Rebuilding with Confidence: Key Tips for Managing Disaster Reconstruction

How smart exterior landscaping boosts curb appeal, safety, and longevity.

When you’re investing in a facility, the building exterior isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s also about safety, tenant attraction, and long-term value. The Barton Group works with owners to apply landscaping that supports these goals, not just fills space.

Here are five smart landscaping tips that build on curb appeal while protecting your investment:

1. Choose Perennials, Then Layer Color

Pick plants that return every year (perennials) like coneflowers, daylilies, hydrangeas and salvia—they bloom long and need little upkeep.
Add annuals in high-visibility zones (entrances, walkways, mailboxes) for seasonal color and impact.

2. Prioritize Visibility & Safety

Landscaping should enhance—not hinder—sightlines and lighting. Avoid planting too dense or tall near pedestrian and parking areas where it might hide safety hazards. Ensure overhanging trees don’t threaten vehicles, roofs or walkways.

3. Use Plants as Protection

Landscape strategically: evergreen bushes on the west side to block winter wind, stabilizing ground covers on slopes, and pet-friendly ground covers where waste and wear are common. These choices help protect pavement, site infrastructure and the building envelope.

4. Landscaping as Wayfinding

Use plants to guide visitors—accent entrances, define paths, highlight signage. Consider how the exterior looks from key vantage points: the drive-up, arrival walk, even interior views out windows.



5. Plan for Year-Round Interest

Even in off-season months, your exterior matters. Use evergreen shrubs, ornamental grasses, red-twig dogwoods and other plants with texture and color in winter so your site looks maintained and intentional even when snow covers the ground.

When all else is equal, buildings that look intentional on the outside win. Landscaping isn’t just decorative—it’s strategic. At The Barton Group, we help owners pick landscaping that supports branding, performance and lifespan—so your site stands out for the right reasons.

— The Barton Group