I was stumbling around a few days ago and came across this program.
http://www.smallblueprinter.com/garden/index.html

I have been undergoing fall planting and thinking about layout and design and making a mini-map of all the stuff that I've planted for posterity, etc. etc. But mostly because tags fall off and I can't remember crap anymore. 

It has a free trial that I really liked and it's very user friendly. I started using it without any instruction. The only problem with the trial is you can't save your work. So I purchased it today and will start playing soon! I really think it's going to help to see my ideas on paper so to speak.

Sophie - thanks for the post.  This looks like a very useful piece of software.  Besides allowing you to view from "above" would it allow you to get the perspective of what a person would see standing up and gazing across the yard (or at least some idea of this)?

Very nice, thanks for sharing.

Best,
Tam

I have a simple planner. If I can see blue sky, there is room to plant a banana.

That looks like a really useful program. I think it will be fantastic to lay it out that way.
Thanks Sophie!

Come and see!

One day I will make it to California. It's on my Bucket List.

great post!  this program looks like it would be very helpful and i think ill give it a try. . thanks for sharing. hopefully it works great for you.

Aside from digging around in the garden this weekend, I did manage to pace off my fence, porch, barn and existing plants in the back yard. This way I will have a true to scale map of what I already have and I can play with the remaining space. I think I'm really going to like the program and hubby loves it because I can switch stuff around and he doesn't have to do anything until the final, permanent placement!