Regardless of your industry, company scale or target audience, first impressions always matter. How you present your business plays an immense role in whether your customer believes in your brand and are willing to invest. So how can you ensure that this is always positive? The key is to begin with your commercial property, as this is the home of your company and where you have the freedom to express your brand personality. And what is the first element of your site people see? The exterior, of course!
For more than 20 years, we have been supporting clients with their landscape maintenance in Milton Keynes, ensuring that they can maintain this positive first impression and continue to be proud of their site. If you are yet to invest in landscaping and are unsure whether this would be beneficial to your site, we have put together a guide to the advantages of landscaping, including a range of excellent before and after photos!
The Advantages Of Landscaping & A Host Of Great Examples!
Our commercial landscaping in Milton Keynes involves many different services, and which options are included in your package will depend on the demands of your site. The goal of landscaping is not only to plan, design, install and maintain an aesthetically pleasing landscape but also one that supports high health and safety standards. To achieve this, the expertise and attention to detail of our team are combined with your vision for your commercial property, making it easier than ever to keep your site looking its best.
With this in mind, whether you are new to landscaping or are in need of inspiration to breathe a new lease of life into your outdoor space, we are going to take a closer look at the following:
The Benefits Of Landscaping
By investing in attractive landscaping, you can use the exterior of your commercial property to not only show that you care for your reputation but also reflect your ecological values to pre-existing and potential clients. Along with this, there are a number of additional benefits of landscaping, including the following:
Improves Safety & Security
While landscaping is ideal for making your property more appealing, health, safety and security should always remain at the forefront of your designs. With well-thought-out landscaping that is regularly maintained, you can reduce outdoor risks and protect both your staff and visitors.
So how does landscaping improve safety and security? Let’s begin with safety. First and foremost, overgrown hedges, trees, and other foliage can not only obstruct walkways but also cause significant blind spots for drivers, making it tricky for them to see around corners when entering or leaving your site. By ensuring that these are regularly trimmed, you can provide a clear view of surrounding roads, as well as avoid broken branches from falling into the pathway of pedestrians or onto vehicles in the car park (this could also lead to substantial compensation fees).
Although landscaping primarily involves the maintenance of plants, trees and flowers, it can also include lighting. Effective lighting offers an attractive focal point, as well as being functional. You can install lighting along paths and walkways, which will be particularly important in the winter months when both the mornings and evenings are dark.
In terms of security, studies have found that areas with more foliage benefit from decreased crime rates. When designed well, landscapes can enhance visual security and, therefore, deter trespassers. You can also use landscaping to create barriers across areas that need to remain off-limits, such as first-floor windows and electrical boxes.
Attracts & Retains Clients
It is essential that the exterior of your property reflects the quality of the service you provide, which means that an organised, well-kept landscape is a must. However, have you ever considered how landscaping could have a deeper impact on the opinions that are made of your business?
Today’s commercial property landscaping trends are a captivating combination of flowering shrubs and trees, perennials and ornamental grasses. Using trending designs will, therefore, not only look fantastic but also help to give your entire premises a modern touch, making your business more desirable to both new and existing customers. Why? Because sights that are attractive and seen as beautiful can have a psychological effect on individuals, creating feelings of happiness and bliss. This encourages clients, customers and even potential employees to instantly forge a positive impression of your business, building trust and lasting relationships. For more information on the psychological impact of flowers and other greenery, take a look at Psychreg.
Boosts Employee Health, Wellbeing & Morale
Employers are becoming increasingly aware that providing a pleasant working atmosphere has a direct impact on employee morale and productivity, now more than ever since the pandemic began. And although many factors contribute towards employee wellbeing, landscaping can play a significant role.
According to an article by Totaljobs, as many as 56% of workers admit that they never take their full lunch break; this is a far higher percentage than in past years, showing that more UK workers than ever are skipping their breaks to continue working. Failing to take breaks can begin to have a vast impact on wellbeing, causing mental fatigue, increased stress and less fulfilment in your role. By taking the time to design an enticing outdoor space that focuses on creating a positive environment, you can encourage employees to take time out of their day to get fresh air, recharge and clear their minds. This then allows them to return to their role feeling revitalised, lively and motivated to work harder, helping to maintain a better balance between work and downtime.
Along with offering wellbeing benefits when outside enjoying landscapes, it has also been proven that being able to look at plants or trees, even outside the window, can reduce stress. As a result, employees will feel more relaxed and happy in their working environment, making them more likely to stay within the business to progress in their career.
Increases Property Value
If you are the owner of a premises, any projects that will offer a significant return will always prove beneficial, especially as the competitiveness of the commercial property market can be high. With this in mind, you would be pleased to know that landscaping can increase value by as much as 14% when considering the resale price of your building. Not only this, but it may also speed up the overall sale process by as much as six weeks. This makes landscaping a crucial aspect of your property maintenance.
When carrying out landscaping in the hope of increasing value, not only will it be essential to include regular upkeep in your package, but you should also consider the additional features that could make your site more appealing to buyers. Just some examples of components of your landscaping that will offer the best return include:
- Walkways: Safe, clear walkways will ensure that the next owner of your property can keep their staff and visitors safe, which will be one less concern once they move in. Ensure that walkways follow a distinct path and are not overcrowded with hedges, shrubs and other foliage.
- Car Parks: Although a must-have on a commercial site, the more work you can put into making your car park as convenient as possible, the better return you will receive. Consider regular moss removal on pavements to prevent slipping in the winter months, hedge trimming, and repainting road markings.
- Water Features: For those with a larger budget, water features will always be a sought-after element of any commercial property. Ponds, streams and fountains all add an up-market feel to your site, yet it should be noted that maintenance can be expensive.
- Signs: The more convenient your site is, the better. While not always considered when planning landscaping, incorporating clear signage into your design will make your commercial property more practical. You should also ensure that these are never obstructed or covered by overgrown greenery.
Creates A More Environmentally Friendly Site
We are all more than aware of the environmental issues we are facing and the urgency to begin making sustainable lifestyle changes; this does not only relate to our everyday actions but also our surroundings. With this in mind, focusing on creating a flourishing landscape, adding trees, shrubs and other plants to your site can greatly impact how environmentally friendly your business is.
Planting deciduous trees, such as maple and oak, is a great way to transform your property into an eco-friendly space. Strategic placement of these trees, such as on the southern and western sides of the building, will block the sun’s rays during the hottest part of the day in the summer. This will result in reducing the amount of energy used to keep the air conditioning running. When these trees lose their leaves in the winter months, it will allow for the warm afternoon sun to heat your building and therefore reduce how often you need to turn your heating on.
Along with reducing energy usage, planting greenery will also create habitats for local wildlife. There are many more ways that you can encourage animals and other life into your landscape, which also creates fantastic team networking activities for your staff. You can make bee hotels, hedgehog homes and bat boxes, all of which can easily be incorporated into your design. The Wildlife Trusts has put together an excellent resource page filled with simple ways you can help to support wildlife.
Saves Time & Money
The upkeep of your commercial property can be somewhat tedious, yet with the support of our professional landscape maintenance in Bedford and the surrounding areas, you can begin to save both time and money. A bespoke maintenance package will be devised based on your landscaping requirements and budget, including how frequently each service will be carried out. This means that you can focus on building your business, knowing that your landscape is taken care of.
Along with giving you more time to put your efforts into your brand, professional landscaping also means that your exterior will be cared for using industry-leading equipment. You will not need to spend money investing in the necessary equipment to maintain your landscape, as this will be included in your package, further saving money.
Landscaping Ideas For A Commercial Property
If you are new to the idea of commercial landscaping, knowing how your property should look and what alterations would be beneficial can be tricky. Our team are always more than happy to schedule a site visit to assess the current condition of your landscape and recommend where changes can be made to improve both aesthetics and safety. To give you an idea of what this may include, why not head over to our case study page, where you can find tones of projects completed for past and current clients? Alternatively, we have also put together a gallery below featuring a wealth of landscaping ideas for a commercial property.
A Commercial Property To Be Proud Of!
Commercial landscaping comes alongside a number of fantastic benefits to your employees, clients and the planet, so it will most definitely be a worthwhile investment for improving your business. And as no two sites are the same, you will always have the peace of mind that your landscaping package will be bespoke to not only the demands of your commercial property but also the vision you have in mind.
