Unfortunately, it seems that there is no single, comprehensive app for the gardening guru looking to create a virtual exterior space before implementing it in the real world (at least none that are worth mentioning, according to reviewers). This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone who knows something about planning and planting a garden because there are really two separate parts to the process. There is the basic layout and design phase, which involves planning the arrangement of space, and then there is the planting phase, which involves knowledge of flora and fauna varietals. However, you can get a number of apps that will work together in a complementary capacity to help you with both of these issues in the landscaping process, providing you with the plant information you need for your area (planting schedules, native options, selections for different levels of sun and shade) and the tools that will help you design the gorgeous and professional layout you seek.

Let’s start with layout and design apps, since you’ll probably want to plan for a basic setup before you head to the nursery to start choosing plants. Eden Garden Designer ($1.99) is a good one to start with because it allows you to work with your own space. All you have to do is take photos of your yard (from any or several points of view) and use the available library of plants to see what your space might look like if you added plants of varying heights and colors. Although the main complaint about this app has been the lack of variety, the point is not really to pre-plant your garden in a virtual space, but rather to get a basic visual representation of where different types of plants (trees, shrubs, flowers, vines) might fit into your very own garden.

Garden Plan Pro ($9.99) is another option to consider. Despite the price, which is a bit steep for an app, it is a far more useful tool for the serious designer. Although it doesn’t have the option of actually mapping over your existing space, it does offer the tried and true “floor plan” approach laying out your garden space, with options to set the dimensions of your landscape and section it off (including raised beds or planters), pick a variety of plants, and even track planting and growth cycles on a chart organized by month and plant variety (and set reminder alerts).

Now that you’ve got the basic layout decided it’s time to decide which plants you want to include, and you may have it in mind to create a fruit, vegetable, and herb garden as well as purely cosmetic additions like flower beds, trees, and decorative planter boxes. For this you will need a plant guide and there are a couple of good choices. Dirr’s Tree and Shrub Finder (the digital companion to Dirr’s “Manual of Woody Landscape Plants”) will set you back $14.99, but it’s the go-to app for the horticulturalist in need of help. It’s basically a plant database that gives you myriad filtering features so that you can find the best plants for your locale and the time of year. Landscapers Companion provides a similar but less expensive option at $5.99. Finally, you might want to download the free Gardening How To app, which gives you access to the National Home Gardening Club’s official magazine (and their community of followers). Now if only some clever developer would come up with an app that could drive John Deere lawn tractors, you’d be all set.

Editor’s Note

Thanks to Evan Fischer for this quest post. He is a freelance writer and part-time student at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks, California.