Determining the appropriate budget for landscaping your commercial property is a crucial decision. Experts generally recommend allocating between 25 and 35 percent of your overall budget for commercial landscaping projects, though it’s important to remember that various projects have very different costs.
Why Landscape Commercial Areas: First Impressions Matter
Put yourself in the shoes of a customer and evaluate your property from their perspective. Consider whether your building exudes a welcoming and well-maintained atmosphere that encourages customers to enter, or if it feels a bit drab and unkempt. Imagine the addition of eye-catching plants, neatly trimmed grass, and other appealing features like ponds or shaded seating areas. How does this change the visitor experience?
Landscaping and the outward appearance of your property is the first impression visitors have of your space, and they extrapolate the quality, values, and culture of your company from this first impression. Investing in landscaping demonstrates care and enhances the overall impact you make on customers.
What Are Your Landscaping Goals?
Different commercial properties have distinct landscaping requirements, whether it’s a shopping mall, restaurant, or medical building. Do you want to be casual and warm or regimented and uniform? If you manage a medical facility, for example, you may want a clean yet welcoming landscaping style while keeping access ways and lines of sight clear. If you run a restaurant, lush plantings and privacy screens with trellises and vines may be the perfect solution.
Each type of landscaping is associated with different costs, but having a clear goal in mind will help you prioritize landscape features to suit your needs. Consulting with a professional landscaper can help identify those key priorities for your specific property or simply how best to maintain the landscape you already have.
Where to Spend Your Landscaping Budget
When planning your commercial landscaping budget, several essential elements should be considered. Here are some ideas to help you get started:
Designing an inviting entrance area with healthy plantings and attractive container gardens can create a positive first impression for visitors. Keep signage clear while thoughtful plantings guide visitors to the entrance.
Including vibrant seasonal flowers in your plan can have a remarkable impact, providing an immediate sense of warmth and care. Choose a beautiful natural array of colors or opt for blooms that match your brand colors. Make visitors look forward to visiting your property!
The “drive by” view is crucial for impressing potential customers passing by your property. Allocating a portion of your budget to establish eye-catching plantings and tidy lawns at the edges of your landscape may pay off quite a bit to attract those first-time visitors.
Seasonal cleanups offer excellent bang for your buck by tidying up clutter, storm debris, and giving the property a fresh start. We usually recommend clean ups in the Spring and Fall.
If your property needs a quick refresh, laying down a new layer of mulch between plants in the form of fresh bark dust is a great way to instantly improve the look of a landscape. The brighter, uniform color of fresh bark dust looks both cheerful and tidy.
Adding trees for shade and beauty goes a long way since no one likes giant asphalt fields of parking lot. Additionally, well-maintained islands with shrubs and grasses help a parking lot feel inviting and direct pedestrians to stay on certain paths.
Design for sustainability to reduce maintenance and watering costs. Lawns, though often beautiful, are high maintenance for crews to mow, overseed, and aerate, and are expensive to water. Converting lawns to perennial plantings separated with bark dust is much more efficient, affordable, and still attractive.
Landscaping Budget Mistakes to Avoid
We often meet with facility managers who assume that landscaping is a one-time expense or don’t understand how much of an impact landscaping has on a property. Thoughtful landscaping increases curb appeal and property value for good reason: landscaping and the built environment matter to humans. When planning your budget, it’s best to:
Avoid thinking landscaping is a one-and-done cost. Your landscape is full of living plants affected by seasons and weather, so you’ll need a year-round landscaper to manage these changes.
Understand the timelines of landscaping. Most landscaping companies are booked out in advance, so contact them early to book seasonal flower rotations, spring cleanups, and enhancements like landscape lighting or bark dust application.
Be a little flexible. Nature does what it wants, so being adaptable and understanding the limits of grass, trees, plants, and soil is important. As landscapers, we’re experienced at designing to a particular property, unique light, and water conditions, but this means certain plants simply won’t thrive in that shady, marshy area in the corner or that fern won’t survive a summer on the south-facing side in direct sun.
Think of landscaping as an ongoing process rather than a one-time project. Regular maintenance, such as replacing seasonal plantings, replenishing mulch, and investing in lawn care services is necessary to sustain a visually appealing and healthy landscape. Discussing a comprehensive landscaping schedule with your landscaper, including tasks such as annual flower planting, tree trimming, pest control, hardscape enhancements, lawn aeration, and dormant pruning, will ensure proper budgeting and maintenance throughout the year.
At Dennis’ 7 Dees, we understand the importance of delivering exceptional landscaping services tailored to your unique needs. With over 50 years of experience in landscape construction and maintenance for commercial properties, our experts can assist you in developing a customized landscape plan and providing detailed budget breakdowns. Contact us today for your free consultation and discover why some of the biggest companies in the region trust us with their landscapes!