Commercial Landscapes

comm1I live in a very urban area-there are endless buildings and paving of all descriptions.  Thus I am always admiring of any business that makes an effort to plant.  These  sassy boxes we did for a jazz club downtown out of exterior sign board board are very durable, and certainly did doll up the location. Even freshly planted, they look great.

comm21I did this planting outside a local art museum.  Public parks and the like come with land, and that land can be planted-but city businesses are typically located in an ocean of paving designed for cars, pedestrians, and delivery trucks.   It just takes some ingenuity and effort to put up  a little garden against  all the hardscape. Business owners tell me that any effort they make to dress up their businesses outdoors gets noticed.  My feeling is that the presentation of the business on the outside says a lot about how things are done on the inside.

comm3These window boxes were made to sit on a wall that divided the restaurant parking from the sidewalk.  The restaurant owner is an avid gardener herself, and she maintained these boxes herself. Her committment is obvious.  She was sure that people driving by were drawn in by the flowers-and the idea that she probably maintained her restaurant with the same level of care as she did her landscape. 

comm4Any landscape in an urban area is bound to attract attention.  These boxes get a new look every season.  The women who own this shop, Tender, have a considerable involvement in their community-its not hard to believe,   looking at the front of their store.  I really like the idea that they appreciate that the community at large keeps them in business-and they give back to that community by making trying to make their part of that community a little more beautiful.   

comm5This gated community made a big investment in a beautiful landscape, and lots of flowers, with me.   Anyone who lives there benefits.  The pots at the entrance have a much more residential, than commercial look; the plantings are at eye level to whomever passes under the port cochere.

comm2The landscape at my store is simple, and evergreen.  It allows me to change out the seasonal part of the planting, and still have structure.  What is most beautiful about this to my eye is how it is looked after.  It speaks to my respect for the natural world, and the people who come here.

comm7I had these boxes made of  heavy gauge galvanized sheet metal from a heating and cooling contractor- very reasonably. We set them up off the ground on steel ball feet.  The client was more interested in what would be in the boxes, than the boxes themselves.  He says the boxes are a constant topic of conversation between he and his clients. New clients say they were interested in what kind of business would plant outside their store in this way.  Even though the boxes are on the north side of the building, a lot of light is reflected from the street.  The choice of plant material and colors is very much his taste. I like businesses that take the inside, out there.

comm8This monochromaticplanting of Australia canna, red-leaved hibiscus, Gartenmeister fuchsias, and chocolate potato vine is a sophisticated statement-appropriate for an advertising agency. 

comm9

This giant office complex announces the location of its entrance with a glass and steel canopy, and a pair of large brick planter boxes. The boxes lend a human scale and friendliness in contrast to the intimidating size of building.  If you patronize a business that makes an effort to maintain and plant their exterior space, let them know you like it. I know I am pleased and encouraged when people comment on my place.

Comments

  1. Fabulous post! As a citizen I truly appreciate when businesses make the effort. As a business owner, Do you have any tips for plants that resist vandalisation?! Everything I plant seems to attract the wrong elements. 🙁

  2. Deborah Silver says

    Vandalism is so discouraging. I see so much more of that now. Its not your fault, or the fault of your plants. Its about people who disrespect their community. Visit your police station, and voice your concerns. Your local business association. Your local newspaper. Make your concerns a public community concern. Vandalism tends to disappear, when people band together and make a statement about the importance of respecting community spaces. Many hands-that’s the key

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