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For multi-unit property owners, apartment landscaping is more important than ever, especially in our area. Dallas, TX is the 9th largest city in the U.S; Fort Worth comes in at 13th. When you factor in the rest of the suburbs and 11 counties that make up the DFW Metroplex, approximately 6.4 million people call part of North Texas home.

As of early 2020, there were over 730,000 apartments in the DFW area. (That number has certainly grown since then!) And with occupancy rates currently above 94%, developers can’t build new apartment complexes fast enough to keep up with demand.

Property owners and property managers need to make their multi-unit landscaping a top priority. Even though renters are practically begging for places to stay, be careful of making the mistake of thinking “how the property looks isn’t a big deal right now.”

You want to make sure your property attracts the kinds of renters that you want to do business with, and you want your current tenants to keep loving where they live. (It’s much easier to renew a lease than to spend $1,000-3,000 turning over an apartment!)

Landscaping for Apartment Buildings

When renters are looking for a place to live, one of the first things they notice (after the monthly price) is what your property looks like. If it’s attractive, fresh, and inviting, they are much more likely to choose you over the apartment complex down the street.

And at the rate they’re being built, the odds are good that another one is literally down the street.

Landscaping for apartment buildings is unlike any other type of landscaping. There are several factors to consider:

1. Safety
2. Usability
3. Aesthetics
4. Interest
5. Maintenance

Residential landscaping can be tailored to a single homeowner’s individual tastes, but apartment landscaping has to take into consideration the wide-ranging preferences of a large number of people. How each renter interacts with your property will vary as well. Some people are active outdoors; others stay inside. Some people are night owls; others are not.

Each renter needs to be able to have safe access to all of the amenities throughout your property. However, bland concrete walkways everywhere can make your property feel cold and sterile instead of home-like and inviting. That presents owners of multi-family properties with a challenge.

So how do you make apartment complexes safe, functional, and attractive all at the same time?

Apartment and Condo Landscape Design

One of the best ways to balance usefulness and attractiveness when it comes to apartment landscaping is to begin with good design. Apartment and condo landscape design that is done by an experienced landscape architect is going to take into consideration all of the factors we mentioned above.

They’ll understand how to create an environment that people will be drawn to. And that could make all the difference when they’re making a big decision like where they want to live.

Imagine that you are a renter looking at two possible apartment complexes. Each one is close to your job and things you like to do. The buildings and actual apartments seem nice and safe. However, the grounds of one property look dated, neglected, and poorly maintained. The other looks fresh, cared for, and has several nice features created with renters in mind.

Which one do you think you’d choose?

5 Apartment Complex Landscaping Ideas

We provide full-service landscaping for apartment buildings all over the DFW Metro area. We’ve helped design and install the landscaping for many of them, and others were done by someone else…we simply provide lawn care and landscape maintenance.

Since our crews interact with so many apartment communities on a regular basis, we get to see a lot of things that work well and a lot that don’t.

Here are a few ideas to consider if you are building one of the many new multi-family properties around Dallas or if your apartment landscaping needs an upgrade:

• Walkways

Too many apartment complexes see walkways as a way to simply get from one place to another. While residents should be able to safely move about your property, there’s nothing that says the journey has to be boring.

Consider using a variety of materials and colors throughout your property. A change in surfaces could help distinguish between different areas of use.

For example, a brick or stone walkway up to your main entrance lets people know that they are entering a new and inviting place compared to the concrete and asphalt jungle that much of DFW has become. And a pea gravel walking path could be a nice way to create a different experience on the way to a playground, sitting area, or dog park.

• Dog Parks

Speaking of dog parks: If you aren’t thinking about your renters’ furry friends, you’re going to miss out on potential customers. We can assure you that they are thinking about them! Dogs are a big part of people’s lives, so find an area of your property where they can safely run and play.

Fence in the area, and install artificial grass to prevent damage to real turf and to make clean-up easy. (It also keeps the dogs cleaner, which owners appreciate.) Include toys and obstacles for the dogs to interact with and plenty of shaded seating for the owners to get to know each other and foster positive community relationships!

• Patios & Courtyards

People who live in apartments expect to be around other people. Why not provide them with well-designed open spaces where they can congregate easily with friends and neighbors?

Patios and courtyards have unlimited potential to make your property stand out. You can use all kinds of surface materials, surround it with interesting plants, and incorporate features that your residents may not otherwise have access to like:

• • Fire Pits

People love to gather around a fire. It must be something we inherited from our cave ancestors. If you create several common areas with nice fire pits, plenty of comfortable seating, and access to firewood (and maybe even ingredients for S’mores), you’ll soon discover your renters finding ways to relax and enjoy them.

• • Grill Stations

Unless your covenants forbid them, any renter can put a small hibachi grill on their balcony. But that experience just isn’t nearly as fun as firing up a multi-burner grill built into a top-notch outdoor kitchen.

Residents that have access to an area like that where they can entertain their family and friends could be some of your happiest clients. And you never know, they might offer you one of their gourmet burgers too!

Apartment Landscaping Doesn’t Have to Be a Headache

These are just a few of the ways your property’s landscaping can be as attractive as your indoor spaces. For professional services from a company that has been helping apartment owners and property managers succeed for the past 20 years, check out our wide variety of landscaping services. Then give us a call!

We can help you become the apartment community in Dallas that everyone is talking about!

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