How do I make the planting plan print to scale?

Export from CAD or BIM as vector PDF at the intended sheet size, with the scale stated in the title block and a real scale bar (drawn from the same coordinate system as the plan, not a static graphic). Print at Actual Size, never Fit to Page. Test on the actual plotter with one sheet, measure the scale bar with a ruler, confirm before running the full set.

What goes on the plant list vs the plan?

Plan shows symbols and callouts; plant list (separate page or attached XLSX) carries species, common name, size, container, quantity, and source notes. Cross-reference between callout numbers and plant-list rows. The nursery prices from the plant list; the installer reads the plan. Both reference the same callout numbers.

Should the plant list be inside the PDF or as a separate file?

Both. Inside the PDF as a schedule page so the installer has everything in one file; as an embedded XLSX attachment (PDF/A-3) so the nursery can import directly into their system. The XLSX is the source of truth; the schedule page is the rendered view that matches.

How do I handle multiple install phases?

Generate a per-phase PDF (Phase 1, Phase 2, etc.) plus the master plan with all phases visible. Each phase PDF shows only its plants and its plant list. Phase identifier in the sheet title block and in the PDF metadata. The contractor working Phase 1 does not need Phase 2 details cluttering the sheet.

What metadata does the planting plan need?

Project name, sheet number, scale, drawing date, revision number, designer initials. PDF Info dict plus the title block. Revisions trigger a new file with the revision letter appended (PLAN-A.pdf, PLAN-B.pdf); never overwrite the same filename for a revised drawing.

How do I capture as-built corrections?

A markup pass after install — red-line corrections on the printed plan, scanned back to PDF, attached to the final-archive package. Or, in a tablet workflow, mark up the PDF live with annotation tools and export as the as-built. The archive contains the design plan AND the as-built; future site visits reference the as-built.

PDF for landscape architects: planting…

By ScoutMyTool Editorial Team · Last updated: 2026-05-28

A landscape architect I work with delivers planting plans that print at 1:200 on a 36-inch plotter, look right on a contractor's tablet in the dust on site, and import cleanly into the nursery's order system. The same PDF, three jobs. The trick is vector export with a real scale bar, an embedded plant-list XLSX, and callout numbers that tie the plan back to the list. Here is the working PDF setup for the multi-phase install — design plan, plant list, phase variants, and the as-built archive that the maintenance contractor will reference for the next decade.

Vocabulary, quickly

Term	Meaning
Planting plan	Site plan with plant locations, species symbols, and quantities
Plant list	Schedule of species, sizes, quantities, and source notes
Callout	Numbered marker on the plan pointing to a plant or feature
Symbol legend	Key mapping plan symbols to species
Site plan scale	Drawing scale (1:200, 1/8" = 1'-0", etc.) printed on the sheet
Phase plan	Subset of the plan showing one install phase
As-built	Final plan with as-installed corrections marked

Step by step

Export plan as vector PDF. From CAD or BIM, sheet-size correct, scale stated in title block, scale bar drawn from the plan coordinate system.
Number callouts on plants. Each plant or group gets a callout number that ties to a plant-list row.
Render the plant-list schedule page. Callout, species, common name, size, container, quantity, source notes.
Embed the plant-list XLSX as PDF/A-3 attachment. Nursery imports directly from the attachment.
Generate per-phase PDFs. Subset of plants and plant list per install phase; phase identifier in title block.
Set metadata consistently. Project, sheet, scale, date, revision, designer. Info dict and title block.
Print one test sheet at Actual Size. Measure scale bar with a ruler against the legend.
After install, generate as-built. Red-line corrections marked on the design plan; archive as the as-built PDF for maintenance reference.

Plan-delivery checklist

Plan prints to scale on the project plotter; rule out Fit-to-Page in the driver defaults.
Callout numbers on plan match callout numbers in the plant-list schedule and the attached XLSX.
Plant-list XLSX opens in Excel without errors; columns match the nursery\'s import expectations.
Per-phase PDFs show only that phase\'s plants and list; cross-phase clutter removed.
Metadata identifies sheet, scale, date, and revision in three places (filename, title block, Info dict).
As-built archive available for maintenance reference; design plan retained separately.

Common pitfalls in planting-plan PDFs

Static scale bar drawn separately from the plan — rescales silently; print one test sheet and measure with a ruler before committing the set.
Plant-list XLSX schema not matching the nursery import — talk to the nursery early; their column order is often non-negotiable.
Per-phase PDFs that still show every phase\'s symbols — visual clutter; filter at the CAD or BIM export, not in the PDF editor.
Callout numbers reused across phases — confuses the install crew; namespace callouts by phase (1.1, 1.2, 2.1, 2.2).
As-built archived to the same filename as the design plan — keep both; the design is what was approved, the as-built is what was installed.
Revision letter buried in the title block but missing from the filename — file system shows the latest revision first only if the revision is in the name.

FAQ

How do I make the planting plan print to scale?: Export from CAD or BIM as vector PDF at the intended sheet size, with the scale stated in the title block and a real scale bar (drawn from the same coordinate system as the plan, not a static graphic). Print at Actual Size, never Fit to Page. Test on the actual plotter with one sheet, measure the scale bar with a ruler, confirm before running the full set.
What goes on the plant list vs the plan?: Plan shows symbols and callouts; plant list (separate page or attached XLSX) carries species, common name, size, container, quantity, and source notes. Cross-reference between callout numbers and plant-list rows. The nursery prices from the plant list; the installer reads the plan. Both reference the same callout numbers.
Should the plant list be inside the PDF or as a separate file?: Both. Inside the PDF as a schedule page so the installer has everything in one file; as an embedded XLSX attachment (PDF/A-3) so the nursery can import directly into their system. The XLSX is the source of truth; the schedule page is the rendered view that matches.
How do I handle multiple install phases?: Generate a per-phase PDF (Phase 1, Phase 2, etc.) plus the master plan with all phases visible. Each phase PDF shows only its plants and its plant list. Phase identifier in the sheet title block and in the PDF metadata. The contractor working Phase 1 does not need Phase 2 details cluttering the sheet.
What metadata does the planting plan need?: Project name, sheet number, scale, drawing date, revision number, designer initials. PDF Info dict plus the title block. Revisions trigger a new file with the revision letter appended (PLAN-A.pdf, PLAN-B.pdf); never overwrite the same filename for a revised drawing.
How do I capture as-built corrections?: A markup pass after install — red-line corrections on the printed plan, scanned back to PDF, attached to the final-archive package. Or, in a tablet workflow, mark up the PDF live with annotation tools and export as the as-built. The archive contains the design plan AND the as-built; future site visits reference the as-built.

Citations

Wikipedia — “Landscape architecture — design documents.” en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landscape_architecture
Wikipedia — “Planting plan — conventions and elements.” en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Planting_design
Wikipedia — “As-built drawing — record drawings.” en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As-built_drawing

Build planting plan PDFs in your browser

Vector export, embed the plant list, generate phase variants, capture as-built — ScoutMyTool runs the whole pipeline locally so project files stay with the practice.

Open the PDF toolkit →