Commercial Landscaping Trends of 2021

When one thinks of caring for plants, the first thing that comes to mind is watering. Withered, dried up plants are not only an eyesore, they are also a waste of money and reflect poorly on the property. This isn’t always a product of neglect, however. Areas that are prone to drought and long periods of dry weather need landscaping choices that match the climate. Shopping centers in Tuscon, for instance, will use native cactuses and bushes in their landscape plans. This theory can be applied to any area, and businesses don’t have to stick to cactuses to have a drought-resistant, beautiful landscape. Building owners can design a landscape using drought resistant plants. Not only will they save money by not needing to water them as frequently, but they can also weather times of drought when municipalities discourage or stop lawn watering completely. Using primarily native plants is a great way to save money and match your landscaping to the surrounding environment. If your area goes through long summer dry spells, the native plants are better suited to handle it. 

These techniques go beyond plant selection to grouping plants with similar water needs together. This segregates “thirsty” plants from those that need to be watered less frequently.

The traditional goal of commercial landscaping is beautification. But plants do more for your landscaping than simply look nice. the strategic use of trees and other plants can:

• Establish a border between walkways and green areas
• Reduce noise from busy roadways or screen an unpleasant view of other buildings or parking lots
• Block sunlight and create cool, shaded areas
• Form walls, canopies, or floors by taking advantage of their growth habits
• Line walkways to prevent foot traffic from creating their own paths across green areas 

By expanding the practical use of plants, your commercial landscaping becomes more than just flowers to make an area look pretty; it develops into an essential part of the property.

One of the more important functional aspects of commercial landscaping is its ability to control the flow of water and prevent damage to low lying areas and parts of your building below ground level. Your landscaping choices can also provide important erosion control functions as well. 

• Stabilize slopes – Steep slopes are prime areas that can erode in heavy rains. Terraced landscaping and trees are essential to keeping soil where it’s supposed to be without changing the landscape too drastically. 
• Slow water down – Low-sloping areas of your lawn, known as swales, can collect water and drain it away from other areas. 
• Cover bare soil – Deep-rooted plants and grasses in certain areas encourage stormwater to soak into the ground instead of rushing to the nearest storm drain. 
• Consider hydroseeding – Bare ground can be washed away by storms, so when construction or other improvements create hard-packed dirt areas, hydroseeding can establish a lawn in a few weeks. This method is much quicker than traditional methods of planting lawns and can secure soil even temporarily until more permanent plants can be installed.

Over the last decade, the trend is to have a large centerpiece to landscaping, maybe a fountain or artwork, as the focal point to a lawn. Newer trends will look to standardize the landscape, so the property is taken in as a whole with the building as the centerpiece. Less will be more, and landscaping plans will cater more easily to customers that want low-maintenance and low-budget designs.