Commercial Landscaping Ideas to Boost Your Business

Why Landscaping Matters for Your Business: Especially in Northern Michigan

Traverse City is known for its seasons, its scenery, and its outdoor lifestyle. When the weather finally turns, and summer arrives, people want to be outside, walking, dining, gathering, and enjoying everything the area has to offer. Businesses that lean into this naturally stand out.

Strong curb appeal signals professionalism, care, and attention to detail. A well-kept landscape tells customers and clients that you invest in your property and, by extension, in their experience. It can also:

• Make your business more inviting and approachable

• Help you stand out in a competitive area

• Encourage people to linger longer on-site

• Create pride and enjoyment for employees

Whether you manage an office building, restaurant, retail space, or mixed-use property, landscaping plays a key role in how your business is perceived from the outside and how it functions day to day.

Start with the Foundation: Consistent Maintenance That Shows You Care

Before diving into major upgrades, it’s important to recognize that basic landscape maintenance has one of the biggest impacts on curb appeal. Even the best-designed property can look tired or neglected without regular care.

Mulching for a Clean, Polished Look

Fresh mulch does more than protect plant health—it creates contrast, defines beds, and gives landscapes that finished, intentional appearance. Clean mulch lines around trees, shrubs, and planting beds instantly make a property look cared for and professional.

In Northern Michigan, mulch also helps regulate soil temperature and retain moisture during warmer months, supporting healthier plants throughout the season.

Regular Mowing, Edging, and Bed Care

Crisp lawn edges, evenly mowed turf, and weed-free planting beds go a long way in boosting curb appeal. These details may seem small, but they’re often what people notice first.

Consistent maintenance keeps landscapes from looking overgrown or forgotten and ensures your property always looks ready for customers, tenants, or visitors, no matter the day of the week.

Seasonal Attention Makes a Difference

Summer is prime time for outdoor visibility, but it’s also when landscapes grow fast. Regular check-ins, pruning, and adjustments help maintain shape and balance while keeping everything looking intentional rather than wild.

Use Planting Design to Create Visual Interest and Identity

Thoughtful plant selection and layout can help reinforce your brand and make your property more memorable.

Layered Plantings Add Depth and Curb Appeal

Using a mix of trees, shrubs, perennials, and ornamental grasses creates layers that add texture and visual interest. This approach avoids flat, one-dimensional landscapes and instead draws the eye in.

In commercial settings, layered plantings can soften building edges, define walkways, and frame entrances—guiding people naturally toward your front door.

Seasonal Color Keeps Landscapes Engaging

In a region with strong seasonal changes, incorporating plants that provide interest throughout the growing season is key. Summer blooms, varied foliage textures, and greenery that holds its shape help landscapes look vibrant even as conditions change.

Seasonal color can also be updated strategically to keep the property feeling fresh without a full redesign.

Create Outdoor Spaces That Invite People to Stay

One of the biggest opportunities for businesses in Traverse City is making use of outdoor space during the warmer months.

Patios and Seating Areas Extend Your Usable Space

Adding a patio, seating area, or outdoor gathering space can transform how people interact with your property. For restaurants and cafes, outdoor dining can be a major draw. For offices or commercial campuses, seating areas give employees and visitors a place to step outside, relax, or have informal meetings.

Well-designed patios with durable materials, thoughtful layout, and surrounding landscaping feel like a natural extension of the building, not an afterthought.

Landscaping Makes Outdoor Areas Comfortable

Plants play a key role in making outdoor spaces usable. Trees and large shrubs can provide shade, reduce glare, and create a sense of enclosure. Strategic planting can also help buffer noise from parking lots or nearby roads.

When outdoor spaces feel comfortable and intentional, people are more likely to use them and remember them.

Improve Walkways and Entrances to Guide the Experience

Your landscape should do more than look good, and it should guide people through the space.

Defined Walkways Create Flow

Clear, well-maintained walkways help direct foot traffic and make properties feel organized and easy to navigate. Landscaping along walkways can subtly guide visitors toward entrances while adding visual appeal.

Entrances Should Feel Inviting

Your main entrance is a focal point. Framing it with plantings, decorative stone, or accent features draws attention and makes it feel welcoming. This is often where curb appeal has the greatest impact, as it’s where people pause before entering.

Balance Beauty with Practicality

Commercial landscapes need to look great, but they also need to function well.

Choosing durable materials, plants suited to Northern Michigan conditions, and designs that are easy to maintain helps ensure your investment continues to pay off year after year. Smart planning reduces long-term maintenance challenges while keeping the landscape looking polished and intentional.

A Thoughtful Approach Makes All the Difference

Commercial landscaping doesn’t have to be flashy or overdone to be effective. Often, it’s the thoughtful details, consistent maintenance, intentional design, and well-used outdoor spaces that make the biggest impact.

For businesses in Traverse City, landscaping is an opportunity to connect with the outdoor lifestyle that makes the area special. When done well, it enhances curb appeal, supports your brand, and creates spaces people genuinely enjoy spending time in.

If you’re thinking about ways to improve your commercial property’s landscape, working with a local team that understands Northern Michigan’s climate, seasons, and expectations can make the process smoother and more successful. TruNorth Landscaping partners with businesses throughout the Traverse City area to design, build, and maintain landscapes that support long-term goals, without losing sight of what makes each property unique.

Want to learn more about our commercial landscape services? Get started today by filling out a contact form.