We have been taking care of many commercial properties for decades now, and really enjoy watching how our care and attention over the years has allowed plants and green spaces to flourish and thrive. Commercial landscaping requires a different kind of touch, as the design must be accessible, hardy, and able to withstand a lot of traffic, but it should also be attractive, inviting, and representative of your business.
Studies show that landscaping can increase the value of a property up to 13%, which can translate into a lot of money. It’s a lot about perception. If you are perceived to be taking good care of your property, you are also likely to take care of your business and your customers.
Here are seven commercial landscaping tips that will help improve your business’s appearance to help meet and greet your customers with confidence and style.
- Keep it tidy
This should really go without saying, but we do know of several commercial landscaping companies that have the bad habit of not picking up litter before mowing and gardening. We see this as part of our job, and will clear your property of garbage before we hop on our mowers and pick up our weed whips. This way we don’t create a huge mess when running over pieces of litter, which just looks lazy. We will also sweep away grass clipping from pathways and bag and remove excess clippings from our mowers.
- Create seating areas
We are big proponents of making your commercial property inviting, and this means creating areas for people to sit down and relax for a moment. This allows people to feel like they are invited guests to your property. There’s nothing that says more about a business owner’s dedication to providing the best customer experience possible than something that simply says, “relax and stay awhile!” Mirage can help you build inviting little seating areas where your customers – and you and your employees! – can sit back, relax and enjoy the surroundings.
- Don’t forget about trees, shrubs and perennials
Commercial property owners have a tendency to be quite minimalist when it comes to their commercial landscaping. This we can understand, but it’s pretty obvious when approaching a business that not a lot of care and attention has been put into landscape design. In all reality, a mass expanse of flat green grass with no trees or decorative plantings has the look of someone trying to keep costs down, and that can translate into a negative impression of your business. Trees, shrubs, and perennials add visual interest and are not unnecessarily hard to take care of. Especially if you have us do it for you!
- Add colour with containers of annuals
A business entrance flanked by big bouquets of cascading wave petunias is not only awfully pretty to look at, it just puts people in a good mood when they walk in. Calgary’s summers are so short it does a heart good to see when someone is taking full advantage of the nice weather. Certain types of annuals are hardy, drought-resistant and easy for our professional landscapers to care for, and you can even place a couple pots in your seating areas for more eye-catching embellishments.
- Plant to prevent theft and vandalism
There are some folks you don’t want to visit your property. It’s something that a lot of people don’t realize, but landscaping can play a big role in commercial crime prevention. The strategic choice and arrangement of landscape elements can go a long way towards deterring criminals. Spruce trees, junipers, rhubarb, roses and mountain pine are just a few of the plant species we suggest that not only look nice, but can also act as a barrier between your business and those who want to take advantage of it.
- Don’t forget your lighting!
There’s nothing more unnerving than having to walk through acres of a dark parking lot to get to a store. Good lighting makes people feel more safe and comfortable, and also means there’s a business owner somewhere that truly cares about your experience on their property. It’s also pivotal in the winter, when it gets dark early and people need to be able to see where icy patches are so they can keep their footing. Make sure entrances, patios and common areas are well-lit (you can cut back on power bills by using efficient bulbs and timers), and the added bonus is that thieves tend to avoid places that are nicely illuminated.
- Use underground irrigation to keep your priorities on your customer
The City of Calgary estimates that the water bill of its average consumer jumps by about 50 per cent during the summer months. Most of this consumption is undoubtedly attributable to all of us trying to maintain our properties. There are tricks to saving water, though, such as using mulch where you can and installing an underground irrigation system.
Automatic sprinklers apply a little water every day, which is far better than applying a lot a couple times a week. With heavy, infrequent watering, some of the moisture will simply evaporate or run off before being absorbed because the soil can’t drink it in fast enough.
Underground irrigation systems can be designed for zones, so your flower beds get a different, more effective type of watering. Same goes for your grass. Underground sprinklers can also be installed with timers and rain sensing abilities. All in all, they save time and money, all while making your property look as good as possible.
Contact Mirage for Your Calgary Commercial Landscaping
Mirage’s complete suite of commercial landscaping and lawn care services includes everything from seasonal clean-ups in spring and fall to mowing, trimming, weeding and pruning. We also provide professional landscape construction services for commercial properties in southeast Calgary. To get started, fill out our request form for an estimate. We will respond as quickly as possible!