The Unique Blog

Well-designed and maintained outdoor spaces play a crucial role in attracting new customers and tenants to your commercial property and help retain current ones. Investing in these common areas' design, maintenance, and promotion can significantly benefit the property’s desirability and value. 

So, where should you spend your budget for the most significant impact? 

Some features will have a bigger impact when allocating your budget for outdoor common areas. In this post, we share some key areas where you should consider investing based on our experience.

Hardscapes  

Hardscapes are the nonliving elements in a landscape design, such as concrete, stone, wood or metrather al structures. Features like patios, walkways, courtyards and retaining walls provide structure and functionality to outdoor spaces. Other hardscape elements, including fireplaces, fountains and seating walls add visual interest and ambiance to common areas. 

Shade structures

Shade structures, such as pergolas, pavilions and arbours, provide comfort and relief from the elements. They also add architectural interest to outdoor areas while creating inviting spaces for people to relax and socialize.

Landscape lighting

Invest in high-quality landscape lighting to ensure the safety and security of your property while enhancing the beauty of your outdoor areas. Well-placed lights help create a welcoming atmosphere, highlight key features and extend the usability of the space into the evening hours.

• Downlighting and uplighting — Spotlights can be installed in trees or on a rooftop to cast a shadow on the objects below or from the ground up to highlight a specific tree or feature. Take care when casting the light upwards from the ground to minimize “light pollution” and avoid disturbing neighbours.

• Undercap lights — These lights are installed under the “caps” of hardscape features, such as stone walls surrounding patio areas and cast its light downward, creating a delightful glow.

• Post lights — Similar to the solar lights found in retail outlets, post lights are made of sturdier materials and are connected with a low-voltage wire, so you’ll still have light for paths and walkways on cloudy days or in shady areas. 

• Inground “pot” lights — These lights are level with the ground and are used to light up a path or patio. They’re less intrusive than post lights and can also be placed inside a pergola or other outdoor structure. 

• Step lights — These lights are installed beneath the risers of stairs or steps, which helps people find their way and prevents them from being injured from trips and falls.

• String lights — String lights are the classic way to add ambiance to any outdoor space… as well as some fun and pizazz to your common areas.

Garden design & planting 

Gardens in common areas of apartments and commercial businesses help connect tenants and customers with nature, creating a peaceful retreat that fosters community engagement and contributes to healthy and sustainable lifestyles. 

• Choose plants that thrive in the local climate.

• Use a combination of shrubs, trees and perennial plants to form the structure of your garden.

• Incorporate seasonal blooms and foliage to add colour and visual interest all year long.

At Unique Landscape Services, we have professional horticulturalists who can help you plan and design your gardens.

Garden maintenance

It’s one thing to design and plant a garden. Maintaining it so it grows more beautiful with each passing year is another thing entirely. Garden maintenance isn’t complicated, but it is time-consuming… which is why this is one service many of our clients couldn’t manage without our help. Examples of maintenance tasks include:

• Planting annuals and dividing perennials.

• Pruning and thinning trees and shrubs when necessary.

• Weeding and applying mulch.

• Edging and trimming garden beds.

Lawn care & maintenance

It should be no surprise to anyone that a well-maintained lawn is crucial for creating a positive first impression. And since lawns on commercial properties can often be quite expansive, this is one area where it’s better to hire a professional to help care for and maintain it. Services we offer at Unique include:

• Lawn care, including fertilizing, weed control, aeration overseeding and dethatching.

• Lawn maintenance consisting of bi-weekly mowing, trimming & edging.

Amenities and special features

Each property is different, so we can help you evaluate your property and suggest additional amenities and features that align with the needs and preferences of your customers and tenants. This could include features such as seating areas, outdoor dining spaces, water features or recreational areas. 

Investing in amenities that enhance the functionality and enjoyment of the outdoor spaces can increase satisfaction and significantly attract and retain individuals. Adding seating and dining areas to outdoor spaces for employees to access is a great way to increase job satisfaction. Everyone can use a “sky break” during their work day!

Make your property “Unique”...

When upgrading your outdoor spaces, a well-balanced approach is key. Consider the specific needs and preferences of your tenants, employees and customers and the overall aesthetic you wish to achieve. 

Pleasing landscapes, functional hardscapes and well-maintained lawns and gardens contribute to your property's overall appeal and desirability, which can lead to higher rental rates, increased property demand and, ultimately, a greater return on investment for property owners.

It’s a competitive market, so having well-designed outdoor common areas can help set your property apart from your competitors. If you’re interested in learning more about enhancing your outdoor spaces or getting started with property maintenance, book a consultation and let us know how we can help.