Maintaining healthy, attractive landscape islands in commercial parking lots — plant selection, irrigation, root management, and liability considerations.
Parking lot landscape islands face hostile growing conditions — reflected heat, limited root space, salt spray from deicing (in North Florida), and frequent vehicle damage. Best practices include: selecting heat-tolerant, low-maintenance plant material; using proper root barriers to prevent sidewalk and curb heaving; installing drip irrigation to minimize overspray on parking surfaces; maintaining clear sight lines at island ends for driver safety; and promptly addressing any trip hazards created by root growth or mulch displacement. Regular inspection and maintenance of parking lot islands reduces both liability exposure and replacement costs.