The well-designed house and grounds typically have the garage close to the house and as near to the street as practical. Although aesthetics should certainly be taken into account, form follows function, as the old saying goes.
These days, when the majority of home owners have cars, space can be saved by using a garage path that combines as the house path, or feeds into a short house walk. Though the driveway can be a short one it is wise to plan for off-street parking. Usually you will need to have your driveway at least 20 feet long to accomplish this.
Most residential driveways will break down under heavy service trucks or other heavy traffic because the soil under the driveway is wet and compacts under heavy weight. Adequate drainage for wet spots from sprinklers, etc. is therefore a necessity.
If you choose to create a more natural looking, non-concrete driveway the best driveway materials are stable, and should not get washed away by storms or shoveled up with snow. However, if the driveway must be long and forms an important feature of your landscaping, a stable material may have to be passed up in favor of gravel or crushed rock, which will blend better with the surroundings.
Walks that are well designed with neat edgings, steps that appear to belong where they are placed, and small intriguing paths that lead one deeper into the garden, do much to improve the ambiance of your grounds. Your selection of material is critical and cannot be emphasized too much.
For example, cement paths and steps, while often just the right thing, can form too sharp a contrast with the surrounding lawn and planting. Informal walks of wood, brick, flagstones, or tanbark may be much more suitable. Traditional houses are usually set off best by brick; modern houses favor wood; small houses seem to call for flagstone.
All in all use your designers eye and your creativity to find the best solutions. Take the time to get samples of the material and create a little test area to see if it is really going to work for you. Keep in mind how the path or drive will be used and how the weather will affect it.
Tags: Concrete, Design, Driveways, Garden, Home, Home Landscape, House, Landscape, Landscaping, Residential