Commercial Landscape Design: Insights from 20+ Years of Experience

Is your commercial property landscaping fresh and modern, with innovative gathering spots and graceful ornamental grasses? 

Or is it still sporting sad over-pruned junipers way past their prime?

Maybe you haven’t really noticed. But your customers and tenants do. 

Good commercial landscape design doesn't stay the same — it changes, with trends, technology and evolving customer tastes.

How has commercial landscape design evolved over the past 22 years since Level Green Landscaping started? And how are our clients updating their landscaping to stay on top of the changes?

There’s a lot going on out there. 

Level Green landscape architect Richard Sweeney helps us take a look:

Innovative Landscape Enhancements

“There’s been a big shift toward getting people outside enjoying community spaces,” Sweeney says. “Clients often ask me to create a space where tenants can go outside and eat lunch, sitting on some nice furniture in the shade. They want to upgrade to something nicer than a picnic table under a tree “

His answer: “parklets,” mini landscaped park areas with shade and seating. Sweeney likes creating several in one area, designed with privacy so several people or groups can use them at once. 

Today’s commercial landscape design clients want multi-use havens, Sweeney says. 

He designs open-air, multi-use gathering spots that become irresistible destinations. 

Strings of lights twinkle over open-air stages, home to revolving lists of fun events. Fire pits crackle with a welcoming glow, near plenty of comfortable seating. There are corn hole boards, dog parks, wine tastings and movie nights.

“It makes sense,” Sweeney says. Mixed-use developments are growing in popularity, attracting people for all sorts of pursuits.

 “People live there, work there, eat there, shop there.”

Native Plants for a Safer Environment

The interest in native plants for commercial landscape design has exploded over the past few years, Sweeney says. 

They’re hardy and less susceptible to pests and diseases. Once they’re established, native plants typically need less water than non-natives.

Also fueling the interest — municipalities often require that landscape design for commercial properties incorporate native plant rain gardens in new developments to help with stormwater management, Sweeney says. 

“Much of our service area is in the Chesapeake bay watershed, which needs to be protected from runoff,” he says. 

A rain garden is a shallow depression that’s planted with deep-rooted native plants and grasses. It encourages excess water to soak slowly into the ground instead of running off into nearby waterways. 

“People care more about the environment now,” Sweeney says. “We have such a diverse water system — we have to protect it.”

Impressive Software Advancements

Years ago landscape architects created all their designs by hand, painstakingly sketching every element. When revisions were needed — and they always are — it was back, literally, to the drawing board.

By about 2010 software came on the market that enabled commercial landscape design experts like Sweeney to create their designs on the computer.

With one click, Sweeney can add a pergola or switch from an above view to a 3D view. 

He can activate a camera feature that offers an actual walk-through of a commercial landscape design, wowing customers and giving them a realistic sense of what their improved property will look and feel like.

“We use the most up to date technology,” Sweeney says. “Now designers can go from concept to creation with CAD, and 3D rendering programs, presenting clients with birds eye views and fly-throughs of their projects. 

“Everything has gone digital,“ he says.  “Drafting tables are becoming a thing of the past.”

Exciting New Plant Varieties (And Dependable Favorites)

Modern commercial landscape design means taking advantage of intriguing new plant varieties the plant world offers.

“A big part of commercial landscape design is seasonal color,” Sweeney says. 

A few of his new favorites:  

• The new Beacon impatiens are disease-resistant for a healthier garden with vibrant, lasting color.
  
• “FlameThrower coleus with its exotic leaf margin has amazing texture and color,” he says. 
  
• Sunpatiens have become very popular in the past few years for their ability to resist disease and their vibrant color cultivars such as the compact series.

“There are new plant varieties being introduced all the time,” Sweeney says, “but I firmly believe, after 25 years in the industry, plants that have proven the test of time are my go to’s.”
 
Tried-and-true boxwood, carpet roses, crape Myrtle trees, hardy nandina and any Proven Winner brand perennial will always be among his go-to favorites for commercial landscape design.

Bye, Junipers, Hello Ornamental Grasses

Twenty years ago, junipers were the standard for commercial landscape design. 

Maintenance companies would come in a couple times a year and shear them into hedges to keep their shape. Not great. 

“Plants that have been sheared within an inch of their life can quickly make a landscape feel outdated,” Sweeney says. 

Modern commercial landscape design uses a much more captivating combination of flowering shrubs and trees, perennials and ornamental grasses.

Sweeney designs interesting layered looks, with shorter plants like ground covers or low perennials near the foreground, slightly taller plants in the middle, and taller shrubs, grasses or trees for the back. 

He loves the grace and ease of ornamental grasses in the landscape.

“They’re modern, they’re cost-effective, they’re low maintenance,” he says. “I love all ornamental grasses.”

Conferences And Workshops Keep Us On Top of Trends

Sweeney attends industry conferences and workshops to stay on top of evolving trends in commercial landscape design.

“I learn about new plant varieties on the market, meet growers, learn about current trends and new products,” he says. 

He comes back to work inspired, with a fresh look on what he can incorporate to make Level Green stand out as a company.

Level Green Landscaping: Evolving To Meet Your Needs

We’ve learned a lot in 22 years of business. Our in-house team of experts has made Level Green Landscaping one of the most trusted commercial landscaping companies in DC, Maryland, and Virginia.

We focus on commercial property maintenance for offices, retail spaces, mixed-use sites, HOAs/condominiums, distribution centers, municipalities and institutions.

Contact us at 202-544-0968 or by filling out our form online. You can also schedule a free consultation to talk with us about how we can enhance and maintain your commercial landscape.

We’d love to hear from you.