Gravel driveways are best suited to comparatively level areas. Rainstorms will probably cause serious erosion on steep inclines. Another disadvantage appears in areas where snow must be shoveled in the winter. It is almost impossible to shovel snow without picking up some gravel and throwing it onto the lawn; if not removed early the following spring, the gravel is likely to injure your lawn mower.

A point in favor of gravel driveways, however, is the pleasant sound caused by a car traveling over it. It is also one of the cheapest drives you can construct. While not easy to walk on when new, it will become packed and hard after considerable use.

Where funds are lacking and a blacktop or concrete drive cannot be put in at the start, a gravel driveway is not wasted as it can provide a perfect foundation for a more permanent surface later on. Indeed, this is often the wisest course to follow, because during grading operations there are likely to be areas of considerable fill in the general driveway area. By putting heavy gravel on the bottom and finer gravel on top and using this for a couple of years, you give the soil ample opportunity to attain its final level. After that apply a black top and there will be no further settling.

This is another example of the wisdom of the old admonition that “haste makes waste,” which adage holds good many times in gardening.

Driveway Width

Just like in a desert landscape designs the width of a driveway depends, of course, on how it is to be used. In the case of a two-car garage attached to the end of the house, consider the possibility of using the garage stall nearer to the house for the car that is used the least. At the same time, it would be advisable to make the driveway fan-shaped at the garage entrance, so as to allow room for plants at the all-important corner of the house. There they not only look well, but also help to screen the gaping garage doors.

Metal Edge for Drive

Keeping the grass neatly trimmed along the driveway is an arduous and generally disliked task. One solution (at slight additional cost) consists of edging the driveway with a metal flashing strip designed especially for this purpose. This will save a great deal of time and make the public area much neater.

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see also:

1. Driveways And Walkways – Do Not Draw Attention

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2. No Rules – Creative Material Use For Walkways

   It is unlikely that you want a driveway or walkway to be a dominant feature in your yard. When you are planning these areas, you should allow enough space for them to be fully functional–to allow enough room for the traffic they will receive–without being overbearing. Ideally, you should design your home so [...]...

3. Landscaping And The Driveway Challenge

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4. The Last Resort For Walkways

   *** The most practical and attractive permanent walks are made of flagstone or brick which can be set in either concrete or sand. Other materials which can be used include cross sections of tree trunks (properly treated to retard decay), wooden bricks, concrete, macadam, or blacktop. Least desirable is gravel; if you have to use it, seek [...]...

5. The Ideal Landscape Shade Tree

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6. Landscape Lighting Can Create Big Benefits For Your Yard

   If you are thinking of a method to alter the way your home looks, then you’ll be able to consider landscape lighting as a price-efficient manner to try to to so. Not only that, landscape lighting will offer your home a terribly dramatic effect whether or not you do not implement any other changes with [...]...

7. Public Landscape Area

   When developing the public area, we need only keep in mind three fundamental landscape principles that concern this particular part of a property. They are: (1) soften the architectural lines of the building by placing plants where the strong vertical lines meet the ground; (2) frame the building with trees; and (3) maintain an open [...]...