General Info

Driveways are an often neglected part of landscape design. Most people don't even consider them as an element of the landscape, but more as a utilitarian plot of land that they simply must work around. But your driveway doesn't have to be a boring patch of pavement slapped between a bit of lawn.

Begin by assessing the shape of your driveway and whether or not you are able to change it. You may be interested in simply sprucing up an existing drive, and not making any major structural changes. This could be a relatively inexpensive project.

But perhaps you are ready for a bigger change that would affect the entire approach to your home! If your front lawn is big enough, you may consider installing a semicircle driveway that allows you to pull right up to the front of the house, and then through to access the street again. I have always loved such driveways, as they seem to give any house an air of elegance that most homes don't have. The typical straight driveway requires that we back in or out, instead of the ultra convenient drive-through.

Regardless of your budget or the space you have available, there are landscape opportunities and obstacles for all kinds of driveways. I like to approach this design issue from a few different angles. First, when people park in the driveway, where do they usually park? Is there enough space for them to enter and exit the vehicles without trampling on potential flowers? Is there a tree growing too close to the driveway, so that it inhibits car doors opening all the way? Are you willing to remove or add trees? Answering these questions will help you to determine a few key design issues and the direction you wish to work in.

Consider whether you wish to add walls to define flower beds and create permanent, formal planting structures. They can be built from natural stone and prefab, retaining wall blocks. Such structures do build up the appearance of, and increase the possibilities for plantings that trail over the sides, and add interest to the design.

Another important issue when dealing with driveways is snow and leaf removal. Driveways see a lot of abuse from rakes and shovels, snow plows and road salt. It is a good idea to keep the entrance to your driveway free from trees and bushes that could be inadvertently damaged by plow drivers. That caution is good for those with new teenaged drivers in their homes, as well.

If you do crave summer color to decorate the entrance to your driveway, fill it in with inexpensive annuals each spring. They provide a vivid burst of color, are generally hardy, and allow the flexibility of changing the appearance from year to year with minimal cost. In fact, those annuals can be used to create colorful borders along the driveway edge, as well.

Whatever you decide, it is important to consider the impact your driveway landscaping has on the overall appearance of your home. It is one of the first things people really see when they approach your home, and it must be able to withstand heavy use. A little time in planning and planting can be a huge difference in your home's curb appeal.