Landscape design, or landscape architecture, is the process that encompasses the planning, designing, and management of open spaces where landscape components can be arranged. It can be incorporated in residential homes, in parks and walkways, as well as in commercial buildings. More often than not, a full-service landscaping company caters to all these different areas.
Aspects of Commercial Landscape Construction
Some of the most crucial aspects of landscape construction include the use of high-grade plant material, the skilled craftsmanship of the experts, as well as their knowledge and understanding of natural elements that will be incorporated in your landscape. Because of these, it is often the case that a commercial landscaping company employs horticulturalists, landscape technicians, and other skilled workers to create a practical, but beautifully designed space. Thus, if you go for their services to uplift the curb appeal of your building, not only will you be relieved from the stress of having to manage the project on your own, but more often than not, the output would even exceed your expectations.
Landscape Components
There are a couple of landscape components that ensure that your space is not only aesthetically pleasing but fully functional as well. All these components need to be thought of carefully to guarantee that your landscape design is effective for your space.
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Plantings
Native plants are most fitting for commercial landscapes because they tend to fit naturally in the space. Aside from this, they are also well-suited for the climate in your region, and because of this, they require less maintenance. As a result, the budget you need to allocate to maintain your building’s landscape is also significantly reduced.
Alongside this, you also need to consider the maturity of the plants because several different types of ornamental trees or shrubbery have varying lifespans. If these are not properly maintained accordingly, they can eventually overcrowd the space, resulting in an unkempt look. Thus, instead of being effective in accentuating your signage or enhancing your entrance ways, your landscape design can prove to be otherwise.
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Hardscapes
Hardscapes serve as the foundation for the living components of the landscape design, which are your plantings. There are various types of hardscapes that you integrate into your design to support the plant life growing around them. These are meant to withstand outdoor elements such as the wind, rain, snow, or ice, particularly because they are designed to be long-lasting fixtures. Some of the most common materials that are used for hardscapes include concrete, brick, wood, metals, and stones.
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Irrigation
Since you will be installing living elements as part of your landscape design, it is but proper that you consider how you will be able to provide the water that the plants need to sustain them. In this case, you also need to incorporate the type of irrigation that you will implement in the landscape design. For instance, you can consider a xeriscape or a type of landscape design that requires minimal irrigation. With xeriscape, you are most likely to reduce watering regimens and because of this, energy savings and maintenance costs are likewise reduced.
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Lighting
Another landscape component that you need to incorporate in your plan is lighting. The proper lighting will not only accentuate your landscape design, but it can also offer a safe and practical source of brightness for the ones using your commercial space. In this case, you have the option of using energy-saving illumination in your walkways to provide a safe direction for foot traffic, particularly in the dark. The important thing is that the lighting source that you eventually go for should complement the landscape design, rather than becoming a source of harsh eye glare.
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Furnishings
There are instances wherein your landscape is not only meant to increase the curb appeal of your building, but it can also be a place where the building users can spend some time to refresh. For landscape designs that need to consider this goal, furnishings such as seating or benches are necessary. However, you need to position your furnishings in a way that they will not only be functional for the users of the space, but they also need to highlight your main landscape design.
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Additional Features
Aside from the components listed above, there are several other features that you can add to your landscape design. For instance, various decor elements can bring out the beauty of your plantings. Otherwise, functional features such as a birdbath can also bring another dimension in your commercial landscape design.
Characteristics of a Good Commercial Landscape Design
Good commercial landscape design takes into consideration all the components that make up the layout of the space and how they blend. Aside from this, below are some other characteristics of a commercial landscape design that is effective in achieving its purpose of beautifying a space.
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A Theme that Blends with the Building Architecture
An effective commercial landscape design blends well with the building architecture where it is installed to make it look amazing, but still practical. In other words, the view of the landscape should not contradict the building’s design, but rather, complement it to enhance the building.
Additionally, it should also accentuate your building’s external signage or roadside signs to catch the attention of passing customers. The design of your landscape should still make it easy for your customers to identify your business instead of hindering them from seeing your signage. For instance, you can incorporate colors in your landscape to match the hues of your brand’s logo. This is a great way of ensuring that you stand out from your neighbors.
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Natural and Welcoming Entrance
Great commercial landscape design also boasts of a natural and welcoming entrance that can direct traffic into your building. Your goal is to make your primary entrance not only obvious but pleasing as well. For this reason, it is a good idea to use vibrant colors in your flower beds or even add unique grass accents that are perfectly supported by the right hardscapes.
On the other hand, your landscape should also be able to direct new visitors to appropriate parts of your building such as the parking spots, as well as drop-off points. For this, you can think about adding rows of plants or trees that can guide them on which way to go. There is also the option for you to leverage retaining walls and hedges to restrict visitors from areas that are for employees only. In this case, aside from a visually pleasing curb appeal, your landscape design is also functional.
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Relevant to Building Users
Customers find impressive landscape designs relatable because it somehow draws their attention to the location. With this in consideration, landscape designers often create a focal point through elements such as colorful plantings or art decor to pique the interest not only of the building users but more importantly, their visitors. Additionally, these focal points can also enhance the brand of the business through the impression that they create, engaging potential customers.
Your landscape design should also reflect your company’s values. This is the reason why you need to think about the message that you want to send both to your employees and your customers. For instance, if you want to be seen as an environmentally-friendly company, then you may need to use energy-efficient lighting sources, as well as native plants to incorporate green features. Likewise, to send the message that your brand is focused on quality and professionalism, then your landscape must be well-maintained at all times.
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Embrace Seasons
The best landscape designs can embrace different seasons rather than trying to fight them. In this case, you need to think ahead of the winter months and use plants with the ability to retain their visual feature even during this season. There is also the option for you to use potted plants that you can change seasonally to create an inviting appearance throughout the entire year. If your landscape displays robustness no matter the season, then this can imply a sense of health to your business.
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Low Maintenance Costs
For landscape designs to be amazing, they should not only have an aesthetically pleasing appeal, but they should also be easily maintained. While all landscapes entail the need for a certain sum for their maintenance, the best designs will require only low maintenance expenses. This is often done by working out which type of plantings work best with the grounds that surround your building or which type of hardscapes to use to support the growth of the plants. Furthermore, your maintenance efforts and costs should not significantly vary regardless of the season.
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Long Lifespan
Lastly, the best landscape designs stand the test of time. More often than not, a good landscape design can even reach up to a couple of decades as long as they are well-maintained. In this case, the hardscapes tend to be the permanent fixtures, with the plantings and grasses changed from time to time whenever updates are necessary.
Benefits of Commercial Landscapes
There are numerous benefits to having a commercial landscape for your business. Perhaps the most obvious advantage is that it can significantly accentuate the exteriors of your space and highlight the architecture of your building. It can also tell people who you are and what your brand is about, conveying the message that you want to impart not only to your customers and visitors but to your employees as well.
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Environmental Benefits
A commercial landscape can bring forth several environmental benefits such as noise reduction. This takes place when you incorporate more trees into your design. Additionally, trees can also offer shade that is effective in lowering your cooling costs. There is also the option for you to go for plants that pave the way for minimal water usage or install a green roof that helps reduce water runoff. The use of solar-powered lighting is also another efficient energy-source that can reduce your company’s carbon footprint.
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Financial Benefits
If you think that installing a commercial landscape is only going to cost your company, then you should reconsider. This is because a commercial landscape can also have several financial benefits for your business. If your landscaped portion offers a seating option for your employees where they can linger and take a break, then you are allowing them to increase their productiveness. With more productive employees, it follows that you will be able to deliver more than what you promised to your customers, increasing their trust and loyalty to your brand. As a result, you gain a fair share of the market, which brings forth a positive revenue.
Landscape Design Services
If you are already planning on installing a commercial landscape for your space, then there are several kinds of landscape design services that you can consider. However, two of the most common include construction and hardscaping, as well as maintenance. The former includes building the foundation of your landscape design. These hardscapes are the permanent fixtures that should blend with different types of plantings that you may need to change from time to time as seasons change. On the other hand, the latter ensures that your landscape is kept in flawless condition for several years. This includes regular mowing, pruning, weeding, as well as seasonal planting among others.
Landscape components such as the plants that you use, as well as the hardscapes, irrigation, lighting, furnishings, and all the other additional features that you integrate into your space are all significant in coming up with an amazingly designed space that will provide a visually pleasing curb appeal to your building. Rest assured that seasoned commercial landscapers will be able to ensure that their design will effectively blend with your building architecture while creating a natural and welcoming flow of traffic into your building.
Building users should also find landscape design relevant. Additionally, some of the other factors that constitute a good commercial landscape design include the use of components that embrace the seasons with a low maintenance cost and a long lifespan. All these are geared towards ensuring that you reap and maximize the benefits that a commercial landscape can bring to your brand.
