Just spend 10 minutes watching youtube tutorial of Vray 3 and repeat:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fRWANWkTouY&t=191s
Else-wise you will not learn anything and spend 10x more time because you do not know what you are doing...
For plants you can download textured proxies from here:
http://www.food4rhino.com/app/scatter
Grasshopper vray integration is also straight forward.
Chaos group did good job for user friendly interface.…
IF the platform is "unsuitable" (or there's others more suitable) then disproportional amount of effort is obviously required for the same sort of result (or "similar"). And well ... er ... if the design goal is solid modelling ... chances are that a surface modeller MAY classify as unsuitable (but may not depending on the case).
Given the opportunity: Personal data: strictly AEC sector, AECOSim/Microstation (25 years, main BIM/General CAD purpose app) + various vertical Bentley Systems AEC apps + Generative Components (~10 years, main Parametric app) + CATIA/NX (20 years, main MCAD app) + Quest3D (~10 years, main VR app) + ... + you name it.
UGLY news: I run a practice > this means that I'm used in evaluating/addressing problems having TEAMS in mind, budget, alternatives, deadlines, clients, study guarantees, claims, clauses ... > this means that I'm often very bad/off-topic if an one man show task requires some opinion/solution/workflow.
Anyway ...
... with regard your issue I'll provide an indicative approach after this w/e ... but chances are that would be carried over exclusively without native components.
best, Peter
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