TierramadreLandscape.com

You might try to pick up a copy of "Ponds USA and Water Gardens" at your local Home Depot or Lowe's or your local pet store. They have tones of ideas on how to build a pond. Many of the advertisers have web addresses and will send your free catalogs or have down loadable plans.. I haven't seen any software for plans but again you might try the builder supply stores. They usually have small DIY book sections for building all sorts of great ideas. Try the local fish stores that sell quality Koi and you might find just what you need.
Good luck! I would love to see pictures when your done! I want to build my own some time soon.. just haven't had the $$ to start what I want! lol

Here's a few places that look like a great places to start!
http://www.SacKoi.com
http://www.PondDepot.com
http://www.Pondmarket.com <<< only saw DVD's
http://www.atlanticfountains.com <<< say they have software but $$$$

2007-10-23 18:16:30 by Alex

I hope you mean flower garden...because vegetable gardens are another story altogether.

First, find plants good for your hardiness zone. If they aren't hardy in your area, they won' t survive the first winter.

Second, find plants that are appropriate for the amount of sunlight you get in the area you're planting. Full sun plants will not thrive if they only get one hour of direct sunlight a day. Shade plants may get leaf burn in full sun.

Third, select plants which will mature to the size you want in each area. Don't pick plants based on the size when
you purchase them. If so, they will become overgrown and look bad.

Fourth, choose colors that go well together and complement each other.

Fifth, choose some evergreen, some perennial, and some annuals. Evergreens keep their leaves all year. Perennials die off in the fall but come back every year. Annuals last only one season and usually are planted to give a large amount of seasonal color--things like petunias and impatiens.

For vegetable gardens, it's important to improve your soil, make sure the garden gets plenty of sunlight (most vegetables need full sun), keep out the critters who think it's a salad bar, keep out the bugs who will destroy your plants, plant at the right time, and choose plants and space them appropriately.

I also recommend composting your yard and kitchen waste so that you have a free source of soil improver for next year.

Gardening is really satisfying once you get going. Good luck to you!

2007-10-13 06:51:32 by pran

Price: $0.99 $0.99

I dont think anything is free
the only house/gardenplanner i can think of is $100 which is outrageous
if you want the program you can buy it at frys electronics

2007-10-23 23:09:38 by Alex

Price: $149.99 $131.15

Maneuverable, lightweight and easy to store in seconds
Assembly is easy and takes less than 10 minutes; once the product is assembled, will only take seconds to store and re-open
10 Year Warranty on Tub

I have some of friend and relatives asking for design their home garden. Honestly said since I do learn the subject and practices it, kind of common sense when you use to hang with the thing again and again. May I know what is the problem your're facing when you're try to do you own landscape/garden design :)

Scale is the biggest problem. Most people plant things like they will never get bigger. Consequently they plant them too close to the house or too close to other plants or they plant too many plants for a given area. If a person can imagine what the plants will look like in 10 years, that's the best way to design, unless you have been trained.

2006-11-03 12:47:55 by maizblues

There seem to be so many to choose from and at different prices. I would like to have a qualification at the end that would be worthy of the work and allow me to earn money.

Look at rhs.org.uk Im looking for a course myself but on gardening not design.
Happy Hunting.

2007-06-20 09:20:10 by teazle