What’s the Difference Between Plantscaping and Landscaping?
When discussing adding more plants to your office or improving your outdoor landscape, you might wonder what distinguishes plantscaping from landscaping – and the difference between landscaping and landscape maintenance.
The terms often have interchangeable uses, but they have different interior and exterior landscape design meanings.
Today we’re going to discover what indoor plantscaping means. You’ll learn why it’s very different from what people traditionally think of landscaping and landscape maintenance.
What Is Plantscaping?
When we use the term plantscaping, we refer to creating and designing interior spaces – commercial or residential – with live plants. For instance, corporate plantscaping projects involve planning which kinds of plants you will use, where the plants will live, and what pots, planters, or containers they will use.
Plantscaping can also include an architectural element. There’s a conference room at the office with only a glass wall separating it from the reception area. You could design a “screen” of plants to separate the two visually for office plantscaping.
In addition to the natural attractiveness of live plants, they can add visual focus to an area – a splash of color can highlight a space, such as a hallway or tabletop, or a structural feature, such as a corner or archway.
Plantscaping can add interest to small and large spaces – from a desktop to an office entryway. For example, small and large living walls can accent a surface or redefine a space. You can use interior plantscaping for any room to fit any shape or size.
How Does Plantscaping Work?
Interior plantscaping offers many benefits to workplaces and office settings. Well-known effects of living walls include improved air quality, better air circulation, and the removal of toxins. Plantscaping provides a welcoming environment for either working or relaxing, whereas landscaping is usually outdoors.
Although you can certainly take on office plantscaping yourself, it’s probably best to work with the aid of professionals to enhance the design of your space. The practice of hiring professionals to help design and install interior plantscaping came of age in the 1960s and 70s and has become ever more popular since.
From many plant variety options, corporate plantscaping professionals can assist in selecting the right specimens to reinvigorate your unique space.
What Is Landscaping?
Landscaping refers to the design and installation of live plants and accessories in exterior spaces – typically involving trees, shrubs, flowers, walkways, hardscapes, and garden features. It is the process of making changes to a piece of land to improve its value and appearance.
Landscape design will consider what plants should go where and what features you should add. Your options might include a stone path, statue, or water fountain.
It’s common to include an irrigation system in landscape design. That way, watering the plants will be as easy as possible.
How Does Landscaping Work?
Homeowners and landlords may look to invest in landscaping when trying to sell a property, improving its “curb appeal.”
We all know how critical the first impression is when approaching a building, and landscaping is instrumental in promoting what someone thinks about your property.
It’s one of the key features that help a home sell more quickly. A well-groomed exterior makes it worth the investment.
Do you need help revitalizing your outdoor garden?
What Is Landscape Maintenance?
Compared to outdoor landscaping, landscape maintenance is what we would more traditionally refer to as gardening. It relates to the upkeep of your home or office garden, or lawn.
Above all, it’s the actual fertilizing, watering, and maintenance of the area, as opposed to the strategic positioning of plants in an outdoor space – as you would find with landscaping.
Landscape maintenance works to keep your grass or plants in top condition to flourish in all weather conditions. It also includes mowing lawns, pruning trees, and trimming hedges.
How Does Landscape Maintenance Work?
Landscaping may involve changing your garden’s architecture and overall design, but it should never be confused with landscape maintenance. Landscape maintenance primarily focuses on preserving your garden or lawn.
In contrast, landscaping is the initial activity that involves planting flowers or trees. The goal is to design the area to look more attractive.
While landscape maintenance keeps your lawn or garden in good order, it can also boost your mood and improve the outside of your home or office. It also helps to reduce environmental impact or increase the property’s value.
Key Takeaways
Landscaping, landscape maintenance, and indoor plantscaping have many similarities, but they focus on different areas in the office or around a building. All of them are concerned with live plants and improving the appeal of our spaces.
Meanwhile, plantscaping deals with designing indoor spaces and interiors – landscaping deals with designing outdoor spaces. Landscape maintenance is necessary to keep a landscape design in peak condition. Hopefully, these three terms are clearer now.
Ready to unlock your garden’s full potential?
Boston’s Top Indoor Plantscaping Specialists
Foliaire is a full-service interior and exterior greenscape design-build firm in Boston’s historic South End. For the last 40 years, we’ve provided the highest quality office plantscaping services for clients across the Boston Metro area.
We customize and plan our living walls and interior planting designs to fit your unique space and tastes. That’s how we’ve built a reputation of unparalleled style and elegance for both corporate plantscaping and residential community projects. In addition, we’ve received several environmental design awards and have appeared in several publications. You can find us in Architectural Digest, House and Garden, Horticulture, and Interiorscape.
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