When a shopper stops by your retail place once, that’s nice.
When they keep coming back, even better.
“Retailers want to bring people back,” says Kirk Jeppesen, a landscape designer for Outback Landscape. “So creating a space that’s well designed and cared for is always worth it.”
What are the best landscape enhancements for retail centers? Drifts of bright seasonal flowers, planters filled with interesting plants, and inviting communal areas featuring comfortable seating and cooling shade. Landscaped signage that draws attention and perhaps a vibrant water feature for added intrigue and splash.
Continue reading to discover more about exceptional Idaho Falls retail landscaping ideas.
This is where it all starts. Will potential customers love the look of your place so much that they can’t wait to stop in? Or will they drive right by and head home to shop online?
“We often rework the landscaping around signage to improve visibility and create a polished look,” Jeppesen says.
Grab attention with colorful flowers planted around your signage. Everybody loves a cheerful welcome.
But think beyond summer annuals — you need customers all year long. Add lush layers of plantings that span the seasons.
When landscaping for retail in Idaho Falls, consider using Idaho native plants, which require less maintenance but still make a significant impact. Once they’re settled in, they’re easygoing, requiring less water, fertilizer and maintenance than non-native plants.
Layer in Red Twig Dogwood and Chokecherry with Scotch Bluebell, Blue Flax and Coneflower.
Great lighting will boost your sign’s visibility. (More on lighting in a bit.)
Don't forget to light the surrounding plants, not just the lettering.
What are good outdoor projects for retail centers? Things that attract attention.
Giant pots filled with dramatic, impressive plants, flowers, and even trees make an instant impact. We’re talking impressive pots that can range from 2 feet wide by 2 feet tall to 4 to 5 feet tall and wide, or larger.
Jeppesen loves powder-coated planter boxes and planters created from decorative wall block.
“I always recommend these for areas with a lot of hardscaping, such as outdoor seating and restaurants,” Jeppesen says. “Stylish planters with unique plant combinations also help highlight entryways and high-traffic areas.”
Notice he said “unique plant combinations.” That doesn’t mean a bunch of marigolds.
He’s talking Banana Trees. Exotic Palms. Colorful Canna. Pink and purple annual ornamental grasses, such as purple fountain grass or ‘Fireworks’ varieties.
Coleus adds dramatic color and texture. Creeping Jenny is a lime-green stunner that spills over the sides.
Adventure beyond your ho-hum petunias and begonias and install plants that make customers stop for a second look.
Landscape enhancements for retail should attract attention. Many gardeners are intrigued by the creative ideas of other plant enthusiasts. Lure them closer for a look. Unique, out-of-the-ordinary plants lend a high-end feel, creating a sense of the exotic.
Think big. Many retail sites either don't use enough planters to make an impact, or their planters are too small to be noticed.
Then, be strategic. Position your attention-grabbing plants where people can appreciate them - on either side of your main entrance, lining your walkway or in a shopper's common area.
Trees look extra special when anchored in huge pots. Smaller Crape Myrtles, Flowering Cherry, Japanese Maples and Bamboo are impressive in an oversized planter.
Color is king. Everybody loves bright, seasonal flowers. You can't help but want a closer look.
“Eye-catching seasonal plantings add freshness and keep the site looking current year-round,” Jeppesen says.
Switching out your colorful plants each season keeps your business looking current and fresh, and lets shoppers know you're committed to impressing them.
When it gets too chilly for the tropical beauties in your planters, consider adding a small evergreen tree and surrounding it with colorful mums and ornamental cabbage for a touch of autumn.
Start spring out right with cheerful Daffodils, Tulips and Hyacinths to put winter-weary shoppers in the buying mood.
Follow that up with summer annuals planted in blocks of color for visual pizzazz.
Incorporate trees and shrubs that offer stunning fall color. Evergreens, such as Holly, feature bright red berries for added winter interest.
Colorful perennials have a place here, too.
“I love to transition purples with phlox in the spring, catmint in early summer, speedwell in early to late summer and asters in fall,” Jeppesen says.
Other go-to perennial flowers in his seasonal toolbox include salvia, peonies, iris, dianthus, and spirea for spring and early summer. Summer is great for Black-Eyed Susans, Coneflowers, Daisies, Hydrangeas, and Knockout Roses. And for fall interest, Jeppesen favorites include Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’ and Dogwoods, with their golden and red branches.
He often adds pumpkins, holiday greens or flowering kale to annual beds for fall and holiday interest.
Keep things vibrant and changing, so shoppers are always intrigued.
One of the best landscape design tips for retail centers is to give your customers a reason to linger. If you entice them to sit and soak up the sights and sounds of a relaxing patio, they won't be in a hurry to leave.
“Comfortable seating and shaded spots invite people to stay a little longer,” Jeppesen says. “It also makes a space more comfortable and secluded.”
Maybe they’ll search out a snack to enjoy under the cool shade of a patio umbrella. They might realize they need one more thing after all, and duck back into a store before they head home.
You get the idea. Making shoppers feel welcome and comfortable is one of the best retail landscaping ideas.
Even a simple hardscape patio with comfortable seating and shade beckons to weary shoppers.
Yes, don’t forget to include shade, whether from trees or colorful patio umbrellas.
Consider fragrant plants and flowering shrubs, so even the simple act of inhaling is pleasant.
Make your retail space inviting, safe and beautiful at night, and you’ll give shoppers a reason to venture out.
Professionally designed lighting, with artistry in mind, makes a spot look high-end and inviting. Why keep the best architectural features of your building and the stand-out elements of your landscaping in the dark?
Everybody feels safer when a property has professionally designed lighting. Nobody wants to look furtively over their shoulder as they walk from their car, or stumble and fall.
Are you unsure about which areas of your retail center need a lighting upgrade? Think parking lots, sidewalks, entrances and common areas, as well as landscaping.
Approach your business after dark the way a customer would, and see what impression you get. Let that guide you in your retail landscaping ideas.
Add a soothing water feature for a sense of serenity and luxury. Additionally, kids enjoy wiggling their fingers in the refreshing spray. Who are we kidding? The cool gurgle of a water feature on a hot day turns all of us into kids who want to play in the mist.
“Subtle fountains or modern water elements can create a calming, upscale atmosphere,” Jeppesen says.
There are numerous possibilities for incorporating water features into a retail space. Attract attention to your entrance with a tall fountain. Create a sense of relaxation and luxury in a common area.
Kids love water features. They’ll want to hang around. And where there are kids, there are parents who shop.
We love our childhood memories of being enthralled by twinkling holiday lights and the giddy excitement of visiting Santa at the mall.
Don’t forget to include retail center landscaping in your holiday decorations.
Holiday decorations put shoppers in the mood to buy, and lighting is a key part of retail holiday dazzle.
You can’t go wrong with classic white lights. But there’s more.
Cherry blossom lights feature hundreds of petal-shaped bulbs that make trees shimmer with texture and color. Choose one color or opt for lights that cycle through several different hues.
Meteor lights add a stunning shooting star effect to your retail property’s trees. These light tubes contain a row of diodes that light up and then descend, creating the delightful impact of shooting stars.
Impress your customers with an RGB display. It stands for red, green and blue. These three simple colors, when combined and varied in intensity, produce millions of different colors. It makes for a spectacular holiday light show that will bring families in to enjoy the spectacle. Offer warm cups of fragrant hot chocolate to encourage guests to linger.
Once your Idaho Falls retail landscape enhancements are in place, be sure to follow up with regular maintenance to keep things tidy.
Nothing turns potential customers off more than messy, overgrown landscaping that appears neglected. Weeds, overgrown shrubs, and trees with dead branches send a clear message: you don’t care.
Additionally, too-tall plants can be hazardous — they may block your signage from view or obscure your lighting.
Landscaping maintenance pros will keep your investment looking great. Crews prune shrubs, blow away leaves and debris, remove dead branches, relocate plants that have outgrown their space, and eliminate weeds.
Make your business the go-to destination.
What are the best outdoor features for retail shoppers? Amenities that bring customers back.
At Outback Landscape, we have numerous great Idaho Falls retail center landscaping ideas to attract shoppers to your business, ranging from small to large.
Minor enhancements can add a nice touch without breaking the budget. Think seasonal color, signage updates, and a few planters that wow.
Some larger amenities can be difference makers, from landscape lighting to common area additions to large-scale landscape design with big impact.
We’re experts in landscape design tips for retail centers, including seasonal color, unusual plants, landscape lighting and mesmerizing holiday lighting displays.
Outback Landscape is a full-service landscaping company, offering landscape design in Boise and Idaho Falls. We install beautiful, functional landscapes and stay with you for the long haul, taking care of your property through all four seasons.
We serve residential and commercial properties in Idaho Falls, Rexburg and Pocatello, Idaho, as well as Bonneville, Madison and Bannock counties. To get started, call us at 208-656-3220 or schedule a no-obligation meeting with one of our team members. We’d love to hear from you.