Commercial Landscaping Blog for The San Jose | Bay Area, CA

Getting from one point to another in an hoa community landscaping or retail center can be fairly simple. And most of the time we don’t think too much about what we’re walking on, especially if there’s a path or walkway pointed in the direction we are headed, and then we’re right on course. When walking, we are usually not focused on the type of material used. However when it comes to a walking surface, there are a number of factors to consider, including its daily use and frequency, the topography of the area, future maintenance, its resilience to abuse , safety factors, sustainability and aesthetic needs.

And whether we’re talking about a pathway short cut through a parking lot island or a path through a serene courtyard patio, the walking surface that you provide should always be up to standards. There are a multitude of choices when it comes to pathway surfaces for commercial property landscaping. Here are a few options to consider for high foot traffic areas.

The amount of lawn around your commercial property can make a big difference in many ways. For one, lawns require an average of 35 gallons of water per square foot per year compared to plants needing about half or less, when you factor in the cost of water, fertilizer and what you are paying your commercial lawn maintenance company the costs can really add up. Planting the right combination of plants to lawn ratio will ultimately impact your landscaping costs. The real challenge for most commercial properties is deciding on the right balance of plants to lawn ratio.

Top 5 Corporate Landscaping Trends

Its hard to say what your landscape maintenance will require  50 years from now, but the water situation in California is not improving according with recent news media. Proper maintenance and design is the key in future years to come. Read on for our top 5 Commercial Landscaping Trends that can extend the life of your landscaping while helping to conserve water.

10 GrassTrends used for Corporate Landscaping

Low Maintenance drought resistant and appealing to the eye. What property manager or owner wouldn’t want to get those qualities out of their commercial landscaping service — at the same time? One way to achieve your goal is through the appropriate design and use of drought resistant landscaping.

Today, drought tolerant grasses are gaining popularity and demand for their low maintenance qualities, including their low water use and pest free benefits. Available in multiple colors, textures and sizes, they are also appealing for corporate and apartment landscaping. When used appropriately, your commercial landscape maintenance will benefit from the year around interest provided, can be used as accents or ground cover, and can even in raised decorative containers. 

There is a serious water shortage in many parts of California and Bay Area Rockstars are breaking common ground having a big impact on local water supplies, and i am not talking about Carlos Santana either. In many drought stricken areas, lawns are being blamed for most of our water shortage, lets read on to learn more about what we can do to help contribute towards water conservation and what local Rock Stars that i am really talking about. 

Is your commercial property landscaping prepared for the spring and summer? Generally, spring flowers are the first place to begin this year. Therefore, your landscaping at an apartment, shopping center or office building should look its best by the time summer sets in—including the landscaping at high traffic areas. The monument sign or plant containers at the frontage are usually the first thing visitors see when approaching your property, making it important to have inviting landscaping can make all the difference.

April is a great time to get started with landscaping for this year’s season. It’s once been said, “April showers bring May flowers.” 

Water Agency Requirements
The biggest change for urban water suppliers is the creation of a floor, or minimum standard, for outdoor irrigation restrictions. Outdoor irrigation represents 50 to 80 percent of all water use for some communities in the state.  Irrigating outdoor ornamental landscapes is a questionable use of a limited resource when some communities are running out of water in this fourth consecutive year of drought.  Urban water suppliers must now limit the number of days per week that customers can irrigate outdoors.  The limit must either be specified in their drought contingency plans; or if their plan contains no specific limit, irrigation is limited to no more than two days per week.

Its essential that landscaping is high on your priority list, and should be. High maintenance commercial lawn care is a budget expense that seems slowly increase in cost, some of those costs include sprinkler and irrigation repairs, replacing flowers and tree pruning just to name a few. In spite of the many reasons renovation gets pushed off, there is supporting evidence that property managers and building owners should consider the true cost of high maintenance landscaping.

Tips For The Landscape Walk Through 

A job site walk through with your Commercial Landscape Company or assigned account manager is essential from time to time, this helps keep the lines of communication open assisting everyone to stay focused on your goals and desires.

Get Your Cash For The Grass

Many Bay Area water providers are offering money saving rebate programs for the removal of water thirsty lawn areas for hoa, shopping centers and corporate landscaping and converting these spaces to water efficient green spaces and/or using smart irrigation technology . FloraTerra Landscape Management is partnering with these bay area water agencies with a keen focus on water conservation and the adaption of Eco-Friendly, drought-resistant planting for landscape water conservation in San Jose and the Greater Bay Area.