Over the past decade, Enliven Planters has been fortunate to work with businesses across the Philadelphia region to bring their outdoor spaces to life for the summer season.
Most people know us for our four-season container plantings at homes and businesses throughout the area. But what may be lesser known is that every year, we also plant dozens of beer gardens, pop-up gardens, rooftops, patios, event venues, outdoor dining spaces, and seasonal installations for restaurants and businesses getting ready to welcome guests outside.
Once our spring subscriber plantings are underway, our plant palette starts to shift. Cool-season annuals, perennials, and evergreens make room for the bold textures and colors of summer: tropicals, heat-loving annuals, succulents, grasses, trailing vines, and durable foliage that can handle long days, bright sun, and heavy use.
From May through October, local businesses rely on us to help transform patios, rooftops, waterfront spaces, and temporary outdoor venues into places that feel lush, inviting, and memorable.
Outdoor Spaces Are Part of the Experience
For restaurants, bars, hotels, apartments, and event venues, outdoor space is more than just extra seating. It is often the first impression guests have when they arrive, and it plays a major role in the overall atmosphere.
A well-planted space can soften hard surfaces, create privacy, direct foot traffic, hide less attractive views, define separate areas, and make a patio or rooftop feel intentional instead of temporary.
Over the years, we have been lucky to team up with so many talented businesses and hospitality groups who understand the value of a great outdoor environment. Philadelphia has become a city that truly values its gardens, patios, parks, rooftops, and seasonal gathering spaces — and we love being part of that.
Designed for Beauty, Scale, and Real-World Conditions
When clients come to us with a commercial outdoor space, they usually have a few key goals. They want the planting to feel lush and colorful. They want it to match the scale of the space. They want it to hold up through the summer heat. And they want it to look good for the full outdoor dining season.
That means we are not just thinking about what looks great on planting day. We are thinking about how the plants will perform in July, August, and September.
Many of these spaces are exposed to tough conditions. Rooftops, waterfronts, shore locations, and open patios can all bring intense sun, wind, heat, and limited access to water. Those conditions play a major role in the plants we choose.
We select summer annuals, tropicals, succulents, grasses, and foliage plants that can provide the right mix of color, texture, durability, and size for each unique space.
Timing Matters
Many of our commercial clients have worked with us for years and reach out early to get on the schedule as soon as Mother Nature allows.
For summer plantings, we generally like to wait until nighttime temperatures are consistently above 50 degrees. At the very least, we look for temperatures to stay safely in the mid-40s before installing more tender summer plants.
That timing helps protect the plants and gives them the best chance to thrive once the warm weather settles in.
Some of the Spaces We Have Planted
One of the best parts of this work is that no two spaces are exactly alike. Every business has a different layout, challenge, and goal.
Over the years, we have planted:
- A rooftop amenity space on the 40th floor of a college apartment building
- A rooftop pool area for a retirement community using self-watering Crescent Garden Rim containers
- Dozens of trough planters separating outdoor dining areas from a busy road at the shore
- Hundreds of feet of troughs lining an outdoor beer garden to screen views of parking lots and service areas
- Rooftop plantings along pop-up shipping container bars on the Delaware River waterfront
- Custom trough plantings designed to conceal the edges of large event tents
- Dozens of containers and a planted archway for a pop-up festival near the stadiums
- Custom plantings on parking barriers used to separate temporary outdoor cafés during COVID
Some projects are large and highly visible. Others are more subtle. But whether we are planting hundreds of feet of containers or placing a few statement pots at a host stand, the goal is always the same: create a space that feels welcoming, polished, and alive.
Small Details Can Make a Big Difference
Not every business needs a massive installation. Sometimes a few well-placed containers can completely change the feeling of a space.
A pair of bold planters at the entrance can make guests feel like they have arrived somewhere special. A cluster of pots near a host stand can soften the transition from sidewalk to dining area. A row of troughs can provide privacy, color, and structure without permanent construction.
Whether it is one pot, one patio, or an entire seasonal venue, thoughtful planting helps businesses create a better guest experience.
Getting Businesses Ready for Outdoor Dining Season
Outdoor dining season moves quickly, and preparation matters. By the time guests are ready to sit outside, businesses need their spaces to feel finished, comfortable, and photo-worthy.
That is where we come in.
At Enliven Planters, we help restaurants, bars, event venues, apartment communities, and businesses across the Philadelphia region get their outdoor spaces ready for the months when everyone wants to be outside.
From lush beer gardens and rooftop patios to small storefront planters and seasonal pop-ups, we love helping local businesses welcome their guests with outdoor spaces that feel vibrant, intentional, and full of life.