[johnkeegan]

I've relied on DesignWare for 6-7 years now with great success. Customers love seeing what it will actually look like done. And by adding pictures of actual stone walls, ponds, patios etc. we've done to the programs library, I can give a photo rendering that looks remarkably close to the actual finished product. I occasionally use Planscape as well for the "overhead" view of the project but most people want the photo rendering because as they (usually the wife) says, "I have a hard time picturing these things."
Many times a potential customer has been on the fence about a project and after I produce a photo rendering they say, "Now I see what you mean. OK. Let's do it." It also has helped produce alot of add-ons because even though a customer may say they just want "simple foundation" plantings, in the photo rendering I will replace their old straight concrete walk with a meandering paver walk and add a low stone wall off the corner of the house with a small ornamental tree and a grouping of perennials, etc. etc. and suddenly when they see the real life photo design the image gets stuck in their head and they know they would never be happy with just "simple foundation" plantings. I don't know if you could get the same intensity of a reaction to add-ons in a drawing. You would have to HOPE they see your vision in a drawing.In a photo rendering they actually see it.
On a side note, I agree it can be hard for your crew to work directly off a photo rendering to do an install because there are no exact measurements of what plant goes where and the layout of the walk is ambiguous. But that also means anyone else, such as scab, low-baller or a do-it-yourselfer would also have a hard time as well. I know where everything should go and with a can of spray paint and transit I can mark all grades and plant and hardscape layouts in a few minutes, just as I would have to do any how if I was working off an architects drawing.
And my real aim is to do design AND build not just design. So I would imagine that photo imaging designs would be more apt to leave a customer tethered to you for the install. Even though I charge for the design and leave it with the customer, I've never had a customer with the nerve to call me back to mark out their property for someone else to do the work. Although, numerous times I've had people ask me to look at some other company's blueprint design and ask for a bid. Because when you leave a perfectly scaled design with a layout you are essentially leaving a "paint-by-numbers" canvas for anyone who can convince an unknowing customer they know how to plant a bush or install a walk, even though we know it's not that simple.
But, again, it all depends on what you want to base your business on. We do 90% design/build and 95% of that is our own designs. That gives me the most satisfaction.