Environment Sky
Set the mood of every render — from clear midday blue to warm golden-hour amber — using time presets, the sky dial, and cloud cover.
Environment Sky settings are available in Photo mode only. NPR styles (Sketch, Watercolor, Technical) use their own background handling.
There is no separate sky picker or HDR backdrop — the sky appearance is entirely driven by the Light and Weather tabs. Changing those settings is the only way to change the sky.
Use Procedural Sky
Procedural Sky simulates the sun and atmospheric scattering based on the current Time of Day, Date, and GPS location settings. The sky color and sun position match the lighting controls. This is the default mode and the best starting point for most presentations.
Use HDR Environment
Click HDR Environment to replace the procedural sky with a panoramic HDR image. Click Upload to add your own HDR file, or choose from the built-in HDR library. HDR environments provide accurate reflections on water, glazing, and polished materials. The HDR also contributes ambient light to the scene.
Use Solid Color background
Select Solid Color and pick a color from the swatch. The background renders as a flat color with no sky reflections. This is useful for product-style renders where you want the garden to appear on a neutral background, or for post-processing in external tools.
Use Transparent background
Select Transparent to render with no background. The background exports as fully transparent in PNG format, allowing the render to be composited over any background in an external image editor.
Add cloud cover for a softer sky
Open the Weather tab and raise the Cloud Cover slider from 0 to 100%. Increasing cloud cover diffuses the direct sunlight, softens shadows, and fills the sky with white-grey cloud. This is ideal for presentation views where harsh sun contrast is distracting.
Apply a weather preset for a complete mood change
Click one of the Weather Presets — Clear, Partly Cloudy, Overcast, Light Rain, Heavy Rain, Fog, or Snow — to apply a full weather state in one action. You can then fine-tune individual sliders (cloud, rain, snow, fog) to adjust from the preset baseline. Use Reset lighting or Reset weather to return to the defaults at any time.
For an even, shadow-free sky that works well for plan-style 3D views, click the Overcast weather preset. It mutes the direct sun and gives soft, uniform light across the whole garden.
Golden Hour produces the most dramatic client-ready renders — warm amber light, long shadows, and a glowing horizon. Try combining the Golden Hour time preset with Partly Cloudy weather for a cinematic sky with subtle cloud texture.
Key Parameters
| Name | Default | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Time Presets | Midday | Seven one-click presets (Morning, Midday, Afternoon, Golden Hour, Evening, Dusk, Midnight). Each sets sun altitude, color temperature, and scene darkness together. |
| Sky Dial | 315° azimuth, 45° altitude | Drag the sun marker to set azimuth (0–360°, compass direction) and altitude (–10 to 80°, height above horizon). Negative altitude creates pre-sunrise or post-sunset glow. |
| Light Warmth | 5000 K | Color temperature of the sun from 2500 K (warm amber) to 9000 K (cool blue-white). Displayed in Kelvin next to the slider. |
| Cloud Cover | 0% | Fills the sky with cloud from 0% (clear) to 100% (fully overcast). Higher values soften shadows and reduce sky contrast. |
| Fog | 0% | Adds atmospheric haze from 0% to 100%, reducing distant visibility and giving a misty mood. |
| Weather Presets | Clear | Seven presets: Clear, Partly Cloudy, Overcast, Light Rain, Heavy Rain, Fog, Snow. Each sets all weather sliders at once. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Where do I pick a sky image or HDR backdrop?
There is no sky-image or HDR picker. The sky is generated procedurally from your Light and Weather settings, so it always stays in sync with the sun position and clouds. To change the sky appearance, change the time preset, sun position on the sky dial, light warmth, or cloud cover.
Why don't the Light, Weather, and Season tabs show up?
These tabs only appear when the Photorealistic render style is active. Open the Render Style panel and select Photorealistic — the environment tabs will appear immediately below.
Can I render with a transparent or flat-color background?
The background is the procedural sky and is always part of the render. There is no transparent or solid-color background option. To achieve a near-flat, low-contrast sky, raise Cloud Cover to 100% or apply the Overcast weather preset.
The sky is very dark — how do I brighten it?
A low sun altitude or a preset like Evening, Dusk, or Midnight darkens the sky. Click the Midday or Afternoon time preset, or drag the sun marker upward on the sky dial, to brighten it. You can also lower the Darkness slider if it has been raised manually.
Does the sky dial control shadow direction?
Yes. Dragging the sun marker left or right on the sky dial changes the sun's azimuth, which directly controls which direction shadows fall in the scene. This is the primary way to orient shadows for the most flattering view of the garden.
Can I make rain or snow appear in a render?
Yes. Open the Weather tab and raise the Rain or Snow slider, or click the Light Rain, Heavy Rain, or Snow weather preset. These add precipitation particles and can also accumulate snow depth on ground surfaces via the Snow Thickness slider.