I have used them all–Started with Minicad, migrated to a wonderful program called Flexicad (no longer made), jumped to Autocad for Mac R.12, moved back to VectorWorks, and now use Archicad.
Between all of them, I think Archicad is the most powerful, although VectorWorks has better LA tools. What i find so valuable in Archicad is its instant 3D–you draw all in 3D, which translates so easily to contract docs and tack-offs. I could use VectorWorks just as easily, but would encourage a hard look at Archicad as more and more LAs are using it and discovering its power.
Has great interface with Xcel, instant sections, instant take-offs, instant visioning….I loth Autocad. Feels like someone has given you a single pencil to use for everything. Isn’t part of the fun of this profession the graphic “stuff” you get to use? Autocad cad turned me into a techie, not a better landscape architect.
Beyond CAD, learn Illustrator. My old office practically wrote the book on rendering with that program back in the late 80’s, stuff that people are just now doing. Photoshop is great, but Illustrator will do it as well.
