The landscaping around your commercial property is an important thing to keep in mind. You and your employees don’t want to show up at a drab, lifeless building every day. Customers may also be turned off by a property that looks cold, intimidating, or run-to-seed.
Well, luckily, that sod一we mean sad一story ends here. If your building matches the descriptions above, consider setting and decorating the land around it. Good commercial landscaping shows visitors that your store or office is professional and respectable. And it can even reveal a little personality!
Commercial properties come in all shapes and sizes, so how can you get started on making yours even more attractive and engaging? Just take a look through some of our top tips!
Contents
- Focus on Your Entrance
- Add Landscape Lighting
- Accentuate the Architecture
- Fill in Empty Spaces
- Take Advantage of Trees
- Create Inspiring Spaces for Outdoor Interaction
Focus on Your Entrance
A well-landscaped entrance not only makes a great first impression, but it can also help clue visitors in on where to enter the building.
Set a Path
Get creative with the pathways leading people to your main entrance. Design converging paths, shrubbed-in sidewalks, or winding walkways to add visual interest.
Bring in the Color
Brighten up the doorway by placing potted plants on either side of your entrance. You don’t have to be a green thumb for this one. Just pick up some hardy annuals that require minimal care.
Add Landscape Lighting
If you want to embrace visitors and others, take advantage of lighting, especially for businesses that receive a lot of foot traffic after dusk.
Accent Lighting
Whether you use it to light up a sign or to create some emphasis on some of your stunning new outdoor features, you can use accent lights to add a sense of warmth to your outdoor spaces.
Pathway Lighting
Pathway lighting makes your property safer, especially for businesses that operate outside of typical business hours. In addition to shoring up your safety, pathway lights can make your property pop. Geometric pathway lights can lend a modern flair to your walkways, while brushed copper fixtures can deliver a timeless sense of traditional beauty.
Accentuate the Architecture
Consider design elements that can highlight the unique features of your building. While a concrete or stucco facility might not stand out on its own, landscaping can be used to add drama to areas of the building that are a little underwhelming. Take advantage of some of these oh-so-attractive additions!
Water Fountains or Ponds
Water fountains and ponds can be a stunning landscape element if you have the space. They can work well as an interesting piece in small areas, too. As a bonus, the sound of running water can provide a calming effect for visitors or employees while they are on their breaks.
Rock Accents
You can also create a breathtaking landscape with rocks. Stones are excellent for filling up an awkward hillside or creating a natural separation between different areas. Strategically place large, uniquely shaped rocks or bold, bright geodes to make a statement in your landscape.
Retaining Walls
You may need to put in retaining walls to work with sloped land or pave spaces for walkways. These are both practical and decorative, giving texture and support to your space.
Decorative Hardscaping
Hardscaping can be creative, too. Bricks around garden beds or decorative stones can add a creative, low-maintenance element to your landscape design, while sand can bring in a relaxing, Zen energy.
Fill in Empty Spaces
There are endless possibilities for mixing, matching, and pairing plants around your commercial building.
Be careful not to let your creativity go too wild, though. A tropical garden in Charlotte will certainly be memorable to your customers, but it will also be expensive and difficult to maintain. Using native plants and others that work well in your plant hardiness zone will be much easier to maintain and show visitors that you are a community member.
Add Seasonal Color
Have fun with color psychology. Did you know that green can be calming, but it also symbolizes wealth? You can even select flowers to match your company logo, helping visitors to create memorable connections to your business. Just make sure that your plants are varied so that you enjoy color all year long, not just in springtime!
Potted Plants
Plants don’t just have to go in the ground or by your doorway Potted plants are an excellent addition to any landscaping project. They can add some color to paved areas. Pots can also help give texture to green or planted areas by raising certain plants off the ground, giving you an opportunity to highlight things. You can even build concrete holders for potted plants into your signage.
Ornamental Grass
Ornamental grass is an excellent choice for designing a landscape in a small space. This grass is great as an accent or edging, and it can be contained easily while still looking beautiful. As a bonus, it’s very easy to maintain.
Take Advantage of Trees
Having trees on your commercial property can also help to protect the building. Trees reduce erosion and control water flow. When they are placed strategically, they can also help to keep the building cool!
Tall Trees
Tall trees can act as a statement. A big tree can represent the size and stature of your business within the community.
Ornamental Trees
Ornamental trees are an attractive addition to any landscaping project. Like ornamental grasses, they are a good choice if space is limited.
Place trees in areas where people will be using the space. Consider planting them near seating areas or an outdoor workspace. Visitors and employees will appreciate the shade during the hot Carolina summers!
Create Inspiring Spaces for Outdoor Interaction
What’s the point of investing in a beautiful landscape if no one uses it? Outdoor space can be an excellent opportunity for meeting with customers when the weather is nice. It can also provide a chance for workers to get a change of scenery to spark creativity and innovation.
Benches and Picnic Tables
Incorporate outdoor seating near the entrance to provide a space for customers to wait. Benches or picnic tables in green spaces can also offer your employees a place to enjoy their breaks outdoors.
Innovative Workspaces
Your employees might also benefit from an outdoor workspace. Who wants to work inside when the weather is beautiful? Incorporating a pavilion, tables, and seating for employees to enjoy can help boost productivity and make your commercial space seem like a happy, positive environment.
Bring It All Together
Make sure to consider your commercial landscaping project holistically. Although you may be brimming with ideas after reading through some suggestions, you want to make sure that your landscaping design decisions work well together. Find ways to allow elements to complement each other, rather than compete.
Statement pieces should be used strategically and sparingly. If every element is a statement, the landscape will be overwhelming and push visitors or customers away.
Contacting a professional will go a long way in helping you achieve your dream design for your commercial landscaping project. Professionals have the experience to guide your plan to complete the look and feel that you want.
