Large commercial planters can help provide a welcome display of greenery to make a great impression for any facility

Large commercial planters have two main applications - aesthetics and barriers.

Let's start with the latter.

One purpose is to use commercial planters to steer visitors in one direction and away from other areas. But to do it in a pleasant and unobtrusive manner using plants and flowers.

Many facility managers today are also concerned about security in front of their buildings. After all, nobody wants to build a nice hotel, office building or retail center and then have a driver skip the curb and crash their car into the side of the structure.

It does happen.

Some facilities opt to add commercial, heavy-duty bollards to surround their buildings.

But large commercial planters,

The Brickell Ten project has magnificent skyline views

A rooftop terrace on a condominium in Miami is certainly a great place to hang out but when you add a brilliant contemporary design, a bar area and trendy, large commercial planters, well then it becomes THE place to be.

That's what the creators of the stunning Brickell Ten condominium project at 1010 SW Second Ave. in Miami accomplished. And part

Malls start to see rise in occupancy rate

Malls are making a comeback and for mall managers, spring is the time to add more commercial outdoor furniture such as planters, benches, bike racks and outdoor ashtrays to keep that momentum alive.

In spite of a misled consensus that malls were doomed, the latest stats from the International Council of Shopping Centers shows that mall occupancy rates are now at the highest they have been in 27 years.

That's three, long, wrenching decades of recovery. Nearly 30 years of battling everything from recessions to smartphones shoppers.

"The 2014 data paints a very strong picture of the shopping center industry for the year ahead, and is especially promising in the mall segments," said ICSC spokesperson Jesse Tron. "Record growth in key indicators