“On a scale of 1 to 10, we’re going for a 5. I want my property’s landscape to look really average”, said no one ever.
You hire a professional landscape company because you want your property’s landscape to stand out – in a good way. When you sign a contract with a big commercial landscaping company, you expect that you’ll get something much better than what you’re getting today, right?
Otherwise, why would you go to all the trouble to qualify vendors, conduct an RFP, evaluate the responses, and negotiate your contract? You’d just stick with whoever’s cutting the grass for you now and doing an “okay” job.
When we talk to the property managers we work with, they tell us that they expect more from us. The same old, same old just doesn’t cut it for them.
But how do you get an above average landscape? Without blowing your budget, how do you turn an utterly unremarkable landscape into one that really stands out?
Every property’s different, but here are 3 simple tips to help you get a landscape that stands out from the crowd.
- Start with a solid fertilization and pest management program. Your landscape is never going to look its best if it’s not getting the right nutrients. Have your landscape contractor take soil samples from various locations in your property, then design an application program that addresses the specific needs of your landscape and its environment. You can’t get an above average landscape if you don’t start with a healthy landscape.
- Second, make sure your irrigation system is regularly inspected by trained professionals. Most property managers don’t think about their irrigation system until there’s a broken head, or a huge water bill comes in. But just because you can’t see any problems, doesn’t mean that your irrigation system is doing all that it should for your landscape. During monthly inspections, irrigation pros don’t just look for problems. They make sure that your landscape is getting the right amount of water, in all the places that need it. Properly managed irrigation plans keep pests and disease out of your landscape and keep it looking it’s best.
- Finally, seek professional help. If you think about it, it’s easy to ignore most landscapes. After a while, they all start to look the same, don’t they? But what if your property had something that the others didn’t? We employ trained Landscape Designers, and we offer their expertise to our clients as a value-added service. Because sometimes the difference between an exceptional landscape and an average one is as simple as having one or two focal points to draw attention to your property. Adding some color to your landscape with a new annual flower bed, and keeping the design interesting with each rotation, gives you a chance to refresh your property's curb appeal several times a year.
These are just a few tips to get you started. Remember, the journey from average to remarkable isn’t as hard as you think, or as expensive. Your landscape probably doesn’t need a major overhaul. Instead, find the small, but important steps you and your landscape contractor can take to get you the landscape that you deserve.
