Want to make your outdoor space more inviting? In Planner 5D, you can design a cozy garden seating area, add decorative lighting, create custom flower planters, and build a beautiful stepping-stone path.
In this tutorial, we'll show you how to combine different objects from the catalog and customize them to create your own garden design.
(Written instructions are below).
Step 1. Prepare your garden area
First, let's create the space where your garden decorations will go.
Open your project and switch to 2D mode.
Choose an open area for your garden seating space.
Go to Exterior → Paths and lawns and select a lawn.
Place it in your project and adjust its dimensions to cover the desired area.
Duplicate the lawn if you need to cover a larger space.
Switch to 3D mode to make sure the lawn sections connect without visible gaps.
If you're also designing a garden entrance, make sure there's enough room for a pathway and decorative planters near the front door.
Step 2. Add an arbor bench
Let's start by creating a cozy seating area.
Open Exterior → Patio furniture → Chairs and benches.
Find a bench with an arbor or trellis frame.
Place it in your garden.
Rotate it so the seating area faces your preferred direction.
Select the bench and open the Materials menu using the paint roller icon.
Apply a white finish to the wooden parts of the bench.
Switch to 3D mode and check that the bench sits correctly on the lawn.
Step 3. Create a green backdrop
Now let's add some greenery behind your bench!
Open Exterior → Trees and plants.
Find a trellis or decorative screen with climbing plants.
Place it directly behind the bench.
Adjust its dimensions to make it slightly wider than the seating area.
For example, you can start with:
Width: 558 cm
Depth: 9 cm
Height: 270 cm
Center the bench in front of the trellis.
Apply a matching white finish to the trellis frame, keeping the greenery unchanged.
The result should be a cozy garden nook with a white bench and a green backdrop.
Tip: Leave some of the trellis visible on both sides of the bench to create a balanced look.
Step 4. Add decorative lanterns
Let's make the seating area even more inviting with some lighting.
Go to Exterior → Lighting.
Choose a tall decorative lantern.
Place it beside one side of the bench.
Select the lantern and click Duplicate.
Move the copy to the opposite side of the bench.
Make sure both lanterns are the same size and sit at the same height.
For a classic appearance, you can combine black lanterns with the white arbor and green trellis.
Step 5. Add a tree with hanging lanterns
You can also add a tree beside your seating area and decorate its branches with hanging lights.
Place the tree
Open Exterior → Trees and plants.
Choose a tree with a broad canopy.
Place it beside the arbor bench.
Adjust its size and rotation so the branches extend slightly over the seating area.
Make sure the trunk doesn't block access to the bench.
Add hanging lanterns
Go to Exterior → Lighting and select a hanging lantern.
Place it near the tree.
Adjust its dimensions if needed.
For example:
Width: 15 cm
Depth: 15 cm
Height: 50 cm
Use Levitation or Above the floor to raise the lantern toward a branch.
Adjust its position so it appears to hang naturally from the tree.
Duplicate the lantern and place additional copies on different branches.
Tip: Place the lanterns at slightly different heights for a more natural look. Check the result in 3D to make sure they don't float in the air or disappear inside the tree.
Step 6. Create custom flower planters
You can create custom flower boxes using objects that already exist in the Planner 5D catalog.
Create your first planter
Switch to 2D mode.
Open Interior → Shelves → Wall mounted.
Choose a shallow shelf or tray with raised edges.
Place it outside your house, beneath a window.
Select the shelf and adjust its dimensions.
For example:
Width: 170 cm
Depth: 45 cm
Height: 40 cm
Use Levitation or Above the floor to lower the shelf until it sits on the lawn. If your lawn is at ground level, start with 0 cm.
Open the Materials menu and apply a brick or stone texture to make it look like an outdoor planter.
Switch to 3D to check the result.
Add the second planter
Once you're happy with the first planter:
Select it and click Duplicate.
Move the copy to the opposite side of the entrance.
Position both planters beneath the windows, keeping them aligned and at the same height.
Fill the planters with flowers
Open Interior → Plants or Exterior → Trees and plants.
Choose flowers or decorative plants.
Place them inside the first planter.
Adjust their size and elevation so the plants appear to grow from inside the box.
Repeat for the second planter.
Tip: If a plant's original pot is visible above your custom planter, lower the plant slightly until the container is hidden while the foliage remains visible.
Step 7. Create a stepping-stone garden path
Now let's build a decorative walkway leading to your entrance.
We'll use the Magic Cube tool to create custom paving slabs.
Create the first stepping stone
Switch to 2D mode.
Go to Build → Forms and select the Magic Cube.
Place it in front of the entrance.
Select the cube and adjust its dimensions.
For example:
Width: 50 cm
Depth: 130 cm
Height: 5 cm
Rotate the slab so its longer side runs across the pathway.
Position it at ground level, with its top slightly above the grass.
Open the Materials menu and apply a light stone or concrete texture.
You now have your first custom stepping stone!
For more details about creating custom shapes, check out our How to Use the Magic Cube and Forms on Web article.
Duplicate the stepping stones
Once your first slab is ready:
Select it and click Duplicate.
Move the copy farther along the pathway.
Repeat until you have four stepping stones.
Leave small gaps of grass between the slabs.
Move alternating slabs slightly to the left and right to create a staggered pattern.
For example, you can use approximately 10 cm gaps between slabs and offset alternating stones by 15 cm from the center of the path.
Keep all slabs at the same elevation.
Tip: Finish the first slab's dimensions, material, and height before duplicating it so all the stepping stones match.
Step 8. Decorate the path with plants and rocks
To complete the garden entrance, let's add some greenery around the stepping stones.
Open Exterior → Trees and plants.
Choose small decorative plants, flowers, or rock arrangements.
Place a plant beside the first stepping stone.
Add another plant beside the opposite side of the second stone.
Continue alternating plants along the pathway.
Adjust their size and elevation so they sit naturally on the lawn.
You can combine different plant sizes and shapes to make the arrangement more interesting.
Step 9. Check your finished garden in 3D
Switch to 3D mode and explore your design from different angles.
Make sure that:
The arbor bench is properly positioned in front of the trellis.
All lanterns are correctly placed.
The tree doesn't block the seating area.
Both planters sit at the same height.
Flowers appear inside the planters rather than floating above them.
The stepping stones are evenly spaced and visible above the lawn.
Plants and rocks don't cover the pathway or entrance.
If an object appears to float or sink into the ground, select it and adjust its Levitation or Above the floor setting.