Commercial Landscaping Design Flaws That Westchester County, NY, Businesses Can Avoid by Hiring the Right Professionals
Excellent landscape design can influence your company image in a dramatic way as it reflects the care and attention you take in all areas of your business. Similarly, poor landscape design can affect your business in a negative way if current and potential clients have difficulty accessing your facility. You can avoid these commercial landscaping design flaws when you hire the right professionals for your Westchester County, NY, business.
Drainage Problems
When the rain pours down, if the stormwater and runoff are not managed effectively, your commercial property can become a mud pit filled with depressions where the dirt has eroded. Drainage problems can also lead to damage to the foundation and structure of the building, causing costly repairs for redirecting the water and for repairs to your building.
Related: Improve Functionality in Your Dutchess County, NY, Commercial Landscaping
Poor Traffic Flow
When clients arrive at your location, the parking area should be easy to navigate with entry and exit points clearly marked. Walkways with a broken or uneven surface can lead to a liability hazard as the potential for tripping and falling is high. Unkempt trees and shrubs that obstruct the view of the entrance and sign, especially if there is more than one business in the building, can discourage visitors from returning—or even entering.
Incorrect Plant Choices
Just because a plant looks great in your home’s landscape does not mean it will work well in a commercial landscape. Many commercial plants should ideally be hardy and low maintenance as they less likely to get the amount of attention they would receive in a personal yard. Flowering bushes that need regular treatment for pests may not be a good choice, and neither are shrubs that mature quickly into a huge bush. Crowded landscapes tend to be unattractive and may reflect poorly on the image you want to convey to visitors and clients.
Plants that are installed too close to the building or near the mechanical units can create problems with the operation of the heating and air conditioning units, the water lines, and even security. You never want plants to limit the visibility of your security cameras, compromising the safety of the employees and the business facility.
Related: 4 Commercial Landscaping Trends to Improve Your Corporate Image in Hudson Valley, NY
Insufficient Lighting
Dark places in the corners of the building would be ideal for intruders to lurk while waiting on the employees to leave for the day. This is a liability issue as not only do you not want employees to be fearful as they leave work for the day, but you don’t want any opportunity for unwanted visitors to enter because the lighting was not sufficient to deter them.
Skillfully placed lights should make your signage clearly readable after dark. The right lighting should also provide easy access to walkways and the parking lot when the days are short.
Lack of Outdoor Space for Relaxing
Your employees need a place to get a breath of fresh air, and even work outdoors on a nice day. Clients need a spot to sit and review meeting notes before entering your premises. When there are no outdoor benches, tables with chairs, soothing water sounds from a fountain, the landscape is uninviting. What’s better is proper planning for a space that sees a high volume of foot traffic. Ultimately, your clients, visitors, and employees need a place to engage with the outdoor beauty that brings calm in the midst of a busy work day.
A landscape design/build company can partner with you to reduce costs, speed time to completion, maximize your return on investment, and ensure that the finished commercial landscape meets your aesthetic and functional needs.