Food forest design software for your real site
AgroForest Designer is online food forest design software for gardens and layered planting projects. Map your site, choose plants and create an editable layout. Review spacing, growth and indicative shade before preparing your planting plan.
No credit card Free first project Design up to 20 years ahead
Your patch of earth, reimagined.
A few ideas today. A living landscape for years to come.
- Map your space
- Choose your plants
- Explore your design
From a site map to your food forest planting plan
A food forest planner connects the space you have with the plants you want to grow. Start with your boundary, choose a plant palette and check how the layers fit together as trees and shrubs mature.
Map your planting area and access
Set your boundary on a map, satellite image or imported orthomap. Add existing features and paths so planting areas leave room for access and harvesting.
Plan room for trees and lower layers
Compare plant heights, crown widths and terrain in a section view. Review the canopy and lower layers together before deciding where each plant belongs.
Communicate the future landscape
Discuss the intended canopy, understory, paths and water. Image shown: concept illustration, not a growth prediction. Explore the 3D design views for product capabilities.
Choose plants, arrange the layers and review your design
Bring plant research and spatial planning into the same project. These tools support food forests, forest gardens and the planting and site-planning parts of a permaculture design.
Searchable Plant Knowledge
Compare trees, shrubs, herbs and ground covers by growing conditions, size and use. Explore the public database before signing up, then save a plant palette as a reusable recipe for your design.
Digital Site & Path Planner
Draw planting areas, paths and structures on a measured map. Keep access routes connected to the layout so you can review space for maintenance and harvesting.
Custom Planting Plan Generator
Use your plant recipe, planting area and spacing preferences to generate an editable proposal. Inspect the preview and warnings, then adjust individual plants or combine it with manual planting.
Sun, Shade & Terrain Review
Explore sun paths and modelled shade across a day, growing season or year. Add labelled elevation contours to make site relief visible.
From Design to Delivery
Prepare plant inventories and harvest calendars, then use the sharing and export tools included in your plan. Professional options support technical drawings, 3D and GIS workflows.
Explore the agroforestry design tools or follow the digital planting plan guide.
A food forest planner for gardens, client projects and learning
Choose a workflow that fits your project, from a first edible garden to a planting plan you need to present and deliver.
Private Garden
Choose a manageable planting area and leave room for mature crowns, paths and picking.
Plan a small food forestCommunity
Use a shared view of the planting plan to discuss access, species choices and responsibilities.
Education & Training
Compare plant layers, spacing and site conditions in a practical design exercise.
Explore design tools for educationProfessionals
Develop client planting plans with reusable plant palettes, spatial review and professional outputs.
Prepare planting plans for clientsReview plant spacing, growth and shade before planting
A young planting can look spacious while its mature crowns overlap. Use different design horizons and indicative shade views to find decisions that need attention, then adjust the plan using your knowledge of the site.
Start from a structured proposal
Let the generator allocate plants by your chosen objective, site fit, layer priorities and available painted space.
Design for future plant size
Compare layouts at 1, 5, 10 or 20 years and see how crown spread changes spacing and estimated cover.
Check sunlight and access
Model indicative shade patterns, flag possible light mismatches and check paths against plants and site objects.
Keep the plan editable
Apply generated plants to a separate layer, adjust individual elements and preserve manual work while iterating.
Use modelled results to guide site decisions
Growth dimensions and shade views are design estimates. Local climate, cultivar, rootstock and management affect the result. Check plant suitability and ground conditions before implementation; a generated layout remains a proposal for you to review.
See what the shade analysis and export tools can help you assess.
A plan for every stage of your design work
Create your first design for free. Upgrade when you need more projects, advanced analysis or professional exports.
Free
Essential tools to start your first agroforestry design.
Starter
More capacity for active garden and land projects.
Pro
Professional delivery, sharing and implementation tools.
Before you start your food forest design
Understand the workflow, the information you need and how to start with the space you have.
What does a food forest planner help me do?
It helps you turn a plant palette into a spatial planting plan. In AgroForest Designer you can map the site, position trees and lower layers, review future plant dimensions and prepare plant inventories. Read the planting plan workflow for a walkthrough.
What information do I need to begin?
Start with your location, a site boundary and your goals. Add the soil, moisture and light conditions you know, then choose plants and refine the plan as you learn more. The plant selection guide explains the filters and their limits.
Can I design a food forest in a small garden?
You can plan a small layered edible garden, but the planting must fit the available space. Use suitable cultivars and rootstocks, allow for mature crowns and keep paths accessible. Start with a few well-chosen layers; see the food forest planner for garden owners.
Can I try the design software for free?
Yes. Start with a free project without payment details, and explore the public plant database before signing up. Project capacity, analysis and export access depend on your plan. Compare the current plans and included features before choosing professional tools.
Start your first food forest planting plan
Map your planting area, build a plant palette and create a layout you can keep refining. Start with a free project and add capacity or professional tools when you need them.