5 Quick Facts You Ought to Know About Older Landscapes
The main problem with most mature landscapes is overgrown shrubs which no longer enhance your community or business. They may have been sheared so they are all round balls or boxy hedges. They may have lost their leaves at the bottom because of overgrown top growth. In many cases, shrubs have grown together so they no longer have their individual shape or character.5 Things to Consider for Planned Renovation
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Planned Renovation
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Capital Budget Planning
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Drought Tolerant Landscaping Choices
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Deferred Landscape Renovation
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Long Term Planning
Improving Older Landscapes with Planned Renovation
As a commercial property owner or hoa landscaping manager, take a critical look at your landscape and make plans for some renovation. Even if your landscape is relatively young, you may be able to see shrubs that will soon be overcrowded. You may be able to remove some of the extra ones before they have completely grown together. This will allow the remaining ones to retain their natural shape. Will some light pruning on remaining shrubs help before they become overgrown? If it is too late to do anything but remove an entire row or group of shrubs, you may want to make consult with one of our horticulturists for advice and direction.
Capital Budget Planning For Landscape Improvements
From past experience, we would suggest that the first step to take with your commercial landscaping company would be to work along with your landscaping company to choose a basic design theme, including the plant pallet and planting plan, type of mulch, irrigation system, etc. The idea is to have a plan that can be implemented over a period of time (allowing for some variances within the plan for interest and micro-climate suitability). Based on this renovation plan, commercial landscaping improvements should have a cost per unit (for example, per 1,000 square feet) can be projected and understood. This method makes it less complicated to budget and plan for a long term project anticipating costs phased in over time.
One of the best books for plant selection is Sunset Western Garden book. It has the most complete selection of plants. Make sure to select plants which are listed for the specific Sunset zone where you live. Most other plant books use the USDA climate zones.
Drought Tolerant landscaping For Commercial Properties
We can help you select locally adapted plants. Considerations for the mature height and width of planting areas must be carefully calculated. Replanting with plants which reach a mature size greater than their allotted space will result in the same problem a few years from now. A sketch on graph paper can be very helpful. Consider widening beds near buildings so that you can leave some space between shrubs and the building.
Limit the different kinds of shrubs you plant. In most cases clusters of 3 or more of the same shrub are more attractive than individuals. Individual specimen plants may combine well with clusters of other plants. Consult with one of our landscape designers for ideas about attractive groupings. If you are planning to do landscape renovation, we can help you design and install it.
Deferred Landscaping Renovation
By putting off and deferring renovation projects, you may expect your property’s landscape to continue to slowly deteriorate with an accumulation of deferred items that will eventually result in major renovation and costly expense. It would be better to develop a plan now that addresses the most important challenges on an on-going basis. This, in conjunction with a good maintenance program, is the best way to keep the landscape attractive, healthy and “moving in the right direction”.
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