During the bustling summer tourist season in the Traverse City area, standing out from the competition is crucial for businesses, hotels, and restaurants. With lots of competition in nearly every business arena, how do you attract new visitors to your commercial property?
Eye-catching, vibrant landscapes can make a significant difference, and one of the most effective ways to achieve this is by planting annual flowers. These seasonal blooms not only enhance the aesthetic appeal of your property but also create a welcoming atmosphere that draws in potential clients.
Let’s explore why annual flowers are a smart choice for your commercial property, where to plant them for maximum impact when to plant them for optimal growth, and a few of our favorite varieties that thrive in the Traverse City area. By the end of this guide, you’ll have all the information you need to make your business more inviting and visually appealing during the peak summer months.
Why to Plant Annual Flowers at Your Commercial Property
During our busy summer season, it can be challenging to make your business stand out from the crowd. Beautiful annual flower displays can help to catch the eye of those that pass by your property. Annual flowers, meaning flowers that are installed and removed each year, near your signage or entrance can help make a great first impression on those maybe visiting your business for the first time.
Annual flowers can also be a cost-effective way to boost the appearance of your landscape in the busy months. Larger landscape enhancements can become costly and leave your property looking messy for weeks during installation. Annual flowers displays can be designed to fit nearly any budget and can be installed quickly and efficiently. They also help your property shine during the busiest months in the Northern Michigan area.
Planting Annuals in Containers at Your Business
One of the most cost-effective ways to include annuals in your landscape is to plant them in containers. Container gardens can be placed near your entry and exit doors, in your landscape itself, or at a special focal point. It is important to remember that annual flower displays in containers need to have a variety of flowers to create interest. We recommend using the following method to plan your containers:
- Thriller- The thriller plantings in your container offer height and interesting color or texture. They are usually planted in the middle of your container.
- Filler- The filler plantings ‘fill’ the area around the thriller plants. They are typically lower growing plantings with interesting color.
- Spiller- The spiller plantings ‘spill’ out of the container, adding additional visual interest. When selecting your spiller plant, be sure it is a variety that is meant to grow out and dangle down out of your container.
Want to learn more about how to DIY container gardens? We wrote an entire blog on this topic to help!
Annual Flowers in Landscape Beds
Including annual flowers in your landscape beds can help boost your curb appeal. Most of our commercial landscape clients include annuals near their signage or entrances. In Michigan, most annual flower displays only need to be switched out once, with one planting lasting through the Spring/Summer and the next through the Late Summer/Fall.
If you are on a tight budget, it is important to choose a variety that boasts long bloom times, so you don’t have to switch them out throughout the summer. Regardless, annual flower additions to your landscape beds provide visitors with a variety of exciting colors and textures.
Hanging Baskets at Your Commercial Property
Hanging baskets are most popular in a residential setting, however, they can be installed into certain commercial landscapes. Hanging baskets can add height and visual interest to your landscape in areas like a restaurant patio or HOA community gathering area. It is important to remember that these baskets need regular watering and that water can tend to drip out the bottom of the planters. Be sure they are installed far enough away from areas where guests will be seated.
When to Plant Annual Flowers at Commercial Landscapes
Timing annual flower installation in Northern Michigan can be tricky. Many business owners are tempted to install their annuals as soon as temperatures begin to warm, however, our climate makes it difficult for most annual varieties to survive in the Spring months. While daytime temperatures may be warm, nighttime temperatures many times still dip below freezing.
At TruNorth Landscaping, we recommend waiting to install annuals until at least Mother’s Day, however, in most seasons we wait until at least after Memorial Day. Annuals can be installed into container planters or hanging baskets earlier than in the ground.
Top 5 Annual Flower Recommendations for Businesses in Traverse City, MI
With the benefits of annual flowers at your commercial property clear, let’s look at what varieties are the best. While there are thousands of options for annual flowers that thrive in Northern Michigan, these are our favorites that provide unique texture and color.
- “Thriller” Plant Choices- Caladium, Coffee Cups (Colocasia), Prince Tut (Cyperus), Purple Fountain Grass (Pennisetum), Senorita Rosalita (Cleome), Bombshell Coral (Mandevillia), Tropicanna Canna (Canna Indica)
- “Filler” Plant Choices– Diamond or Mountain Frost (Euphorbia), Angelface (Angelonia), Asparagus Fern (Sperengeri), Begonia, Millionbells (Calibeachoa), Coleus (Solenostemon), Lantana Citrus Blend, Sundaze Blaze Strawflower (Bracteantha), Whorling Butterflys (Gaura Lindheimeri)
- “Spiller” Plant Choices- Lotus Vine (Lotus Maculatus), Licorice Vine (Helichrysum), Sweet Potato Vine (Ipomea Batas), Supertunia (Petunia), Sweet Alyssum (Alyssum Maritimum), Annual Candytuff (Iberis), Ivy Geranium (Perlargonium Peltatum)
Partnering with a Landscaping Team to Install Annual Flowers at Your Commercial Landscape
Annual flowers can be a beautiful addition to any commercial landscape here in Northern Michigan. It is important to remember that no matter which variety you select, your annual flowers do still need regular maintenance. Annual flowers planted in containers or hanging baskets need watering by hand or specialized pots that slowly disperse water, while annuals planted in the ground need to be watered by your irrigation system (which means heads may need to be adjusted for water to hit this new addition).
As a busy business owner or property manager, we know you have a lot already on your plate. That’s why we recommend partnering with a landscape professional to help you with your annual flowers. At TruNorth Landscaping, we are Proven Winner Professionals, which means we are certified annual flower experts. Our team of designers can help to ensure you select the right variety of flowers for the right location on your property as well as design plantings that have complementing color combinations and textures.
Ready to incorporate annual flowers into your commercial landscape? Fill out our contact form today!
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