The right landscaping enhances property value while protecting its owner's investment

Business owners go to great lengths to design their buildings' interiors for added efficiency and value, but often fail to adequately consider their property's exterior. A property's landscaping has a significant effect on its value. For buildings seeking new tenants or owners, curb appeal is vital to competing in today's market. Even with owner-occupied properties, curb appeal is important as it communicates a corporate image of pride and success. Implementing simple landscaping measures to achieve curb appeal and avoiding common mistakes will enhance a property's value, while protecting its owner's investment. Landscaping 101 The biggest mistake property owners/managers make regarding their properties' landscaping is improper plant and tree selections based on their long-term growth habits and the negative effects both on vehicular and human traffic patterns. Overgrown shrubs that begin to impede travel on walkways can be avoided by selecting the right plants. Similarly, some trees can be used in parking areas, along entrances and walkways and others should not be used due to their growth patterns. By properly selecting and locating the right specimens, trees can create a beautiful environment and be effective in blocking the sun's rays for lower cooling costs. Other important measures every building owner and manager should take include: * A lawn renovation performed in early fall which includes the aeration and over seeding of all turf areas to create a dense, uniform and healthy stand of turf. * Re-edging of all planting begs to create a clean, refined look, have all of the property's planting beds re-edged and then add a fresh layer of mulch to present a finished look. * Keeping property market ready year-round with a professional landscape design that looks lush and attractive through all four seasons. The landscape design should encompass large splashes of perennial swaths that are in scale with the property, to create a tranquil park-like setting. * Considering tumbled pavers instead of concrete on walkways to achieve a cobble stone look. By using polymeric sand when installing pavers, erosion and weeds in the joints can be reduced. Maintaining a Lush Landscape Once the right landscape design is in place, the key is ongoing maintenance. Change out annual plantings with the season. This does not necessarily mean re-planting all the beds. Instead, focus on key focal points: entry and exits, entry points to the building and high traffic corridors. Many class A and B buildings routinely do this and the curb appeal is clearly noticeable. A design that uses plants with the proper long-term growth habits will prevent a property owner from having to rip out and re-install overgrown landscapes. Cost-containment also can be achieved by using plant growth regulators to significantly reduce the amount of annual pruning required. The use of perennials instead of annuals can cut down substantially on annual planting budgets. Further, using shade trees on southern exposures can reduce cooling costs. Landscaping budgets vary from property to property and are a function of: square footage of beds versus turf, the types of plants and trees used and the required maintenance. By selecting a reputable landscaping contractor with a proven track record, who can provide sound advice on the best design, plantings and maintenance schedule, property owners/managers can gain the highest return on their landscaping investment. Donald Mahoney Jr. is the president of Mahoney Associates, Inc., Southampton, N.Y.