The Driveway Landscape | Ideas and Tips

The Driveway Landscape With a Circular Driveway

People who have chosen circular driveways often are perplexed as to how and where to plant. What I like to do with a driveway landscape such as this, is to combine both lawn and planted areas. Easier said than done, right?!

An obvious place to add plantings is up against the house. With a circular driveway, this will be the area between the house and the driveway.

Next, you can create beds in various positions along the outer edges of the driveway. If you have other nearby planted areas, and you can connect them to the driveway planting beds to make them look cohesive, all the better.

So, you might have mostly lawn, with a few planting beds in your driveway landscaping design. These beds could have some taller shrubs in the back with lower ones along the driveway. Adding an ornamental tree to one or two of these planted areas will do amazing things to the look. Ornamental trees will add height and scale. They will be a change from all of the lower shrubs and perennials. Ornamental trees can also provide pretty branching structure and flowers.

And now for the center. First, here is what not to do. Don't put a little fountain in the center. Don't add a bed of shrubs with no height. And lastly, do not create a bed that is small. A circular driveway creates a large central area. Give it its' due by creating a look that is in scale with this important area.

What I have done with driveway landscaping is the following. I will create a large bed along the inside edge, up near the house. I've placed shrubs about four feet high closer to the street. Then I will place lower shrubs closer to the house. Where the taller shrubs are, you might consider using either all one kind (do not think this will be boring..it won't)or place a group on either end of the same variety and a different one in the center. Use many in each group.

Then, balance the ends. A smaller multi stemmed tree on one end and a larger single stemmed tree on the other works well. You can also use a group of three very large, important shrubs, such as Lilacs, on one end and a tree on the other.

If you would like to see an example, take a look at this landscape drawing.

Additional Driveway Landscaping Ideas

Regardless of what type of driveway you have, think about framing the driveway entry with plantings on either side. These might be as simple as two matching Dogwoods or Red Maples. You may also create beds on either side, but don't forget a few trees to stress the importance of the entry! The entry is what you and others first see as they approach the entry to your home.

Driveways that lead directly to the garage can have plantings placed creatively along the sides. Here, the beds in your driveway landscape designcan connect to other planted areas or stand alone. If single beds, make sure they are large enough to mean something and be important. Plant in groups. The driveway landscape on both sides should either match (although they do not have to be paced directly opposite each other), or at least have similar plants.

Another nice look is to have an allee of trees. Here, trees of one variety are placed on either side of the driveway. Although ornamental trees can be used, it is more typical to use beautiful shade trees. Driving along under the canopies of these trees as they age is reminiscent of estates with long driveways from years ago. Red Maples, Chanticlear Pear and Zelkova are good choices for an allee.

Courtyard plantings create a frame around the central area. This may be done in a formal way or it can be more naturalistic. If your courtyard is square, a nice feature is to add large urns in the corners....quite elegant!

Give thought to your driveway landscape. Done nicely it will provide a lovely experience as you leave your home and as you arrive each and every time.

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