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Business owners, rejoice! We want to offer 5 ways to incorporate native plants into commercial landscaping for appeal, function, and fun for customers. This time of year means the thick jackets are in storage, and people are ready to be out and about. Think of a commercial landscape as an extension of a business owner’s vision and how they want their customers to perceive them. Make it beautiful with native plants and the people will come.

Why native plants? When property owners select native plant varieties, they require less care to thrive. Plants that are part of a region’s natural landscape grow well and fit in with other local flora, so it just makes sense to incorporate native plants into commercial landscape designs whenever possible.

Add a splash of color

Beautiful blue aster is an attention grabber

The sterile green colors of yesteryear have gone away. Instead, consider using more nontraditional colors like blues, violets, and yellows to make your displays or curb medians pop! These colors are more closely related to loyalty, trust, and cheerfulness; these are all the traits of a great business, right? Adding color to commercial landscaping can also make giving directions around the area a bit easier, especially if you have things on display. Turning right at the pink coneflowers or blue aster flowers may be less confusing than turning right at the green bushes or green grass.

Add a theme

Coming up with a theme for your garden design doesn’t have to be complicated  (it’s no prom planning committee), but it should be something that resonates with the business and its customers. A non-profit group could pick the same color hues for their flowers as an awareness ribbon that they promote. Organic goods stores could use a pollinator garden to draw focus to their natural beeswax or honey products. Renewable energy companies could scatter sunflowers across their site. Let the theme be fun and imaginative for commercial landscaping, and the final product will be guaranteed to stand out.

Sculpt the terrain

There are plenty of exciting options to choose for a hillside commercial landscaping project. A gently sloping hill of prairie grasses or a bio swale in a roadside flume can provide a different look that makes your business stand out. A neatly trimmed lawn is uninspired and is a bland definition of commercial. Instead, what about a boulder-filled rain garden with a rainbow rock swirl surrounded by tall, beautiful grasses swaying in the breeze? Customers will want to stay for the zen-like relaxation that beats any other grey waiting room. Just be sure to keep your magazine subscriptions refreshed; no one wants to read last year’s Home and Garden and Time magazines.

Draw the eye 

Flowering Wisteria Vines On Pergola is a photograph by Sandra Ivany which was uploaded on January 18th, 2019.

Commercial landscaping needs to draw the attention of new clientele. Don’t be afraid to try something really bold with your plantings. A planting pot garden is a great start if you want to vary the space of your commercial landscaping. Large and small pots are great for contrast or to highlight a product on display. Creating a fantastic entryway is also an excellent way to garner attention. Frame your entrance with some climbing vines over a pergola to make the customer feel like they’re walking through a floral portal to another world. 

Make it functional

Native plants can be highly functional if planned correctly. Rain gardens help to prevent standing water problems. Firmly rooted grasses will prevent erosion on a site as well as providing some wind and noise barriers. Planted trees on the east or north side of your office can help reduce summertime heat expenses by diffusing light and providing some cool shade! If you’re trying to play it subtle in making a sale or impressing a client, considering having meetings outside near your most fragrant plants. A pleasant smell will engage all the senses and make the conversation sparkle. Science has shown that smell can have an impact on purchasing. Create your own “scent-branding” to help customers associate positive experiences with company products or services.

The suggestions on incorporating native plants into commercial landscaping above are just a few ways to make an office or property interesting. Your business requires a personal touch, and Greenscape Geeks would like to help put your stamp on it. We are an Indianapolis landscaping company with a mission for sustainable and innovative design. Our commercial landscaping designs use 100% native plants and ecologically sustainable methods. If you have business inquiries for how to get a “wow factor” on your site, schedule a virtual or physical consultation with us today.

Greenscape Geeks is a central Indiana landscape architecture and landscape design, construction, and lawn maintenance company, serving Indianapolis (including Meridian Kessler, Herron Morton, Williams Creek, and Irvington), Carmel, Noblesville, Fishers, and Zionsville.