The Ground Source Blog

If you manage any kind of commercial property in Central Florida, you probably already know where your landscape takes the most abuse.

It's different for every property, but often, the biggest damage comes in the highest traffic areas – the corner of the planting bed where everyone cuts across, the strip of grass beside a busy sidewalk, or even the area right next to a building entrance where everyone passes through.

No matter where your high-traffic area is, you'll eventually see the same thing over and over again: bare spots where plants used to be.

So, what are the best plants for high-traffic commercial properties? What kind of plants can stand up to the back-and-forth of a busy property?

Here's the tricky answer to a tricky question: sometimes, no plant can withstand the traffic.

Should you plant when it’s cool? Sunny? Hot? Rainy? In April? August? December?

When you’re planting in Central Florida, you could pick any of the above.

The weather is getting crazier out there.

More hurricanes are lashing out, causing more severe damage.

It’s getting hotter, too. Central Florida has always had wild weather patterns, with deluges of rain one month and hot, dry conditions the next.

You have to feel sorry for plants trying to stand up to all this.

A great tree next to your house is a landscaping no-brainer.

A palm tree offers a tropical welcome with a vacation vibe. A great flowering tree can make people gasp when they drive by.

The wrong tree will create roots that can grow right into your foundation, which also can cause gasps, but not in a good way.

“Beauty” and “drainage” don’t often appear in the same sentence, but a rain garden can be a beautiful fix if your property is soggy.