Commercial landscaping transforms a business’s outdoor space into a visually appealing setting that welcomes customers and boosts business. But there is more to it than that. Through landscape maintenance and environmental landscape design (ELD), commercial landscaping creates environmental benefits that exceed a simple boost to business.

Incorporating commercial landscaping ideas with environmental benefits does not have to break the budget. In fact, an ELD landscaping plan is also a plan for cost savings in long-term landscape maintenance. It creates a win-win for both the environment and your bottom line.

A Boost to the Environment

The human impact on the environment has been significant. From pollution and climate change to reduced habitats and degraded ecosystems, our environment is unhealthy. By including sustainable landscape decisions into your landscape design, you can support a healthier ecological system. 

Keeping the environment in mind in your landscape planning helps:

•     Improve air and water quality
•     Decrease soil erosion and improve soil quality
•     Reduce noise pollution
•     Save energy
•     Diminish temperature extremes

Improved Air and Water Quality

Humans need air and water to live. Improving the quality of both enhances the quality of human life. An advanced environmental landscape does this in several ways.

Trees are natural air filters. They capture pollutants and improve air quality. Planting trees also helps reduce the effects of climate change by absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere. Incorporating trees into your landscape design enhances the air we breathe and the world we live in.

Storm run-off is a problem for the environment because it carries pollutants into storm drains and into the water table. Planning a commercial landscape that increases water absorption into the soil and not run-off into the storm drain cuts down on water pollution. That’s good for the environment and good for humans.  

Decreased soil erosion and improved soil quality

A decrease in storm run-off also reduces flooding and soil erosion. An environmentally friendly landscape design also reduces water evaporation and soil degradation. Trees, shrubs, and grass filter rainwater too. This natural filtration captures dust and pollution while also trapping nutrients back into the soil. ELD landscaping allows nature to do its work. This all adds up to improved soil quality and a decrease in the cost of landscape maintenance. 

Reduced Noise Pollution

The effects of noise pollution on humans is considered an invisible yet dangerous hazard, causing hearing loss and anxiety. According to the World Health Organization, noise becomes harmful to humans above 75 decibels. Traffic noise in cities can exceed 100 decibels, an aircraft flying over can reach more than 130 decibels, and construction can produce noise around 110 decibels. That’s a lot of noise!

A professional landscaping design can integrate solutions to reduce noise pollution. Plants and soft surfaces such as turf and flower beds absorb sound. Water plants and water features filter noise while trees, shrubs, and solid landscape features act as sound barriers.

Saving Energy

Landscaping for energy conservation helps mitigate the effects of climate change. Trees provide natural shade in the summer and wind breaks in the winter, reducing the need for air conditioning and heating. This is both environmentally friendly and budget friendly.

Diminished Temperature Extremes

Green spaces also assist in moderating temperature. Urban spaces act as heat islands due to an excess of heat absorbing asphalt and concrete. Creating an environmental landscape design with trees, shrubs, turf, and plants reduces the amount of asphalt in the area and, in turn, reduces the temperature.

 A Boost to Your Budget

Creating an inviting outdoor space that is both good for business and good for the environment does not have to break the bank. There are plenty of budget-friendly professional landscape solutions that will provide environmental benefits.

A few budget friendly landscaping ideas 

Plant Selection

Two plant selection ideas that boost the environment and boost your budget are planting perennials and native plants.

Perennials are plants that are planted once and then grow year after year, even if they go dormant in the winter. Annuals are plants that are planted, die off at the end of the growing season, and then new ones need to be repurchased and re-planted. 

Although perennials usually have a higher up-front cost than annuals, it’s easy to see that over the long-term, planting perennials is a cost-effective way to add environmental enhancement and reduce the cost of landscape maintenance.

 Native plant selection is an environmental landscape choice that contributes to landscape ecology and nature conservation. They promote biodiversity and support native wildlife. Planting native plants also contributes to a reduction in your landscape maintenance budget. 

 Native plants naturally thrive where you plant them because it’s where they were meant to be. They are usually hardier and less susceptible to pests than non-native plants. They also typically require less water. That all equals less money spent on plant replacement and care. That’s good for your budget and good for the environment.

 Not sure what the best plants are for your commercial landscape? A professional landscaping company can help you choose the plants that will grow best in your outdoor space. Planting the right plants for your landscape saves you money by eliminating the guesswork and potentially costly mistakes.

Let It Rain

A rain garden is specifically designed for rain water to soak into the ground and not rush to a storm drain, collecting pollutants along the way. We already know this improves water quality and reduces flooding and soil erosion, but it also reduces property damage. Think cracking sidewalks and split cement retaining walls or foundations. Those can be expensive and unsightly problems. Less property damage equals less money spent on property repairs. 

White Gravel Vs. Mulch

Lighter surfaces reflect the sun’s rays. Darker surfaces absorb the sun’s rays. Incorporating lighter ground cover into your commercial landscape design helps reduce surface temperatures. A lighter colored material such as white gravel only needs to be purchased once, while mulch needs to be replaced annually. Using white gravel requires less money and less landscape maintenance.

Go Wild!

Wildflowers add beauty and interest to any landscape design, but they’re also a cost-effective choice with environmental benefits. Wildflowers are low maintenance enhancements that require less water than other flower choices. They are also pollinator friendly, which means environmentally friendly too. Helping the bees helps the environment. And that helps us all. Using a wild garden in place of turf eliminates the need for mowing, which eliminates the cost of mowing. It also cuts down on the use of environmentally unfriendly products like weed killer and artificial fertilizer. Those products also cost money and add to the cost of landscape maintenance. Planning a wild garden into your commercial landscape is a win for your pocket book and for the environment. 

Eco-Friendly Materials

Reducing water and energy use is fundamental to a sustainable landscape design. Using eco-friendly building materials in your commercial landscape that meet these fundamentals can go a long way. Using recycled materials can be cost-effective and good for the environment. So can using materials made for longevity. Constructing landscape paths with permeable pavers built for water seepage instead of water gushing reduces pollution and landscape maintenance—another win for you and the environment. 

A Benefit All the Way Around

A commercial landscape design is important for your business. Creating a pleasant space to welcome customers showcases a professional appeal. Looking good is good for business. The environmental benefits of commercial landscaping, though, stretch far beyond aesthetic enhancement.

The long list of environmental benefits of a sustainable landscape design circles back to your business as long-term cost-saving benefits. Easier and less expensive landscape maintenance is a direct outcome of an environmental landscape design. Your commercial landscape plan can boost business, boost the environment, and boost your budget. That’s a win-win for better living all the way around.