First impressions matter to potential tenants, customers, and employees. Landscaping your property does wonders for your company’s image. It is a big mistake to neglect the appearance of your office building, and nothing brightens it up like beautiful landscaping. Following are some landscaping ideas for your office building.
The Front Entrance
A vibrant, welcoming front entrance sets the stage for your office’s whole environment. How to make it pop? Colorful flowers are a great first step. They attract attention and add a dose of instant cheer. They should be low-growing varieties, so they don’t block your signage. Native plants are a huge trend now. They’re low maintenance — hardy, sturdy, and once they’re established, they typically need less water than non-natives. Large planters are another big trend. They’re versatile — change their whole look with the seasons by planting exotic tropical plants in the summer and fall flowers in autumn. Dress them up for the holidays with decorative branches, evergreens and twinkling lights.
Signage
Signage is a way to show the public that your commercial property is open, in good shape, and it can create a welcoming environment. One of the best ways to make your signage more visible is to add landscaping around it. The perfect plants, a little color, and attention to all of the small details can make your signs stand out even more. Every company wants their signage to be prominent and visible.
Outdoor Common Area
Does your office building have an irresistible common area? A place where employees happily settle in for a fresh-air meeting or a much-needed rejuvenating break? Be sure to include seating, from stone benches to picnic tables to sturdy outdoor furniture. Or incorporate built-in sitting walls into a hardscape patio. A peaceful sanctuary helps worker morale. Providing wireless internet at outdoor sitting and picnic areas expands the workspace. Includes trees for shade and flowers for color. The best common areas are multipurpose, so think beyond sitting and having lunch when landscaping for office buildings. Walking trails encourage employees to stroll off stress, clear out the cobwebs, and get some steps in during lunch.
Seasonal Rotation
The great thing about flowers and plants is there’s a host of choices for every season. The possibilities are nearly endless for summer flower power, but don’t neglect the other seasons. Frilly purple ornamental cabbage and bright yellow mums can usher in autumn. The bright red berries of holly add a pop of color for winter interest. Cheerful, bright tulips and daffodils are perfect to welcome spring. If your office building is tall, small planters just get lost. Think big when it comes to decorative planters, think supersize containers.
Walkways
Paths and walkways are an important part of any landscape. Not only do they provide a way for people to get around, but they can also be used to create interest and add definition to your landscape. You can use concrete, pavers, gravel, or even rocks to create paths and walkways. Just make sure that they are wide enough for people to walk comfortably. You can also use paths and walkways to create different areas in your landscape. For example, you might want to create a path that leads from the front door of your office building to the parking lot. Or, you might want to create a series of paths that wind through a garden area. Consider replacing portions or entire stretches of walkways with pavers that can help break up the industrial look of a long stretch of concrete.
Water Feature
Including an outdoor water feature in your landscape project improves your office building’s curb appeal. People are naturally drawn to a property’s beauty. Even a small fountain near the front door, in a courtyard, or the common area for employees to enjoy produces a big and lasting impression. It has also the potential to become a trademark for your office building. Water features are more than just aesthetics; the sound of running water soothes your mind and soul. Studies have shown that the sound of running water subconsciously slows down your breathing, which in turn lowers your blood pressure and heart rate. Furthermore, water reduces your stress levels. Five minutes of time spent by the sounds of flowing water can help reduce stress hormones. Your employees will appreciate the water feature.
Update Your Landscaping
If you have not changed your landscaping for many years, now may be the time to upgrade. For years, landscaping — nearly all design, actually — has focused on the art of being subtle. However, in this decade, that is changing. Already, interior design is seeing a shift away from minimalism and toward maximalism, which emphasizes oversized décor and bright, bold colors, and patterns. In all likelihood, landscaping trends are likely to follow, which means you need to be bolder with how you design your office landscaping. One of the best ways to accomplish this now is to install bigger, bolder flora around your exterior spaces. You should be drawn toward plants with large foliage and flowers, like hostas or pompon and ball dahlias. You should commit to reducing your environmental impact as much as possible, which might mean updating your landscape for sustainability in a number of ways. By updating your landscape to follow the right trends, you will add an overwhelming amount of value to your property.
Contact us (859-292‐8556) today for a free consultation!
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About First Green Landscaping
First Green Commercial Landscaping is a locally owned leading provider of lawn care and landscaping services in the Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky area. We provide superior customer service and strive to build long term business relationships with our clients.
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