Looking for ways to keep your commercial property’s clients and employees happy? Don’t underestimate the power of an attractive and well maintained landscape.
You don’t need to spend lot to create green spaces that will entice employees to go outside, relax, and explore your property’s grounds. Here are some tips that can ensure an effective commercial landscape design:
Start with a plan
It’s important that you know about the micro environment of your property, when considering where to invest in your landscape. Be sure to take note of areas that receive ample sunlight, areas of shade and even how the wind blows across your location. This will help you decide what to plant where and can even help decide where outdoor dining and break areas should be located. Plan for all seasons to maximize enjoyment of the space.
Enlist the help of a professional commercial landscape firm to develop a plan for your outdoor spaces. Pros can tell you what plant materials will look good in the space, and they also have a sound knowledge of the different kinds of plants that will work, the right trees for the right spots, and the most convenient systems for irrigation.
Make sure the landscape design harmonizes with the architecture of the building
Having a landscape design that goes with the building architecture is extremely important to an effective commercial landscape design. Keep in mind that the landscape is usually intended to enhance the aesthetic of the architecture, not than dominate it.
Also, consider developing a theme for the landscape, or adding some signature elements. It can help your clients characterize all your locations, just by their visual appearance.
Make sure the entrance is inviting
Any carefully planned commercial landscape design should start with a welcoming entrance. A captivating entry can be achieved by plantings such as colorful flowers, blooming perennials, bright grasses, and even incorporate hardscape elements around existing signage.
Incorporating some of these ideas in your main entry will add value and please employees and guests visiting your commercial property.
Think including about a focal point
Strengthen the visual appeal of your property by including a focal point, such as a water feature or a professionally designed annual flower bed. A strong focal point on the outside of the building draws more interest to the location, creating opportunities to showcase other features of the property.
Make sure it makes the right impression on clients
First impressions are important. An organized and tidy landscape means that your potential client will notice the landscape as a sign of a well managed building, giving them greater confidence in the products or services your clients are providing.
Avoid overplanting
Make sure you consider what the plantings in your landscape plan will look like as they mature. We often see commercial landscape plantings that have overgrown the area as they developed. It not only decreases the visibility of the building and other amenities, but also makes the landscape look untidy and unkempt.
When you are planning to plant trees, keep in mind how quickly they will mature and how their roots will spread. Likewise, don’t plant shrubs too closely to each other. No one wants an overgrown landscape. It increases regular maintenance costs, and removing mature plant material can lead to expensive renovations and rejuvenation projects down the road.
Selecting what to plant
Carefully select plantings with colors and texture that harmonize with the color and texture of the building’s architecture.
It is also important that you pick plants according to where you are deciding to plant them. Choose locally grown, native plants when at all possible. You should know how much sun or shade the plants will need, the type of soil, and other factors a specific plant requires in order to thrive. Having a soil test performed before planting is also a good best practice to have your landscaper implement.
Also, keep in mind is the seasonal variations and plan the plantings in a way that ensures there is something blooming throughout the year You can make use of plants like evergreens and unique shrubs for color during the cold seasons.
Ensure your design is low maintenance and convenient
While it is difficult to create a landscape plan that requires zero maintenance, a plan that requires less maintenance is achievable.
A properly planned landscape will ensure that you spend less of your property’ budget on maintenance in the long run.
It’s also very important to consider your irrigation system in your landscape plan. Irrigation is meant to supplement rainfall, not replace it. It should never be your landscape’s only source of water. Options like smart controllers and drip irrigation lines can save your property thousands of dollars over the life of your system.
Finally, landscaping is a year-round activity. You and your landscaper will continue to work and care for new and mature new plantings in every month of the year. This is why it is so important that your commercial landscape partner is aware of the local fertilization and water requirements of every property to take great care of you and your landscape.
