When people think of how to make their office property's outside space look more attractive, they usually land on planting trees. After all, a tree is a nice character piece that adds personality to the outside of an office. That said, trees do come with a several problems, and most offices will actually be better off planting hedges instead.
Here are just four reasons why.
1. Easier to Plant
First and foremost, trees can be reasonably hard to plant. It's obviously not impossible, but you'll need to have a large hole dug, and you'll probably have to seek out planning permission to plant such a large structure. Transporting a large tree is also quite an ordeal, and one that will probably inflate your bill. Hedgerows are much easier to install since the roots don't need to go nearly as deep, and you're unlikely to need to seek out any kind of planning permission for a hedge.
2. Easier to Maintain
Trees aren't just tougher to plant than hedgerows—they're also a lot harder to maintain, and that means added work and greater costs throughout the year. The biggest potential problem is disease or pest infestations. Either can result in the need for extensive work, possibly even for the removal of branches or the felling of the entire tree. Even if your tree doesn't suffer from any serious issue, it's still going to shed its leaves in the autumn, which means regular ground keeping with a rake or leaf blower. A hedge only needs to be pruned or trimmed a little throughout the year.
3. Superior Privacy, Shade, and Noise Reduction
Most trees don't offer much in the way of privacy since the foliage is right at the top. Some trees—usually evergreens—have leaves all the way up, but these tend to be on the thinner side. A tree will provide shade, but only across one small area, and they are very ineffective for noise reduction. A hedgerow can be run close to windows along your ground floor to provide exceptional privacy without entirely shutting off the view. They'll also act as capable sound barriers, and they'll provide a small degree of shade when the sun is shining its hardest.
4. Better Shaping
Finally, keep in mind that hedgerows can be used to shape an office's greenspace to produce a tidy and organised appearance. Trees are harder; unless you use several smaller trees in one long row; they need to be placed more randomly, and lots of smaller trees is going to cost you a lot of money.
Contact a commercial landscape service for additional advice.