How to Use Planters for Beautification Projects

Whether we’re talking about a commercial or residential space, it’s only natural that you want it to look its best. While you can spend thousands of dollars on improving its appearance, there’s also a simpler and less expensive way of doing it: using planters. Impactful both indoors and outdoors, when chosen right, they can almost immediately transform a space without breaking the bank.

Although often overlooked when it comes to urban beautification projects, planters have a number of benefits that make them a good choice for any space - but more about it later.

Why Use Planters for Beautification Projects?

As mentioned, there are a few different reasons why planters are good for beautification projects, including:

Aesthetic Enhancement

Something as simple as adding a planter can make a world of difference in how a particular space is perceived, especially when you put thought into carefully selecting the right color that will complement it. Adding greenery can also make the space appear more inviting, which can be especially beneficial for commercial spaces where making the customers feel welcomed can be a determining factor between them buying from you or from your competitors.

Environmental Benefits

Planters, or more specifically the plants you use them for, can be a natural remedy for those dealing with dry air in their home or other indoor spaces. Plants increase air’s humidity through something called evapotranspiration. Once you water your plant, the water will make its way all the way to the leaves and where it will be evaporated into air through pores located on them, called stomata.

Space Optimization

Want to add some greenery to an outdoor space but don’t really have any area where it would be growing well? In those cases, planters come to the rescue - you don’t always have a suitable place to grow plants, and with planters, you don’t have to worry about that.

This is especially good for beginning growers who are just learning the ropes of planting.

It’s much easier to grow plants in a planter where you can decide on the best soil than in the ground that might not have all the nutrients the plants might need, and where you have to add the right fertilizer to help them grow.

Flexibility and Mobility

When you have a dedicated green space outside, there’s not much you can do to relocate the plant unless you dig it out of the ground to its new home. With planters, you can just pick up the planters and move it to its new location.

Cost-Effectiveness

Purchasing planters for city beautification is much cheaper than investing in a landscaping project, which, depending on how big of an area you’re working with, can cost as much as hundreds of thousands of dollars - and that’s not the only difference between the two:

Choosing the Right Planters

Once you’ve decided on using planters for your next beautification project, comes the harder decision - what planters should you go for? There are a few things to consider:

Material Selection

There are several kinds of planter materials for you to choose from, and which one will be best for you depends on several factors. Among the most popular ones you can find:

• Concrete - This is a good material if you want to keep your planters in the same place, as moving them, especially with plants inside, can be difficult. They’re durable, but they’re also very heavy, which makes them a good idea for public spaces - you won’t have to worry about someone stealing them.

• Fiberglass - Fiberglass planters are lightweight and durable. They’re perfect for both indoor and outdoor spaces, as they’re weather-resistant and available in a variety of shades, ensuring they match your aesthetics, whatever they are.

• Metal - If your aesthetic is very modern, you might want to consider metal planters. They’re still durable but not as heavy as concrete ones. You should be aware, however, that they might rust, so if you want it to last you long, you’ll need to maintain it regularly by adding an anti-rust coating.

• Wood - This is the most natural-looking material, but it also requires the most maintenance out of all the ones we mentioned above, as it can mold. For this reason, it’s also not recommended to use it outside.

Size and Shape

Just like there are a number of materials, there are also plenty of shapes and sizes you can choose from for your community beautification projects.

Tall planters, for example, are a great choice when you want to add some greenery to your space while also increasing your privacy when placed right. They’re especially good for poolside, as you’re able to enjoy yourself without worrying about peeping toms - especially when we’re talking about a community pool.

Smaller planters are a good addition to indoor spaces, as even though they don’t take much space, they can still make quite an impression.

Square planters work very well for modern and contemporary spaces, where a sharp edge might be needed, while round planters are more suitable for traditional or modern farmhouse styles, as they’re more delicate.

Drainage

The final thing you might want to consider is whether the planter should have drainage holes. If you’re planning on growing real plants, then drainage holes are a must to prevent root rot. If, on the other hand, you’re thinking of adding fake plants into planters, drainage holes are not a requirement.

Strategic Placement of Planters

When it comes to commercial and urban spaces, there are plenty of opportunities for you to place planters, increasing their aesthetic appeal. Some of those include:

Public Spaces

Public spaces like sidewalks and bus stops are probably the easiest places to improve visually using planters. Area beautification ideas include:

• Placing small planters on each side of the sidewalk - This is good for two reasons. First of all, it softens the otherwise sharp edges of urban spaces. Secondly, the planters act as physical barriers, helping guide pedestrian traffic. It can also potentially be helpful in preventing vehicles from parking.

• Adding planters to bus and tram stops - Bus and tram stops tend to be dull places with nothing but a bench and a timetable. By adding bigger planters around it, you can make the space appear more welcoming, and if you decide to plant bigger trees in them, they also make for great sun protection during warmer months.

• Planters at building entrances are another good place for planters. They create an inviting atmosphere and can contrast neutral, sharp buildings. They’re a good choice, for example, for campus beautification ideas.

Commercial & Corporate Settings

Planters can be used to the shop owner’s advantage. Just like in the case of buildings, by adding planters on each side of a shop’s entrance, you can catch potential customers’ attention and make them more willing to at least take a look at what you have to offer. The same goes for hotels - having planters on each side of the entrance can make guests feel more comfortable.

A similar thing can be said for office buildings - by adding planters at the entrance of an office building, you improve your company’s curb appeal but also have a positive impact on employee well-being. According to studies, biophilic decor can improve employee productivity , so why not give it a try?

Community Spaces & Parks

Planters added to community spaces, and parks can act as a natural barrier, increasing privacy and creating zones in environments where doing so in a different way would simply not be a good choice. Introducing them to recreational areas can soften the hardscape and increase the number of people who use them - again, planters create a welcoming environment, making people more willing to try things they haven’t before.

Rooftops & Courtyards

Urban environments such as rooftops or courtyards are usually very limited in terms of space for greenery, so adding planters in such locations can be a good idea to introduce more plants without having to redo the whole space. You can also use them to create smaller zones within one space, for example, a relaxation area.

Best Plants for Urban & Commercial Spaces

While not all plants are suitable for urban and commercial spaces, there is still quite a selection that will work well. Those can be divided into three categories:

Low Maintenance Plants

Since landscape beautification projects usually involve large areas, it’s good to go for plants that won’t require constant maintenance - otherwise, the upkeep will be expensive, there’s no doubt about that. Out of low-maintenance plants, we would definitely recommend taking a look at:

• Lavender
• Boxwood
• Juniper
• Ornamental grasses
• Yucca

You can also consider adding herbs (such as rosemary or garden sage) and making it into a small herb garden that will be available to anyone in the community if needed.

Year-Round Interest

Year-round plants are a good choice for commercial spaces as they add a pop of color, creating a welcoming atmosphere, regardless of the time of year. They also tend to require less maintenance than seasonal choices, so it’s killing two birds with one stone. Some evergreen plants you might want to consider are:

• Boxwood
• Japanese Pieris
• Nandina
• Lavender
• Conifers

Climate Considerations

If you have no idea what kinds of plants will be best for your neighborhood beautification project, it might be worth looking up native plants - they are usually already acclimated to the specific weather conditions, so you won’t have to worry about whether they’ll thrive there.

The Bottom Line

Beautification projects are initiatives to increase the visual appeal of a certain area - and while you can make huge changes and renovate it, there are simpler ways to improve how a particular space is perceived. Planters are one of those - something as simple as adding planters on each side of a building entrance can already have a significant impact on how it looks and feels.

However, choosing the right planters for your next beautification project might not be as simple as it seems. At Pots, Planters & More, we’ve got you covered. We have a number of planter shapes, sizes, and colors for you to choose from - you can customize your planters to look exactly how you want them to so that they fit your aesthetics best. Not to mention, all of them are made to last, so whichever you decide to choose, you can be sure it will last you for a lifetime (or at least a good few years).

So, what are you waiting for?

BROWSE THROUGH OUR PLANTER SELECTION AND FIND THE RIGHT ONES FOR YOUR BEAUTIFICATION PROJECT