It’s all from a bird’s eye view, in vivid colours and in an animation style, so it’s a fun one to use, and as the accessories comprise things like a kids’ football goal, a clothes drier and a play house, this is a particularly good planning tool for designing family garden ideas. If you need more inspiration, there’s the option to choose a ready-made design that you can edit easily. Once you’ve double-clicked to lock this in, you’re free to add shrubs, decked areas, even trampolines and once you’re done, you can share your garden design via a link. You start by choosing your plot type (soil, grass, gravel, etc.) and using the cursor to plot it to scale (so you’ll need your garden dimensions first). is primarily a garden care and irrigation company, but the garden planner tool that it employs is a nifty one that can be used exclusively for garden design and planning your garden layout ideas. Each decision you make is automatically saved but can be swiftly undone if you change your mind. If you’ve plumped for a pre-designed template, you can drag items around really easily as well as deleting items completely or cutting and pasting to produce duplicates this is handy if, for example, you wanted a whole row of trees in your design rather than just one. And it’s not just for gardens! There are also templates for patio spaces, decked areas and if you’re reaching for the stars, even swimming pools. The online garden planning tool,, allows you to select a garden template (you have to set up an account first) that can be blank or pre-designed. We’ve tried and tested a range of garden planning tools and chosen ones that standout for their ease of use or particular features, be it the viewing angles they offer or the option to see your garden in the future, but one thing they all have in common is – they’re free! 1. If design isn’t your forte, they invariably offer templates and pre-conceived ideas, helping you to ignite your creativity.

There’s a credible amount of (inexpensive or even free) garden planning tools available online - and as apps – enabling the ideas in your head to spring to life as a virtual image (or a tangible one if you print it out!) Help is at hand though and without the expense of a landscaper or the cost of a garden designer.

Vegetable garden planner app