simply by dragging the symbol. GardenCAD software is AutoCAD & IntelliCAD compatible software, developed by the people behind this softwaretutor web site. Click here to play a movie showing GardenCAD in action.
A free copy of GardenCAD is included with every enrolment for any of the 'Using CAD for garden design courses' hosted on this web site.
Module Title Description Introduction
About GardenCAD. Some simple designs showing the accurate placement of lines using the software. Using plant symbols from the GardenCAD library. Placing raster images (digital photos) into GardenCAD designs to help convey design ideas. Re-arranging the layer stacking order to improve design layout. Previewing and printing designs on different size presentation sheets.
Sample Designs
Showcasing some sample plans - GardenCAD designs produced by some early users of the program and incorporated into the program so that you can practice on real jobs before building your own.
The GardenCAD interface
Examining the way in which GardenCAD works. The drawing editor, drop down menus, the coordinate system used by GardenCAD. Drawing lines of defined length using Cartesian coordinates. Using Polar coordinates.
Tutorial
Learn GardenCAD by example. We create a complete garden design from scratch. It is a real job - we lay out a design for the back garden of a house in Canberra, Australian Capitol Territory.
Using drafting aids
Setting and using a user defined grid, applying polar tracking and adjusting entity snap settings in GardenCAD drawings.
The draw commands
A quick look at many of GardenCAD's draw commands. Using polar tracking. The LINE, ARC, CIRCLE, POLYLINE, POINT, ELLIPSE, POLYGON, MULTI LINES, TEXT, RECTANGLE, HATCH, insert BLOCK, insert RASTER.
Editing commands
Editing in GardenCAD - using the Move, Copy, Explode, Mirror commands.
Using plant symbols
Planting symbols have a major influence over the look and a feel to your designs. Here we examine the in-built plant symbols available in GardenCAD. In a later module, we show how to create symbols of your own. Each symbol has been carefully built using layers. We show how from one drawing, several different drawings can be generated, simply by turning layers on or off.
Using layers
From one drawing (model) many drawings can be generated, one for the client, one for the construction team, one for council submission etc.
Printing GardenCAD drawings
An overview of printing a GardenCAD design. Simple printing from model space, choosing a suitable drawing sheet, installing a PDF writer, printing to fit. Preparing pages for printing from paper space. Creating several paper space pages. Preparing a page for printing at a defined scale e.g. a 1-1000 plot on an Iso A1 sheet.
Case Study 1
Using GardenCAD to create a design for a courtyard home.
Case Study 2
Using GardenCAD to create a design for a school teaching garden.
Case Study 3
Using GardenCAD to create a design a public space.
Case Study 4
Using GardenCAD to create a design for some intricate paving.
Gallery of student drawings
Survey some drawings created using GardenCAD.
Printing GardenCAD drawings
Installing a PDF writer, printing a drawing to a plotter, printing a drawing (GardenCAD file) to a PDF writer, , Taking a PDF file to a copy centre.
Download Sample Files
Download GardenCAD sample files.
Installing GardenCAD
How to download and install GardenCAD. Configuring GardenCAD in your computer.
Installing GardenCAD from CD-ROM
Click here to install GardenCAD on your computer.