Better Homes and Gardens Landscaping and Deck Designer Review

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(More customer reviews)After extensive research, I eventually concluded that nothing really good existed in the low end consumer world of Landscape Design software, but I held out great hope that Better Homes and Gardens Landscaping and Deck Designer would be different.
So I took a chance and bought it from Amazon in April. and After some initial delays in actually getting the product, it was worth the wait! This software has blown me away after using it just two days now!!
This is the newest 7.x version of the landscaping modules first introduced in the BH&G 6.x home designed suite. The new version, just recently released in Mar/Apr 2005 by Chief Architect for BH&G is now standalond landscaping and deck design product. I suspect a 7.x home designer suite will eventually follow.
It is clear that this software has inherited many good things from its more professional rooted product line at Chief Architect.
This latest Landscape and Deck designer is really easy to use. It comes with a program CD and tutorial CD. After a quick and easy installation process ... I found myself able to use this software quite quickly.
This worked for me, since I despise reading confusing manuals and going through endless tutorials ... this software was easy enought to "figure out", with a little help from the tutorial videos and the help subsystem.
Each video clip on the tutorial CD is only 2-4 minutes in duration and shows how to do several useful things at a time. This "show and tell" approach to learning really worked for me. I watch a quick video -- then I go do it myself.
Unlike other tutorials, this one is quick and to the point. You won't spend more than 30-45 minutes to watch all of the videos included. I reccomend watching the first 1-3 videos, then go try the program yourself, then come back to the tutorial videos a finish them off after you have an initial grasp of the program.
There is also a more comprehensive help utility where you can look up individual topics by topic or search for things within the help system ... very good overall.
This program is easy to use and the 3D capabilities are very impressive. I had my new home' irregular shapes lot laid out and my new home located on that lot to within half foot precision in the first night of use. You almost fool yourself into thinking this program is more than just landscaping, but there are certainly limits, but reasonable ones.
I was zooming around my lot and house in 3D on the first night of use. The house roof wasn't exactly correct, but very close ... and thats where the landscaping program meets its limits ... you can't really make the house architechturally correct from top to bottom, but very accurate dimensionally and certainly good for planning your landscape and/or deck.
You can even take an actual picture and mask out the surrounding and paste that picture onto your 3D model of the house. That really makes the product yield realistic looking models. And I did that one side of the house on my first night of using it.
You can save pictures of your 3D drawing to files, you can even make a motion video tour of your landscape ideas. I was blown away by the capabilities. I can't wait to get home and see what else I can do.
I didn't get into the landscaping till day 2. By the end of Day 2, I had an initial landscape layout 80% completed. This program is very usable and probably could be used by a pro if they didn't have the budget for the $1000+ software out there.
I can't say enough good things about this software. It should be a top seller within 1 year, if others feel the same as I do. My hats off to BH&G and Chief Architect -- "home run" guys.

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Your yard has always been good to you, giving you space to play with your kids, barbecue, and even sun-bathe on those lazy summer days. But now you're ready to bring some creative elegance and flair to your outdoor living. And you don't want to spend a mint just to have a landscape designer or consultant tell you what you want. If you know what you want, but you just need a little help turning that vision into reality, the Better Homes and Gardens Landscaping and Deck Designer software package is just for you. Better Homes and Gardens, the number one home and garden publisher, has partnered with leading software designer Chief Architect to bring you the Landscaping and Deck Designer. This program can help you transform your yard space into the landscape of your dreams, at a fraction of the cost of what a professional would charge. Using the software's fun, intuitive, and easy-to-use tools, you'll quickly be on the way toward becoming the envy of your neighborhood as your backyard barbecues in the sun turn into elegant moon-lit affairs on your new deck.With the Landscaping and Deck Designer, you don't need any design experience to plan your new landscaping, deck or patio areas. In a few easy steps, you'll be able to take care of site planning and cost estimating. The software will give you everything you need, from conception to planning to pricing.
With a huge library of over 1,200 plants at your disposal, you won't have to be stuck with the same old options the local home and garden shop offers. You can create beautiful landscaping with trees, shrubs, water features, and flowers of your own choosing. You can even import your digital photos and add your own custom landscaping features to your plans. To keep those plants thriving, you'll want to install a sprinkler system. The "sprinkler designer" feature can help you lay out sprinkler zones for optimal watering. A "furniture" feature allows you to project a wide variety of backdrops, objects, images, and textures onto your designs. It's never been easier to select the right patio furniture for your new deck or out by the swimming pool.
As you plan your new outdoor living area, the software can project 3D models of your plot and perimeter designs, giving you realistic images of what your designs will look like. A "terrain" feature can help you build fences and driveways, and the software will help you choose the best materials for the pathways you design through your gardens. You'll even have a special "fence tool" at your finger tips that will help you to choose from several different custom fence and gate styles.
In short, with the Landscaping and Deck Designer software at your fingertips, you can say good-bye to all those cookie-cutter yards that populate new developments. You can finally say hello to an outdoor living area that not only reflects your dreams and visions, but that also reflects how your outdoor area should be experienced, day in and day out, for years to come.

Features:

What's in the Box Landscaping and Deck Designer software on CD and instructional CD.

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