subject: Beautiful Landscaping Around New Driveways [print this page] Beautiful Landscaping Around New Driveways
Homeowners spend a lot of time deciding on the perfect layout and design for new driveways, but the area around those driveways is just as important. Landscape features along the sides and around your house's drive will help to dress up the space and complete an attractive look for the exterior of your home.
Start With a Clean Slate
Clear away the area after the driveway has been laid, being careful to remove any gravel, chunks of tarmac or excess pavers. Often the sand that has been spread around during the installation can be turned over into the soil for a nicely loose garden bed.
Any sealant or covering that needs to be applied to the driveway should be done before the landscaping begins just to avoid any chemicals coming into contact with the plantings and soil.
Edging Is Important
Edging helps your drive to appear neat and tidy, as well as keeping the weeds and grass away from the area. Installing some sort of edging up and down the driveway is a necessary first step for your landscaping. Try concrete kerbing or even a straight timber installed at the ground level.
Kerbing is a nice choice since it serves as a guide for your vehicle as well. Look for a product that matches the pavers or have the tarmac installation crew build kerbing or edging while they're laying the driveway down.
Create a Healthy Base with the Right Soil
Most likely you'll need to bring in new topsoil to complete the landscaping around new driveways. Mix in a healthy amount of organics to give your plantings the best start and choose shrubs, perennials and bushes that will withstand the conditions of a busy driveway.
Make sure that any trees or hedges you plant will not grow tall enough to block your view. Plan what you will establish in your garden with detail, including the height, spread and root depth. Certain shrubbery can damage the base of your driveway with aggressively spreading root systems. Consider the changes from season to season and how your driveway landscaping will look different throughout the year.
Find out the specifics about each plant from the local garden centre and sketch it out before the landscaping begins. That way you can know how large to dig out the gardens and what the spacing will be for planting.
New driveways need well planned and fresh landscaping to complete the look of your front or side yard. With some edging and a few visits to the local garden centre your new outdoor space will be gorgeous.
