Where Are Plants in AutoCAD?

by

Plants play a vital role in many architectural and landscape designs. They bring life, color, and beauty to any space.

If you are an AutoCAD user, you may be wondering where you can find plants to incorporate into your designs. In this article, we will explore the different ways to add plants in AutoCAD and enhance your drawings with greenery.

1. AutoCAD Plant Libraries

AutoCAD provides built-in plant libraries that contain a wide variety of plant species.

These libraries offer a range of trees, shrubs, flowers, and other vegetation types that you can use in your drawings. To access these libraries, follow these steps:

  1. Open the DesignCenter by typing “ADC” on the command line or using the Ctrl+2 keyboard shortcut.
  2. In the DesignCenter palette, navigate to the “Libraries” tab.
  3. Expand the “Content” section and scroll down to locate the “Plants” folder.
  4. Double-click on the “Plants” folder to reveal its contents.
  5. You will find various subfolders categorized by different plant types such as trees, shrubs, and flowers.
  6. Browse through these folders to find the specific plant you want to add to your drawing.
  7. To add a plant to your drawing, simply drag and drop it from the DesignCenter onto your workspace.

2. Online Plant Libraries

In addition to AutoCAD’s built-in libraries, there are also numerous online resources where you can find ready-made plant blocks specifically designed for AutoCAD. These websites offer an extensive collection of plants that are not included in the default AutoCAD libraries.

  • CADblocksfree.com: This website provides a wide range of free AutoCAD blocks, including plants. Simply search for “plants” in the search bar to access the available plant blocks.
  • CADdetails.com: CADdetails offers an extensive library of CAD drawings and blocks for various design disciplines, including landscape architecture.

    You can find a plethora of plant blocks by searching for “landscape plants” or similar keywords.

  • BIMobject.com: BIMobject is a platform that hosts a vast collection of BIM objects and CAD files. You can find detailed plant models by searching for specific plant species or generic terms like “tree” or “shrub. “

3. Creating Custom Plant Blocks

If you cannot find the exact plant you need in the available libraries, you can create your own custom plant blocks in AutoCAD. This method allows you to have complete control over the appearance and specifications of the plants.

  1. Start by drawing the plant using AutoCAD’s drawing tools. Use lines, circles, arcs, and other shapes to represent different parts of the plant.
  2. Select all the elements that make up the plant by using a selection window or individual selection.
  3. Type “BLOCK” on the command line or use the Ctrl+Shift+C keyboard shortcut to open the Block Definition dialog box.
  4. In the Block Definition dialog box, give your block a name and specify its insertion point and other settings.
  5. Click “OK” to create your custom plant block.

Using Plants in AutoCAD

Once you have added plants to your drawing using any of these methods, you can easily manipulate them to suit your design needs. AutoCAD provides various editing tools that allow you to scale, rotate, and even modify the appearance of the plants.

To select a plant block, simply click on it with the selection tool. You can then use the grip points to make changes like resizing or rotating. If you want to modify the appearance of a plant block, you can use AutoCAD’s editing commands such as “PEDIT” for editing polylines or “MIRROR” for mirroring objects.

Remember to consider the scale and proportion of your plants in relation to other elements in your drawing. Properly placing and arranging plants will help create realistic and visually appealing designs.

In conclusion, adding plants in AutoCAD is essential for creating lifelike architectural and landscape designs. Whether you use AutoCAD’s built-in libraries, online resources, or create custom plant blocks, incorporating greenery into your drawings will enhance their visual appeal and provide a more realistic representation of your design vision. So go ahead, explore the vast world of plants in AutoCAD and let your creativity bloom!