Garden design, garden planning, garden layout, planting plants and planting schemes

Planting Driveways

posted in advice category on 2009-01-06

The planning of Driveways (Front Gardens), it does seem inevitable that in most cases the parking cars will take precedence over the ‘garden area’ and that space allocated to parking of cars is much more important than the areas for lawn or plants! This inevitability is probably not too surprising, especially where the amount of space available is not too generous, but in cases where there is lots of space for both, the same trends are also tending to be driven by owners preference for ‘low maintenance’ solutions. But whether there is no space or no time, there is no excuse for drab, dull, even lifeless Driveways. For many owners, it is certainly a challenge to find a pleasing solution, ie ample space for parking and sufficent planting to be attractive. There are a number of idaes which can be utilise to improve overall gardening appeal, lawn, large or small, green is plaesing and eye catching, raised beds can also give added impetus to smaller planted areas, and in severe cases where there is no planting possibilities, nice planters or containers can be very effective to creat a softer look.

Some owners clearly love their gardens and take great pride and devout attention to create and maintain a beautiful front garden. Driveways and Front gardens are important aspects of the property, but also critical for ‘Kerb appeal’ when it comes to selling the property. Front Gardens provide a great opportunity to frame the house with practical parking and complimentary planting.

For some the preferred choice is the minimalist approach, in other words, wall to wall hard surfaces or similar paving, cobble lock, patterned concrete and increasingly simple gravelled surfaces. Tarmac is thankfully no longer as common in urban areas, but in fairness when it’s done right and within an overall well developed plan/design, not the worse of finishes. But sadly I suppose the demise of tarmac has more to do with well publicised examples of unscrupulous traders and poor workmanship.

In many cases the typical Driveway/Front Garden is limited in size, car parking dominates space and planting is a poor second. Driveway finishes will vary and many options from which to choose. Many will select one of four popular options (Natural Paving, cobbleock, gravel, and concrete). Budget permitting, the preferred choice for many owners would be natural stone paving (Granite, Limestone, Sandstone). The intrinsic qualitie sand strength of natural stone paving is very popular, this might be the refined but hardwearing elegance of granite, or the rustic charming colour tones complete with fossil elements of sandstone or the rippling textured surfaces of limestone. A more cost effective solution is a combination of natural stone paving and stone chippings/pebble. Where there is considerable traffic, I would personally prefer Granite as a more sophisticated and durable stone and one which surprisingly requires little maintenance to retain its original beauty.

Designing Driveways or Front Gardens offers enormous scope for selecting plants. Even with much of the available space being allocated to the car(s), one can still choose plants to suit any layout including hedges which traditionally used for boundaries and privacy (some favourites here include Taxus- CommonYew, Prunus Lusitanica – Portuguese Laurel, and Photinia – Red Robin). Trees, shrubs and Hedges are not only good for defining the boundaries, or creating privacy but can also be use dot great effect to create compartments/spaces especially within the larger gardens.

Some Driveway Design Tips

If you’re constructing from the start, try and find space no matter how small for some planting, whether this be some architectural/specimen plant and/or a modest shrubbery and/or herbaceous border. One can also use different size containers to add colour and interest. Me, I would always prefer to compromise some colour and select evergreen shrubs over herbaceous/deciduous planting. Looking good all year especially during our long dormant season is more important than some less herbaceous perennials in the borders during the summer months. Also herbaceous plants in a lot instances require regular work to maintain an optimum performance. Ideally if space allows, a lush green lawn is a perfect partner for the Driveway and specimen and perimeter planting for visual impact.

Plan the Driveway layout so that the cars do not obstruct the pedestrian access footpaths and green spaces are positioned to optimum effect. How often do you see the paths dissect the Driveway, no need really, in fact a winding path can be more effective and introduce the visitor to the garden in a more visually stimulating way. Planning layouts which keeps pathways clears of cars is especially important in gravel driveways.

It is very important to give careful consideration to selecting the right Driveway gravel. Remember pebbles with their characteristic rounded appearance may look more attractive but are more suitable to ornamental areas, i.e., where there is little or no pedestrian or car traffic. Being rounded they never lock and are therefore impossible to compact, just think how difficult it can be to walk on a pebbled beach. Pulling Wheelie Bins or pushing Baby Strollers over pebbles is equally very difficult, whilst cars tend to create ridges which become very unsightly. If you prefer a gravelled area, select a chipped stone and there are many sizes, shapes and colours from which to choose.

Selecting plants for the Driveway is just as challenging for the Rear garden, I mean the choice is almost endless, and with newer more compact varieties becoming available every year, there is really no excuse for not having an interesting looking Driveway. Aim to achieve balance between the openness of the area and the planted spaces; a lush vivid planting scheme is surely a warm welcome to any Driveway. Apart from ground conditions, site aspects, planting selection can be a very personal matter, but as stated, better to err on the side of caution, looking good all year, low maintenance but even so, you can still achieve visual interest. Some of our personal favourites would include the following:

• • Specimen Trees: Olive Tree, Sorbus Acuparia Autumn Spire, Laurus Nobilis (Bay), Ilex (Holly), Chamerops and Amelanchier Ballerina.
• • Shrubs for screening/Boundaries: Cotoneaster Cornubia, Photinia, Prunus Lusitanica, Taxus, Mahonia Charity, Camellia and Pittosporum Tom Thumb.
• • Low Level Shrubs: Buxus, Lavender Hidcote, Andromeda Blue Ice, Hebe Frozen Flame, Pachysandra Terminalis, Pieris jap Katsura, and Halmium Libanotis.

For a more traditional but nonetheless distinctive look, a Rose garden featuring Rose Standard forms and Flower Carpet Ground cover creates an excellent coherent look with the added bonus of scent. Some maintenance is required, not a lot, but most will die back for the winter months.

So no matter what the size of your site is, small, medium or large, there is no excuse for not having a stimulating Front garden and a practical Driveway. Careful planning and some thoughtful consideration, it should be possible to specimen tree (s), shrubs and some herbaceous perennials or ground cover in your garden to produce a surprisingly varied but interesting composition with a rich variety of colour, form and texture. And the great thing is that if you make a 'mistake' or wish to change the order of things, well it's quite easy to do. So go ahead and experiment and bring the garden back into Driveways!