10 Websites For Landscape Designers & Contractors

Landscaping is pretty simple: put soil, rocks, and plants (in that order) in place to make your property look it's best.

But that doesn't mean the pursuit of a beautiful garden has been untouched by technology. I have a number of websites that I use almost every week to find plants, get design ideas, and more.

Here are 10 that any modern landscape designer or gardener will love: 

1. Houzz. Part online glossy design mag, part Pinterest for home improvement, Houzz is my go-to spot for design inspiration. The advice forums are a great resource as well. Check out Ross NW Watergardens Houzz profile here.
2. FindLotSize.com  Need to know how wide that bed across the front of your house is- while you are at the nursery? Find Lot Size to the rescue. Put in your address, drop pins and get square footage or line length. I wouldn't use this tool if inches are critical, but it has proven to be pretty accurate and very useful!
3. Plant Lust. Pacific NW focused, but useful across many planting zones, this site is a great resource for plant information and pictures. You can also locate or purchase plants directly on the site.
4. Plants Map. A place to find, record, and organize plants. Also a place to get plant labels for your garden. And a place to connect with plant loving people and organizations. That is a lot of stuff!
5. Garden Design. It is a magazine, yes. But when I am stumped I go to some bookmarked articles to get unstuck and designing. This article, in particular, has been a huge help to me.
6. Monrovia. Another great resource for locating plant information and pictures, from the people bringing you the great Dan Hinkley collection. "Grow Beautifully" indeed!
7. Garden World Online.  This retail nursery outside Portland, OR is a nice source for quality plants. What really sets it apart is it's website. GardenWorldOnline.com has it's entire inventory in an easy to search database. About 70% of the selection has pictures. You can also sort by usage and type. It's a really great site for putting together a plant list or sending links to a client.
8. Native Plants.  If you have not had to put together a plant list using only material native to your area, well just wait, you will. When you do visit this Online Plant Library to get started.
9. Pond Calculators.  Need to know how many gallons your pond is? What size pump you need for your water feature? Visit this site for some great calculators that take the guesswork out of the equation.
10. Green Industry Websites. Ok, this is actually more than one website. There are a handful that I enjoy, but Lawn & Landscape and Total Landscape Care are the best.

These sites get my visits often. How about you?

What online resources have helped shape your garden or landscape designs?