3 Tips to Hide Unsightly Features in Your Commercial Landscape

Many of the most beautiful commercial properties have an unsightly feature that needs masking or hiding. Sometimes it is an air conditioning unit or other utility installation, or it may be a windowless wall. Regardless of the feature, there are a number of ways that clever commercial landscaping strategies can help to hide it from view.

GreenScreens

Greenscreens are three dimensional, welded wire trellis systems that provide a captive growing space for plants and promote healthy growth. Greenscreens can be used in both interior and exterior landscaping and are a great way to mask large vertical spaces. When properly planted and cared for, they create living tapestries of plant material. They can act as a wall, define a space, or create a more inviting environment, and are effective in improving air quality. In addition, plant covered walls have been proven to improve indoor and outdoor thermal conditions, making them a valuable addition to energy-efficient or LEED-seeking buildings.

Vertical Garden Trellis

Vertical garden trellises are most commonly used to maximize the yield of small gardens, however they are also effective in masking unwanted sound, providing some passive solar protection, and camouflaging unsightly areas. Trellises are available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes and can be planted with climbing vines that are easy to maintain. One way to create year round interest on a planted trellis is to plant more than one type of vine (such as a mix of flowering and foliar vines).

Softscaping

Sometimes the feature you are trying to hide is located in a low-lying area and can be more effectively masked with softscaping. The addition of upright plants such as grasses, hedges, or evergreen trees adds interest and distracts from unsightly features.  If the objective is to buffer an area rather than screen it, you can also consider planting Crepe Myrtle or River Birch trees.

Regardless of the size or location of any unsightly elements in your commercial landscape, there are a variety of effective ways to create a screen and improve the look of your property. Give us a call to discuss adding greenscreens, vertical trellises or softscaping to your landscape!

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