Morgan Butler
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Prelimb puts landscape design in the palm of your hand. The app, created by Cal Poly graduate David Harms, is an augmented reality platform that allows for the design and landscape of a garden from a mobile device.
“I thought, how great would it be if somebody could grab the eyes of a landscape architect or a designer, and understand what different plants are going to grow like, and how to take care of them in a very visual way?” Harms said.
Users can drag 3-D models from an extensive plant library onto their existing garden to see how it will look.
Prelimb also features a growth slider, which allows the user to visualize how the plants will look for up to 10 years.
The idea began as a senior project, and Harms — who is the Prelimb, Inc. technical director — never imagined it going further until he signed up for the SLO HotHouse Accelerator Program.
The HotHouse provides office space for small startups, as well as mentorship and guidance.
“Every day, we’re learning something in here about business,” Harms said. “I’m not from a business background. Marketing and finances and incorporating all these different aspects of business — it’s all a learning game; there’s lots of failures and picking yourself back up, but I think that’s the point.”
Harms never imagined owning his own business after he graduated from college, but he said he has no plans of stopping.
“As long as I can continue to be in a world where it feels like we are empowering people, especially in terms of gardening and landscaping, you know I’m all for it,” he said.
Prelimb will be available for download from the iTunes App Store on May 26.