Commercial Landscaping Trends and Tips

When starting a business or buying a new space for your business, it is important to factor in landscape design for your commercial property. Landscape elements are a valuable design aspect that commercial property owners need to put a lot of thought into. This is an area clients will see before they even step foot into your building, so make sure it leaves a good first impression. Below are some tips to keep in mind when planning this type of project.

Establish a Plan

Even if the business is going to do the landscaping themselves, it is important hire a landscape architect to come up with a plan. Investing in a solid landscape plan will help guide a design style within a specified budget. This plan should include different types of landscape products such as edging, fencing, seating areas, overhangs, and plant life. A plant should also incorporate how the landscape design will connect to the architecture of the building and how current and future clients will relate to the landscaping. You will want a space where clients feel welcome and comfortable.

Once you purchase a plan but would like to do the work yourself, call around to local nurseries to get tips on plants and to see what is available.

Create a Grand Entrance

If your clients do not know where your entrance is, then there could be some confusion and possibly lost clients. Make sure to establish an area where people feel invited. Using bright colors near the entrance will help draw attention to that area. Plants such as bright flowers or grasses that are somewhat low to the ground will help accomplish this. Additionally, use landscape edging to create a path to follow and to section out areas of the plan.

Choose the Right Plants

Over time the plants you choose will grow larger and change throughout the seasons. In your landscape plan, make sure these changes are accounted for. You will want to have plants that grow throughout the year so you do not have any dead space in the middle of winter. You will also want to make sure the plants you purchase are easy to maintain. Having overgrown shrubs or flowers will hide a building and make it look run down. Make sure to invest in plant life that lasts several years so you do not have to do a huge overhaul every summer.

Landscape Issues

In your original plan, make sure to account for drainage issues that might pop up as well as an irrigation system map. This is the time to address the technical details before they become problems. Throughout the year, make sure you keep a watch on your irrigation system so no surprise leaks pop up on your water bill. If you use an irrigation map, you will be able to quickly identify if there is a problem – and this is also a great feature if you plan to sell the property.

Low Maintenance, Sustainability, and Drought-Tolerant Areas

Understand the area you are landscaping. If you are designing a commercial landscape space in an area that is prone to droughts, make sure you incorporate more zero-scaping or hardscaping. Even if you are only planting a few young plants in these areas, make sure you water them regularly, in the beginning, to keep them healthy and alive. Other than regular maintenance, make sure you have a landscape plan that does not require a lot of time and investment to maintain. After all, you want to focus on your clients – not your lawn all day.

Upkeep

Aside from the regular maintenance of watering, de-weeding and cutting your grass, make sure you freshen up your outside space with new plants and design elements every few years. Not only will there be new trends in landscape design, but plants have various lifespans and will eventually need to be replaced.