Attractive school and campus landscaping can score more than just an “A+” on visual appeal. Enhancing green spaces and making natural areas welcoming for students are ideal ways to improve their educational experience and help them manage school stress.
Students of all ages, from elementary to college, benefit from the positive effects of healthy plants, grass, and trees. Not to mention the added upsides of other living organisms drawn to well-planned outdoor areas. Smart landscaping strategies are aiding K-12 schools and colleges in efforts to increase outdoor learning opportunities.
As you’ll read below, certain types of learning are less effective when young people are kept indoors eight hours a day.
Topics we’ll cover include:
- Outdoor Learning Environments
- Impact on Mental Health and Well-being
- Physical Activity and Social Connection
- Prime Real Estate for Socialization and Events
- Curb Appeal, School Pride, and Recruitment
- Safety, Accessibility, and Sustainability
- Solutions for K-12 vs. Higher Education
- Yellowstone Landscape’s Approach to Campus Landscaping
If you’ve never considered landscaping’s educational influence, take note of the upcoming American Psychological Association insights. Lots to cover, so let’s get going.
Landscaping as a Learning Environment
Attractive landscapes help with student stress management because well-kept green spaces are peaceful learning environments. There’s a world outside of walls and fluorescent lighting that students can learn from.
What do outdoor learning spaces look like? Your imagination is the only limit! Elementary schools may choose simple seating circles, while college classes might take place in an amphitheater among regal trees and cool, green grass.
Maybe the best thing about outdoor areas for learning is the flexibility of spaces, such as:
- Open lawns
- Picnic tables
- Shaded benches
- Vegetable gardens
Students’ natural curiosity can be enhanced even further.
Nature trails on school grounds offer a world of exciting information in “live action” before students’ eyes. Trails offer thousands of plant species that deserve a closer look. And quiet nature walks give young minds the perfect place to do creative writing or drawing.
Don’t forget pollinator gardens. These are like a science fair being put on by beautiful butterflies and buzzing bees. The gardens show students how food comes to life on our planet, while giving them a reality-based view of abstract STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) concepts they’ve only read about at their desks before.
Speaking of STEM here are four creative ways to use interactive outdoor learning features below:
- Weather Stations: Students can monitor temperature, wind speed, and precipitation while learning about climate patterns through hands-on data tracking.
- Water Tables: These highlight fluid dynamics, erosion patterns, and engineering principles as students observe water flow.
- Outdoor Science Labs: Spaces with weather-resistant equipment where students can get their hands dirty with experiments in natural settings (e.g., soil analysis).
- Solar Panel Arrays: Interactive displays let students track energy production and learn about renewable energy and efficiency.
The research is clear. Outdoor classrooms lift excitement for learning, increase concentration, and lower student stress. The natural world and landscaped areas help young people develop a more tangible connection to the natural world.
Impact on Mental Health and Well-being
There are tremendous upsides to enhancing a school’s landscaping. Installing plants and trees has been proven to be powerful for student stress management. As parents and teachers wonder how to deal with school stress and anxiety, green spaces are an underutilized remedy.
The positive effects apply to elementary, high school, and college-aged students.
How about three specific benefits?
- Being near greenery can improve mood.
- Exposure to nature supports emotional regulation.
- Views of open skies reduce feelings of overwhelm.
“Exposure to nature has been linked to reduced risk of psychiatric disorders and even upticks in empathy and cooperation." ~ The American Psychological Association
Next, let’s look at ways to create “calm zones” for students.
Noise and crowds affect each student differently. Calm zones are designed to bring peace to students negatively impacted by over-stimulation.
One path to creating a calm zone is adding sensory gardens. Calming scents and refreshing flower colors give students an escape from indoor busyness and into nature's peace.
Another calm zone may already be available on your campus. Shade trees have provided tranquil retreats from school stress for centuries. Trees offer UV protection, better air quality, and access to songbirds—which have a bonus calming effect.
Outdoor Classrooms Are for All Students
Thoughtful campus landscaping should help every student feel welcome and safe. An experienced landscape designer will offer insightful options to ensure wide pathways, clear sightlines, and availability of both sheltered and open spaces. In these ways, students with varying ability levels can all enjoy the green spaces.
And here are other considerations to maximize outdoor learning:
- Mobility
- Allergies
- Sensory needs
- Cultural backgrounds
Mindful school landscape planning enhances children’s mental well-being and social skills. As a result, the entire community reaps the benefits (in more ways than we could list).
*Download 7 Ways to Use Nature to Lower Anxiety (in under 60 seconds).*
Encouraging Physical Activity and Social Connection
One thing all of us could use more of is exercise. Why? Modern conveniences limit chances to move our bodies. When you combine positive outdoor benefits with physical activity, you’re compounding the odds of student success.
Some easy ways to get these benefits:
Walking paths sound simple. They are! So that’s great news since walking is often noted as the best exercise in history. It’s easy on the joints, clears your mind, fights obesity, and is proven to promote friendships.
Recreation areas, sports fields, basketball courts, and playgrounds are other ideal ways for students of all ages to burn calories. The social connection comes naturally in these outdoor settings, too.
And games are perfect opportunities for nurturing bonds that can last a lifetime. Yellowstone Landscape has seen this play out repeatedly as we maintain athletic fields for numerous schools and municipalities.
Multi-use lawns are incredibly versatile. Mix in shade trees or shade structures so students stay cool during outdoor study groups. Lawns can also host pick-up soccer games, yoga classes, and offer the “grounding effect” when students kick off their shoes.
Are there specific outdoor amenities that promote gatherings?
Prime Real Estate for Socialization and Events
Students love having comfortable places to relax between classes and chat with friends. Picnic tables and playgrounds come to mind. However, there are many other spaces ripe for landscape enhancement that would appeal to young people.
See five examples below:
- Amphitheaters
- Hammock spaces
- Lawn games center
- Outdoor chess/checkers tables
- Comfortable benches
Thankfully, the thought process behind better outdoor spaces on school campuses isn’t complicated. Outdoor design should encourage students toward an active, healthy lifestyle.
Any green space that encourages movement over prolonged sitting or inactivity is on the right track. The right landscaping elements can nudge students of all ages to hop on a walking trail or join a frisbee golf game with classmates.
Being active doesn’t only lead to healthier bodies. The body is connected to the mind, which we often neglect when thinking about outdoor activities. Students, teachers, and parents who are physically and mentally healthier are better equipped to get along with and support one another. That’s what community is all about, right?
Curb Appeal, School Pride, and Recruitment
Curb appeal doesn't only apply to a home or a business. Schools can benefit from enhanced curb appeal. First impressions of a campus make a huge difference in a number of ways.
To start with, families making a decision on where their children will attend classes can come down to the school grounds’ visual appeal. And teachers and staff will feel better about their environment when the entryways are tidy and colorful.
Imagine how a kindergartener feels on the first day of school. A well-kept path to the front door with comforting greenery can relax the child, and the same goes for a nervous first-year college student, too.
School Branding
Discussing campus landscaping may bring to mind the storied grounds of eastern, Ivy League campuses, but landscapes can be a part of any school’s brand.
Any size school, from elementary through college, can use strategic plantings blended with signage to reinforce their brand. Signature trees like live oaks and crepe myrtles make a superb statement. So do annual flower beds using school colors.
Small-scale enhancements in highly visible areas of the property can make the school shine and the campus instantly recognizable, both in the real world and in online reviews.
For a cohesive look, utilize your landscape provider’s expertise. Ask for tips on ensuring your school’s signage goes well with its surrounding landscape elements. These nuances build school pride for the faculty, students, and parents.
Mindful Property Care Shows
Have you ever driven by a property with a neat lawn and zero outdoor clutter? Even the humblest house with tidy grounds makes us take notice. The same happens with schools. Regular upkeep provides a more professional look.
Here are six key landscaping tasks that make a positive impact on your school’s image.
- Healthy, vibrant flowers
- Weed-free mulched areas
- Pruned shrubs at the right time of year
- Clean walkways free of tripping hazards
- No standing puddles due to faulty irrigation
- Regularly mowed lawns at the proper height
Comprehensive landscape maintenance ensures plants live longer and improves curb appeal year-round. Yellowstone Landscape is focused on comprehensive care because it gives our customers the greatest benefit per dollar spent.
What about the safety aspect of outdoor areas?
Safety, Accessibility & Security
Though general awareness is growing, few school officials know much about crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED). This concept uses smart landscaping features and designs to deter crime. Visual appeal meets safety, naturally.
Simply avoiding overgrown turf and shrubbery can decrease the potential for crime (Broken Windows Theory). Clear borders are another affordable way landscaping can increase school safety. Hedges and flower beds combined with signage shows that an outdoor space is being cared for and monitored. This discourages crime and bad behavior.
Territorial reinforcement is part of CPTED. Unique landscaping, hardscapes, and signs can instantly alert students and visitors to where property lines are located (what is public space vs. private property).
Visibility
Strategic, reliable lighting is critical for school safety and student peace of mind. Well-lit walkways, entries, and gathering spaces light up dark areas, discouraging bad actors. Trees and shrubbery must be properly trimmed to ensure lighting can do its job.
Clear lines of sight are crucial to a safe campus. Students and pedestrians must be easy to see and have clear views of their surroundings. When greenery is pruned on a regular schedule, it won’t block lines of sight. Rounded paths versus hard, ninety-degree turns help prevent hazardous blind spots also.
To further ensure safe walking, pathways should be free of obstructions. Defensive landscaping techniques (low hedges or a row of potted plants) guide foot traffic. This landscaping strategy is also shown to deter trespassers.
Some schools are installing outdoor blue light stations to relieve student anxiety by letting them know emergency help is nearby.
Eco-friendly School Landscaping
Many school systems have championed sustainability in recent years. Those efforts have planted seeds in the minds of students to make environmentally sound efforts at home.
A quick look at eco-friendly landscaping elements below reveals they come with the bonus budget-friendliness.
- Native Plants: They’re resilient because they’ve thrived in the local environment for centuries. They require less water and fertilizer.
- Smart Irrigation Systems: Water waste is avoided while the school utility bill is lowered.
- Water Conservation: The “right plant, right place” philosophy is showcased with drought-tolerant grasses in arid regions to save water. Xeriscaping and grouping plants with similar moisture needs conserve water too.
Those strategies are ideal learning opportunities for students. They encourage them to take care of the planet and could spark a landscaping career.
Tailored Landscaping Solutions for K-12 vs. Higher Education
Let’s start with the type of outdoor strategy that works with kindergarten through 12th grade (K-12). Active areas are vital. Think playgrounds, open lawns, and sports fields. Safety is key for younger children. That’s why many school systems are adding soft surfaces beneath playground equipment.
Secure fencing along with defensive landscaping helps keep children where they should be and easily supervised. Visibility has to remain high year-round, too. Low-growing shrubbery keeps sightlines clear for teachers to monitor students. Blindspots can be eliminated through open layouts.
Finally, for K-12 students, walkways should be accessible to everyone. Wide walkways should be smooth and free of debris. Even wet leaves are a proven slip-and-fall hazard.
College Campus Landscapes
Needs are different for higher education properties. Campus culture plays a big role. A diverse array of students from all over the U.S. and abroad benefit from campus landscaping that provides a sense of belonging and pride. How is this achieved? Signature plantings, living art such as green walls, and inviting gathering areas are cornerstones for many campuses.
Sustainable features are vital, as are quiet zones and gathering spots.
Colleges are more likely to invest in large-scale sustainability elements like pollinator habitats and rainwater harvesting systems.
And to assist with student stress management, the following quiet zone features work wonders:
- Fountains
- Courtyards
- Shaded nooks
- Signature tree groves
- Meditation or yoga gardens
For group connections, colleges can utilize lush turf areas, amphitheaters, and well-designed hardscapes with comfortable seating.
Smart Landscape Budgeting
K-12: Tight budgets make it wise to focus on the essentials. Start with safe play zones and accessible walkways. Then you can add enhancements where they make the largest impact, like highly-visible entryways and road frontage.
Colleges: Grants and alumni donations sometimes allow for large-scale landscape upgrades. Yet, it’s still wise to begin with phased planning to manage costs and avoid disruptions to campus activities. After all, the goal is to improve student, faculty, and staff experience, not add to school stress.
As far as maintenance goes, once landscaping improvements are made, aim to keep long-term costs as low as possible. To achieve this, your provider should understand your goals. That sets the stage for success.
Then, your landscape contractor should select low-maintenance plants, turf, and trees. This reduces labor costs and pressure on natural resources.
Yellowstone Landscape’s Approach to Campus Landscaping
Yellowstone Landscape is proud to partner with a wide range of educational clients. We serve K-12 school districts in many states, private preparatory schools, and major universities. Our teams understand the nuances between these categories of campuses. And we understand that each campus has unique needs, goals, and climates to plan for, in order to produce healthy landscapes.
Here are few special considerations to demonstrate how students come first with Yellowstone:
- Employees go through thorough background checks before being assigned to a school property’s crew.
- All our service vehicles have in-cab safety systems.
- Our logistics specialists plan services during non-peak times to avoid working around children boarding buses or using outdoor spaces.
- One branch with a large number of school campus clients recently achieved the 1,000-day mark with zero reportable safety incidents.
At Yellowstone, we believe attractive landscapes improve our quality of life. That’s reflected in our student-first landscaping designs. We focus on communication with school officials to ensure our teams don’t interfere with learning. Landscaping equipment is inherently noisy, but mindful scheduling protects quiet class time.
That’s something to consider this summer. Class is out, and students are away, so it’s an ideal time to schedule landscaping projects with Yellowstone Landscape.
