Opinion: Landscaping isn’t just a monthly bill – it’s an asset

Kevin Runyon

In my 26 years as a landscaper here in the Ozarks, I’ve seen business owners make the same mistake time and time again. They treat their property’s landscaping like a utility bill; just something to pay and forget about until something breaks. But that’s a big mistake. 

Your landscape isn’t a bill; it’s an asset. It’s no different than your HVAC system or parking lot. And if you only fix it when it’s broken, you’re losing money.

Most maintenance contracts are just designed to keep things looking halfway decent for a little while. They don’t account for the fact that irrigation tech becomes outdated every 10 years, or that a $300 pruning job today can prevent a $5,000 tree removal down the line.

When you ignore the fundamentals (the drainage, the soil health, the structural integrity of your trees), you’re letting your outdoor equity rot. It’s like letting your building fall apart.

Every landscape has a point where it starts to decline. I call it the 10-year cliff. That’s when the cheap shrubs get woody, the mulch gets so compacted it repels water and the old irrigation system starts wasting more than it saves.

The business owners who come out on top are the ones who don’t wait for that cliff. They treat their landscape like the investment it is. They set aside a little budget to phase in upgrades like replacing tired plants with hardy natives, swapping out old irrigation tech for high-efficiency upgrades.

A landscape that receives minimal input stays stagnant. But one that’s actively managed actually grows in value. A healthy tree canopy and an inviting aesthetic aren’t just nice to have. They’re documented parts of your property’s worth.

It’s time to stop paying for a service and start managing an investment. Your bottom line will thank you.

Kevin Runyon owns Custom Creations Landscaping & Lawn LLC. He can be reached at kevin@customcreations417.com