Driveway Solution

This gravel drive gracefully weaves through the woods.

If you have a great-looking landscape, you don't need to make a fuss over your driveway. Allen Hardin's entrance to his mountain home in Highlands, North Carolina, proves that point. When he turns off the main road, his tires swish onto gravel. The sound of crushed stone signals Allen to forget his hectic Atlanta lifestyle, switch gears, and relax.

Putting Down Gravel

Allen wanted a driveway that would blend into the wooded mountainside. The drive is long, about 100 yards, so he decided two strips of crushed stone would be a simple, attractive, affordable solution. During his home's construction, trucks ran up and down the drive. The worn tire tracks showed him exactly where to place the gravel.

The two 16-inch-wide strips of crushed granite wind beneath a heavy canopy of trees. Crushed limestone, pea gravel, crushed brick, or oyster shells can also be used in the same fashion. Allen replaces some of the gravel every couple of years to keep things looking fresh.

Seeding Grass

The center of the drive stays green year-round. Allen seeds a 30-inch strip of fescue twice annually, once in the spring and again in the fall. As the grass grows, a lawn mower keeps it groomed. The first cut usually occurs three to four weeks after the initial seeding. Allen always has extra seeds on hand to fill in bare spots. Car tires rolling up and down the drive keep the turf edged. The green strip contrasts with the gray stone, adding a living detail to the winding drive. (In warmer regions where it's hard to grow cool-season grasses, use Bermuda, centipede, St. Augustine, Zoysia, or even mondo grass for the center strip.)

Straw on the Side

The outside of the drive is mulched with pine straw. These reddish-brown needles really clean up the edges. They also hold up well during heavy rains and won't wash away like bark. The thick layer of mulch keeps the weeds down and reduces erosion.

Using the Natural Landscape

Two rounded boxwoods give the entry a formal look, but the drive retains a rustic feel. Mother Nature sprinkled rhododendrons throughout the property. They produce balls of white blooms in the spring and provide coarse, dark green foliage yearround. Mounds of hostas sporting large, rounded leaves grow along an aged cedar fence, and chartreuse-colored native ferns rise out of the ground like soft feathers.

Allen's drive is a creative, economical way to get from point A to point B. Each time he turns onto the property, he smiles and enjoys the scenery. As his tires sink into the tiny pebbles, he feels as if he were headed down an old country road. CHARLIE THIGPEN

Copyright Southern Progress Corporation Apr 2005
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