With drought conditions in California not appearing to let up anytime soon, it is becoming increasingly difficult for commercial property owners to keep their landscaping looking its best. Not only must business owners contend with the drought, but also the accompanying water restrictions. While many businesses have no choice but to pour more and more resources into keeping their commercial property presentable, for some businesses, there are other options available. Depending on the size and layout of your business’s property, you may be able to, and greatly benefit from, switching from grass to native plants.
Benefits of Switching from Grass to Native Plants
This option is not for everyone. For instance, businesses with large landscapes, such as homeowners associations, apartment complexes, and other large businesses, may not be able to make this switch. However, those in charge of smaller commercial properties may be able to consider it.
Making the switch from grass to native plants involves drastic changes. This includes removing your current lawn/grass and replacing it with a combination of crushed granite or gravel and native plants that don’t require much watering, such as succulents. While this change can lead to an overall savings going forward, initially it can cost thousands to remove your grass lawn and install landscaping that consists of granite/gravel and native plants.
The initial investment of time, energy, and money to make the change from grass to native plants can be a lot. However, the benefits of making the switch can make a commercial property owner’s life easier in a few important ways, including:
- Save Water – Many types of grass require a lot of water to remain healthy and beautiful. This can be difficult in the best of times. It can be even more difficult during a drought. Drought conditions can result in your lawn needing more water than normal to survive. However, during droughts, water restrictions are often in place, which means it’s not easy to keep your grass watered. If you can replace your grass with native plants, it can help you avoid needing to water your landscaping as much. Native plants are used to Southern California’s weather, including drought conditions, which means they require less watering than most types of lawns.
- Save Money – Since native plants often require less watering than most types of grass, that means that you won’t need to water your native plants as much. The less you water your plants, the less your water bill will be, which can save you money.
- Keep Plants Healthy – Because native plants are more used to Southern California’s conditions, they are more likely to thrive, even in drought conditions. While they will still need to be consistently cared for to look their best, native plants are more likely to remain presentable despite the conditions than most types of grass lawns.
In many cases, you can have the best of both worlds. You can convert some of your business’s property to native plants and keep the rest as a traditional lawn. Before deciding how to proceed, you should discuss your situation with a commercial landscaping expert.
Let Us Help You Make Your Business’s Landscaping Drought Resistant
Stay Green has been providing businesses in Southern California with high quality commercial landscaping services for more than half a century. We have successfully helped commercial property owners care for their landscaping in drought conditions. We offer drought defense services that are second to none.
To learn more about drought defense in Southern California, or to speak with our commercial landscaping experts about your situation, call us at (800) 741-9150 or get in touch with us online today. We offer complimentary estimates.