Plan your garden online – terrace, beds and pool in 3D
Last updated: 26 October 2026
You plan a garden online by first drawing the plot with the house and then laying out areas for terrace, lawn, paths, beds and pool. In RoomPlanning you add trees, shrubs, fences and garden furniture and look at it all in 3D, by day, in the evening or at night. It runs free in the browser, from a narrow terraced-house garden to a large plot.
How to plan your garden in RoomPlanning
- Lay out the plot. With the outdoor area tool (key G) you draw the plot as a rectangle, with a size such as 2000x1500, or corner by corner (Garden and electrical plan). If you have a site plan, place it underneath as a reference image and trace it (Drawings and export).
- Draw the house. Draw at least the outer walls with doors and windows, because they decide where the terrace and paths join (Drawing walls). Lay out a terrace by the house as decking or paving, or with the balcony and terrace tool (Storeys, stairs and roofs).
- Arrange the areas. Lawn, paving, decking, gravel, bed and pool are area types of their own, each with a suitable height and surface. Smaller areas sit on top of larger ones, so a bed fits neatly into the lawn. A pool gets a depth and water.
- Run fences and gates. Press Z and click the fence point by point, for example as a picket fence, welded mesh panels, gabions or a hedge. Add single or double gates or a sliding gate.
- Place plants and furniture. In the catalog under Garden & patio you’ll find deciduous, fruit and conifer trees, shrubs, perennials, ornamental grass, fern, flowering plants and planters, plus garden table and chairs, bench, picnic table, sun loungers, parasol and barbecue (Furnishing).
- View it in 3D. In the 3D view you set the light to day, evening or night. At eye level you stand on your terrace and see how big the tree looks and whether the hedge gives privacy. With “AI photo” you turn the 3D view into a photorealistic picture from the same angle.
- Power in the garden. Place outdoor sockets and lights from the catalog and connect them in the electrical plan.
Good starting points are the Family garden with play area, the Kitchen garden with raised beds and the Terrace with pool.
Rules of thumb for beds, paths and terrace
These values are rules of thumb from gardening practice, not regulations.
| What | Rule of thumb |
|---|---|
| Bed reachable from both sides | at most about 1.20 m wide |
| Bed against a wall or fence | about half as wide, so you can reach the back |
| Raised bed | working height about 80 to 90 cm, width up to about 1.20 m |
| Path between beds | about 30 to 50 cm |
| Main path for a wheelbarrow | at least about 60 to 80 cm, more comfortable 1 m |
| Dining area on the terrace | about 1 m all round the table for chairs and getting past |
For a table seating six, that gives you roughly 3 × 4 m of terrace. If a barbecue, loungers or a parasol are to be added, plan for much more.
Trees, boundaries and pool
- Plan trees at their final size. Place trees with the crown they will have in a few years, not the size they are when you buy them. Set width and height on the right.
- Distance to the neighbours. How far trees, shrubs and hedges must be from the boundary is set by local neighbour law; in Germany it varies by state and is often staggered by plant height. If in doubt, ask your local authority.
- Pool. Whether a pool needs permission depends on where you live and on its size. Plan space for equipment and a cover, and don’t put it right under trees, or you’ll be fishing out leaves all the time.
Common mistakes
- A terrace that is too small. Chairs have to be pushed back, and people need to get round the table.
- Paths nobody walks. Lay paths where you really go: to the bins, to the shed, to the gate. Otherwise a worn track appears in the lawn.
- Planting too densely. What looks airy today grows together in a few years.
- Forgetting storage space. Bins, bikes, garden tools and firewood all need their place.
- Not watching sun and shade. Before planning, observe when each corner gets sun, and place the terrace and vegetable beds accordingly.
Frequently asked questions
Can I plan my garden in 3D for free?
Yes. RoomPlanning is free, runs in the browser and needs no sign-up. Press 3 to see the garden in 3D.
Can I plan house and garden in one plan?
Yes. House, storeys, roof, terrace and garden are all in the same plan. That way you see how the living room and terrace work together.
Which plants are in the catalog?
There are plant types rather than individual varieties: deciduous tree, slender deciduous tree, fruit tree, conifer, shrubs, perennials, ornamental grass, fern, flowering plants and potted plants. Set their size to what your plant will be when fully grown.
How do I plan a pool?
Use the outdoor area tool to draw an area of the type Pool and set its depth. Surround the pool with decking or paving and add loungers and a parasol. The Terrace with pool shows an example with a 10 m pool.
