Ask the Expert about Your Landscape Design Problems or Concerns!

I am trying to build a driveway in my front yard that has a pretty good side ways slope to it. 
Hello, I have this large section of footage on the side of my house that I was thinking about building a driveway too. I was thinking about backing a trailer …

In your opinion, how would you approach my home’s approach? 
Hello Nancy! Here is my C. 1896 home located in Parkton, Maryland. I am proposing 2 changes to the current drive. 1. Asphalt the straight section …

Circle driveway 
Hi. My husband and I have a pie shaped lot that’s got minimal road frontage - I’m attaching pic below but think it’s 70ft. The plan we have allows for …

How can we change our front yard to improve curb appeal and pedestrian access? 
Address is 9303 W Parkhill Dr, Bethesda, 20814. Lot 10 on plat. built 1959. Bought 2017. Garage on right converted to Family room at some point. Driveway …

How can I improve my driveway so that I can turn around when I come out from garage 
Our home has a long driveway. There is not enough room for a car to turn around from the garage to the road. There is also not enough parking spot for …

Placement of new house, shed and circle drive  
I found your website and it appears you have a lot of experience with circle drives and placing new houses. The open area for this project is approximately …

Long driveway on a fairly busy street 
Hi Nancy, Thanks for any help you can provide! Current Setup: Left side entry garage, home set back from street ~80 feet. Width of ~110ft. There …

driveway dilemma 
My moms ranch style house has a "u" shaped driveway that's shape was designed by the local farmer who used to plow them out in the winter. We were shocked …

A Pergola over a deck 
Ive read you post about pergolas for shade but am not quite clear. The back of my house faces south west. The sun blazes esp in the summer. There is …

Perennial Layout help 
I've got a border garden of about 50 feet long and 3 feet wide in my backyard. On one end I've got a pomegranate tree which I want to keep, and the other …

U or Circular driveway 
Hello, I have a 70 ft house front and not sure if a U or circular driveway is best. The land is 440 ft by 190 ft. Please suggest and also how far behind …

What landscaping elements will balance a big off-center garage?  
Hi Julie -- I can't seem to find many ideas on the internet or in books to help me resolve the landscaping around this "heavy" garage. This website …

Can we build a u-shaped driveway 
Hi - I came across your post about u-shaped driveways and we are contemplating building one in our new house. We live on a busy road, so we have trouble …

U shaped drive 
I am interested in building a u shaped driveway on a small(ish) lot. There will not be a driveway gate. Two questions: 1. Do I need a separate pedestrian …

Spacing for the pergola top 
I have lost a cherry tree that gave me a dapple shade in my shade garden. We are looking to build a pergola in the area to make up for the loss. Plants …

Which is the best long-term material for my driveway? 
I live in a mountain area where winter brings plenty of snow and ice. I have a 1200 square foot area of drive and parking pad that I want to have paved. …

Circular drive vs U shape driveway? 
New construction. tuscan style house. photo shows circle drive as drawn by architect but we had debated a u shape drive to widen the house a bit. would …

New Construction and Circular Driveway 
Hi Nancy, We are building a new home and trying to decide on the shape and dimensions of the driveway. I have read though your web-site and looked …

Is it a good idea to put decorative pebble in the driveway? 
We have a beautiful pebble patio and pool deck surface. In the front we have an old stamped design (the back used to have it also but we replaced it about …

Should I create a U shaped driveway? Or add on a garage? 
Hi, Nancy, Thank you for your very informative and helpful website. I'm trying to create a driveway and/or garage for an old 1970s ranch home that …

What is the minimum comfortable turning diameter for driveway? 
Hi- I bought this sweet but neglected house this summer. Attached pix of current very steep (and then very flat) driveway which is close to house. I …

Do we need a retaining wall next to a pool and more design questions 
Hello, I have a few questions and would love to hear any advice you might offer. We have begun the process of putting in an in-ground pool in our backyard. …

Tear Drop, Circle, or U shaped?? 
We are building a house and trying to design a driveway. The yard is 240 ft across. The garage starts the beginning of the house. It sticks out about …

new walkway, risers and treads 
Please help! My husband and I want to redo our walkway and porch platform to our house but can't decide what materials and colors to choose. Our home …

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What type of driveway would be best? 
We have a long steep driveway (100 feet) in the mountains of Colo. It just has a gravel road mix on it now. What are some of the good and bad aspects …

How to create a circle driveway when the house is at an angle to the road? 
I would love to get some help with this dilemma. My house is set at an angle to the street - in a rural setting with gravel at the road. We would like …

Does a U shaped driveway have to pass in front of the front door? 
Our home is very long and the driveway is to the far right of the home. Our front door is on the opposite side of the house. I would like to add a u …

Driveway question 
Hello, we are planning our families dream home and have found your site very helpful! We have a conundrum that we think you could help us with. Our …

Do You Have Any Steel Edging Photos? 
Hi there, Do you have photos of driveways with steel edging specifically in Colonial Williamsburg. We are considering using steel to edge our gravel …

Can an outdoor brick fireplace be moved? 
My neighbor has a beautiful old brick fireplace in her backyard. I know she is thinking about selling her home, and I would love to have that fireplace- …

I need help with the size of our circular driveway to minimize asphalt and increase green space while getting the functionality? 
Before we have asphalt laid, I want to be sure of the design of the driveway. We have had the old driveway torn out and have laid only gravel so far. After …

How would you design a driveway on a corner house? 
How would you design a driveway with a house on a corner? The front of the house faces a busy road. The side of the house has a garage facing a less …

should i create a circular driveway 
My wife and I have recently purchased 10 acres and will be building our first house:) The perimeter of the property is a creek and the lot is almost exactly …

Driveway edging 
I have a stone wall(Island) and the widest part is 27' which tapers off and is 15' long--(3 sides) This is the edging on the left side of my driveway …

Help with my circular driveway island design..... 
Hi there: I've included a picture of my contemporary ranch here in Bucks County, PA. This is our third year in the house and I've decided to re-do …

I'm interested in putting in a circular drive in front of the house, but the house is not symmetrical. Should I center the circle on the front door or the middle of the house? 
House is about 80 ft wide total, with 40 ft of main house and 40 ft of garage+family room. Right now the driveway approaches on the garage side, but we …

What should I do about a drainage system for a retaining wall?  
I've been talking to a contractor about building a concrete modular retaining wall. It will be an average of 3 feet tall. I was reading your page on …

How much space do I need in front of home with circular drive? Not rated yet
I am designing an addition to my home which has an existing circular driveway - the existing perimeter is the red line in the drawing. The addition has …

how can i make a driveway so cars don’t have to back up and also have space for parking for 4 cars? Not rated yet
i’m trying to design a driveway that people can enter and exit without having to back up, and also has spaces for parking for several cars, also without …

U shaped Driveway...I think?!? Not rated yet
Hello, I came across your site while researching ideas for my driveway.... I will be purchasing a 23 foot (30 ft on trailer) fishing boat soon and want …

Do you do landscape/site design for Vinyl Liner inground pools?  Not rated yet
Hi! I purchased a vinyl liner in-ground pool and plan to sub out most of the heavy equipment related work. We have a slightly sloped yard, so I know we …

What is the minimum size of the circle for a round about driveway? Not rated yet
Hi there! I have a hillside home in Studio City, CA and would like to make a circular turn around driveway at the bottom of the driveway. I would like …

Will a circlular driveway with 64' outside diameter (32' center, 32' radius, and 16' width of drive) be enough space for cars/trucks/small delivery trucks? Not rated yet
I would like to start building a house in the woods this upcoming year, but I am having some difficulty with my site plan. On the attached PDF, I …

U-Shape Driveway Not rated yet
Hello, We just bought a home in Vienna, VA. It isn't grand. But, I believe the front yard has room for a U-shape driveway. In order to access the front …

What are the dimensions of this driveway?  Not rated yet
We are preparing to build a house and are considering a circular drive and love the look of this one but we are having trouble finding the proper dimensions …

Will a circular driveway damage my Cedar tree. Not rated yet
I have an older home that lost its original driveway due to development around the property. Over the last 4 decades there have been multiple layouts for …

My lawn is very boring and I would like to make a modern landscape. Where do I begin? Not rated yet
Front lawn just grass on a 60 wide lot new construction is very boring. I would like to make it minimalist but modern feel. Looking to use shrubs and …

How small can a radius be for cars on a full circle driveway. Not rated yet
I would like to design a full circle drive for my property. The street entrance (in a cul de sac) is on the left of the house as is the garage. This creates …

How much space is needed for a circular driveway so that cars can drive around each other Not rated yet
I want to create a circular driveway but Im not sure I have enough space. I am wondering 1)how wide the area around the circle needs to be in order for …

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Pool steps  Not rated yet
Hi, how can I add new. Concrete steps on an existing pool? I heard if you do it will crack. Any other way? Thanks. Hi! New concrete steps would …

What is the smallest diameter for a circle driveway in my front yard? Not rated yet
Older ranch set back from the road 70 feet with a slight slope to the left of house. I need to tie in with existing driveway. Thanks Hi! Thanks for …

How do we direct people to the front door? Not rated yet
Hi Nancy! I am grateful for any help you can provide. We just moved into a house in the country with a really long driveway. The garage is at the north …

S shape or U shape drive with protruding garage and corner lot? Not rated yet
Hello! I am buying a house which is a corner lot, and has a 3 car side-load garage which protrudes into the front of the lot, with the front door hidden …

Advice requested re driveway design and location given entrance to property will be from the side of the house rather than the front Not rated yet
We are in the process of building a new home as a second dwelling on a property. Due to local council regulations we have had to move the location of the …

how much shade does 14 inches of spacing top members give Not rated yet
How much shade does 14 inches of space top members give? HI! I have been out of town, so sorry for the late response to your question. A 14" space …

My garage has been transformed into indoor living space and house door is centre stage. I'd like to do a circular driveway for two vehicles. What do you suggest?  Not rated yet
I have a very shallow and narrow lot. Front Lot size: 36 feet across, 25 feet deep from sidewalk to door. Door to house is centrally positioned …

traction problem w/sloped concrete driveway Not rated yet
I have a sloped concrete driveway that has been sealed and "traction crystals" were added to the sealer at application. It is still slippery when wet and …

Parking for 6-8 cars Not rated yet
Hello Nancy, What design driveway would you recommend for 6-8 cars? The current driveway is a smear of blacktop with an awkward driveway that veers …

U or Circular driveway  Not rated yet
I am submitting the scaled drawing to my question on the topic 'U or Circular driveway ' The design is slightly incorrect as the diameter will be 55 …

Can you give us ideas for expanding the parking options to our narrow lot that has a single car driveway? Not rated yet
Our 1950's home has a single car garage in the front. The lot is only 56' wide. We are interested in expanding our off street parking options with a u-shaped …

U Shaped Driveway Not rated yet
Hello, I'm trying to figure out the square footage for a U shaped, (more like a backwards "h" shaped driveway). Let me explain what I have to work …

Circular Driveway Not rated yet
Hello we are building a house and would like a circular or a tear drop driveway. Thinking of having a 10' or 12' driveway. Red arrow would be the …

What do you think of a 'y' shaped driveway? Not rated yet
We have recently moved into an older home that was moved from it's previous location onto a narrow, but deep lot. The frontage of the house is 65 feet …

What would be the best surface for a driveway that has problems with tree roots lifting concrete Not rated yet
We have a normal house, block on a hill, with large trees around it. We have an old concrete drive and parts have been lifted by the roots. We also have …

Need help designing new sidewalk and adding on to driveway! Not rated yet
Guess my photo was uploading and I could not tell! Here are more photos.... can give measurements if necessary. Good morning Carol! I suggest creating …

Need help planning new sidewalk and additional driveway.. Not rated yet
We just finished remodeling a ranch house. We added a front porch which will be Craftsman style. The garage opens at the end. Am trying to design sidewalk …

Narrow driveway with sheer drop on one side Not rated yet
Hi. My mum has a driveway which is barely wide enough to drive up. She has had it altered so there is slightly more room but it has left a sheer drop …

Is driveway radiant heat reliable? Not rated yet
Hi Nancy. We live in Mid-Hudson Valley, NY. We get lots of snow here. We need to do some hardscaping starting with the driveway. Do you recommend radiant …

what is the narrowest frontage possible for a u-shaped driveway? Not rated yet
We have a narrow city lot with frontage of 38' and the house is set back from the sidewalk 18'. Is there any way this could support a u-shaped driveway? …

What Pavers to Use That Will Not Get Hot Around Our Swimming Pool? Not rated yet
Hi Nancy, I came across your site - very helpful. We have a home with a swimming pool. We currently have pavers on our unshaded pool patio, but …

Help my cracked driveway!! Not rated yet
Hello, I've come across your site and it's great for ideas and advice! I have a 50 year old drive that was poured in slabs. They have moved and now …

Asphalt to the edge of the retaining wall by the drive or not? Not rated yet
A new house/driveway in the mountains. Should the edges of the asphalt driveway meet the bottom of our retaining wall or should we have cut-outs w/mulch …

would we regret installing our gunnite pool under our live oak tree Not rated yet
We love the look of all the Key West pools that are right outside a living room and off the porch. We have an opportunity to create this design,but are …

How can we make this driveway functional, private and beautiful? Not rated yet
I tried to upload pictures to no avail. We drive straight into our driveway to the garage. Our house is about 100 or so feet from busy road. Currently …

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pergola Not rated yet
I would like to have some kind of cover for my backyard patio, but I don't want the whole patio covered so I can still get some sun or layout on the patio. …

How to mitigate a house with a less than 10 degree angle to the street with landscaping? Not rated yet
I am constrained by the setbacks and the house plans have been approved - a very long process where I am. This layout works but I need to think about …

Add onto shared driveway? Not rated yet
I need help adding a driveway to a home that currently only has a shared drive with the property next door, sharing the space allowing only for tandem …

I am in the process of building a new home and would like to know what are my options as far as driveway design Not rated yet
Hi Nancy, You seem to be really passionate about what you do and this site has helped me discover a lot. Thank you! I am interested in having …

What is the best way to end a retaining wall with no real stopping point? Not rated yet
I am removing all the landscaping in the middle of the house (see picture) and would like to put a retaining wall in the front yard ( half of a peanut …

permit or no permit? Not rated yet
1. My neighbor got his driveway without a permit. He says if you use the term, "drivePORT", instead of drive WAY, you can forego the permit. 2. A contractor …

Nancy - we have been trying to figure out our driveway for more than 10 years -- can you help? Not rated yet
The street in front of our house is busy and right now we have a narrow long driveway on the side of our house down to garage behind the house. We are …

Is there a site that I can go to see some driveways (circular-tear drop) that show pictures Not rated yet
Hi! Sorry, but I don't know of a site of driveways. Sounds like a good idea. Sorry I couldn't help Nancy

Where can I find design plans for circular driveways? Not rated yet
Where can I find design plans for circular driveways? Hi Skip! Unfortunately, I do not know of a book or internet resource for circular driveways. …

I want to extend my front porch but ... Not rated yet
We are not allowed to extend the porch roof. The porch is just a bit narrow and we'd like to make it about 2-3 feet wider. What we are thinking is that …

how to layout our driveway/home/pool/barn Not rated yet
Hello, we are getting ready to build our dream home. The home is 62' in the front. We will be building a 40' wide barn/garage and a swimming pool. We …

What dimensions should be used for a semi-circular driveway? Not rated yet
We are building a new house and want to install a semi-circular driveway in the front of the property. We need the circular driveway to be wide enough …

Tree Roots Under Patios? Not rated yet
Dear Reader, My back yard has about 6-12" of soil over fractured limestone. We put in a patio of pavers about 30 years ago about the same time as we …

Proper lavendar varieties for my area Not rated yet
Hi, Nancy. I found your answer so helpful in deciding what type of driveway to add that I couldn't think of a better person to ask about my garden. …

Driveway dilemma Not rated yet
We are renovating an old farmhouse surrounded by lovely old maple trees. Because of the trees we end up with a narrow driveway past the house (towards …

is there any way to tone down the black in the asphalt? Not rated yet
We have a very, very, long driveway with a slope down the mountain and so ruled out gravel--don't want to do concrete because of the expense. I like everything …

Historic House Driveway Relocation? Not rated yet
Hi, I was very excited to come across your web site. This past summer I purchased a late 1800's farm house in a rural Bourbon County, Kentucky Historic …

U-shaped driveway possible ? Not rated yet
I have a lot where I am going to build a custom home. It is 95 feet wide at the front and slightly wider to the back. It is 380 feet long. The house is …

What to do with long walkway from the driveway? Not rated yet
Our garage door is at the end of the house with the driveway running straight to the garage door. The driveway confuses our guests. Most people will go …

Does a u shaped driveway need to connect with main driveway to the side? Not rated yet
New construction . Garages are on the far right of the house and the front door is off center on the left. Can we put in a u shape driveway and not connect …

Any ideas on a driveway layout for a house we are building?  Not rated yet
The driveway access from the road has to be located on the right. Dear Cecil, Your house looks lovely in the drawing. With the driveway having …

Extending driveway to a semi-circular driveway Not rated yet
I have a sloped front yard with a driveway leading to a 2-car garage. The garage is in the front of the house to the left as you face the house. I'm …

What is the technical reason for installing a pergola??? Not rated yet
What is the technical reason for installing a pergola??? A pergola is used primarily for providing shade. It can also be used to add architectural …

Stamped Driveway holds water Not rated yet
How can we overcome standing water with a designed stamped driveway? Unfortunately, it sounds like drains were not part of the design. Water is held …

Best INEXPENSIVE lane base material Not rated yet
I'm in the Cincinnati area and have a shered lane (1/5 mile long) that has been covered by gravel 3x's over the past 12 years. We're dealing with bumps/potholes …

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Landscaping a U-Shaped House-Any Ideas? Not rated yet
Hi Nancy, We have a south-facing, L-shaped home with a LOT of driveway (see attached photos). We are trying to soften some of the drive, but have …

Should the house be seen from the road at all?  Not rated yet
Hi Nancy, I live in VT and we are moving our old house from the roadside back into the field. Even though the property looks relatively …

What is the most hard wearing and strong driveway material? Not rated yet
We are looking for the best option to resurface our driveway to enable us to park our 7.5 tonne van. Can you advise the best material? and maybe arrange …

Steel Driveway Edging-What's the Best One to Use? Not rated yet
Nancy, Your site is great and I stumbled across it last night. I am hoping you can help me with a question. I recently had a Chatanooga Rubble aggregate …

Desperate driveway Dilemma 3 Not rated yet
Here I am again...needing your advise ...I just want to clarify. You advise putting a parking area to the right of the drive to tie into the new proposed …

Desperate Driveway Dilemma 2... Not rated yet
I added another pic. I hope you don't mind. Not at all! Pictures are always helpful. Nancy

Seeking solution for Desperate Driveway Dilemma! Not rated yet
For 3 yrs we have been part of a TDOT (Tennessee Dept of Transportation) highway project. With this project came many pitfalls. .71 acres of our property …

Do you have any driveway designs where the drive comes up to the left side of the house and you want to come off the right with a circle drive that exits back to the main drive Not rated yet
Our drive comes off of a main, busy, 2 lane highway and comes on the left side of the house to a 2 door detached car garage that sits back approx 30ft …

how much shade can I expect if I build a pergola on my deck Not rated yet
Our house faces south east and gets a ton of sun most of the day. It's not until about 3 pm in the afternoon that I can venture out. I've been using a …

What are the best options for a U-shaped driveway? Not rated yet
I have a ranch house that used to be a duplex. There is a walk-out basement. The lot is a sloped through-lot, i.e. - it has road frontage on both the …

Should I add a "U" shaped drive? How to add privacy to garage area? Not rated yet
Nancy, hope you can help me with a driveway dilemma. I have attached two documents, one showing the current layout of the house, driveway and trees (highlighted …

Quick question Not rated yet
Do you have a larger pic of this? So I can see the dimensions? Thank you Yes I do. I cannot get it any larger on the site, so send me a way to get …

How do you cover concrete planters with veneer stone? Not rated yet
I have 6 concrete round planters which are lining my front driveway that I am wanting to update. I dont want to paint, but update to a stone look. Can …

Getting our driveway completed.....  Not rated yet
My wife and I have been building a stone and wood summer home in Asheville for the last three years. The look and feel of the home is "mountain lodge." …

Where can I buy 0-3 mm cold handlay asphalt similar to Durive Not rated yet
We already have a tarmac driveway of 170 sq metres which has been overlaid with small chips which are wearing away. We need to put 2-3 mm coating of fine …

What are my options for improving the looks of an older concrete driveway (which is in good shape)? Not rated yet
I'll be moving soon into a 16 year old home which has a nice wide circular drive in front. The problem is that there is so much "driveway" that it dominates …

minimum front yard size required for U shaped driveway ? Not rated yet
I have a 50' wide lot with a double wide garage facing the busy street, centered on the lot. There is about 25' to the sidewalk in front. Can I get a …

U Driveway Layout Not rated yet
Hello - First and foremost thank you for your services! I need to add a semi- circle driveway onto my house due to the fact of too many kids with too …

Parking pad with pavers or natural stone? Not rated yet
We have a small city garden where we want to put in a small parking pad. We prefer the look of natural stone especially since we want to use it for a path …

Is a 45 foot wide diameter circle wide enough for a circular driveway? Not rated yet
House is 75' wide in the front House is set back 70-80' from the road Lot is at the end of the cul-de-sac (trapezioid shape) The narrowest diameter …

Help with Selecting a Driveway Surface Not rated yet
Dear Nancy, Greetings from Cork in Ireland. We are thinking of resurfacing or changing our driveway and I came across your website giving advice about …

Can I move the outdoor fireplace? Not rated yet
A year ago we built an outdoor brick fireplace and I now regret putting it on the right side of the patio and want it moved to the left side (about 20ft.)of …

Need help with driveway design Not rated yet
Mid-century modern home design under renovation-- upgrading to more transitional styling. Long-ish drive on slope needs repaving. Are considering concrete …

Replacing an asphalt driveway Not rated yet
We have received 3 estimates with 3 different quotes for the number of inches the contractor will put down for the base and for the actual asphalt. How …

I do not know how to get the best design for a circular drive at our home. Not rated yet
We have a one level brick home. The present side drive is 87' from a 2-lane highway to our side entrance and it is 22' wide. There is a cement walkway …

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Where do I find steel edging for a gravel driveway? Not rated yet
I have an older home (original portion built in 1940) which has a New England farmhouse look to it and have lived here long enough that I am itching to …

Where can I find ideas for transitioning from patio to gravel drive? Patio is brick pavers, drive will be gravel. Not rated yet
I have a porch covered with brick pavers. Right now it just ends and gravel begins....I would like some sort of transition from porch to drive....an area …

We are deciding whether to use a water feature on the side of the porch or put a small waterfall, a few lg. boulders and flagstone pavers in the middle of the teardrop driveway? Not rated yet
On the front of house, there is a brick wall with no windows that we were thinking about adding a waterfall w/rock features, or do we put this in the middle …

Edging for a steep (45 degree) driveway that has unilock pavers? Not rated yet
Hi Victor, I have used many different edges on steep driveways. Most all edges (cobblestone, brick, concrete pavers, steel) work fine along a steep …

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO BUILD STEPS ON A SANDY SLOPE? Not rated yet
I own a house on a bluff. The slope to the beach is about 79'. How can steps be placed to last against erosion and the occasional heavy wind? Thank …

Steep Driveway Problems in Duluth, Minnesota Not rated yet
Duluth, MN gets lots of snow and rain. I snow blow and plow my driveway. It has about an 8 foot grade for a 50 foot span with more slope for about 400 …

Can steps be added to an existing gunite pool? Not rated yet
Nancy, I think you did some landscape consulting for us a few years back. We live at 1626 Pope Ave. The existing gunite pool was put in I believe in the …

Help With My Front Yard That is Full of Tree Roots Not rated yet
We have a front yard, rectangular shape 15' x 30', with very dry and patchy grass (there was grass before) and next to it is a dear BIG city tree which …

How much "shade area" is created by a 12x12 foot canopy that probably will be about 20 feet high. Also, is there a formula for figuring this out? Thank you. Not rated yet
Don't have a big tree in my front yard, so I am trying to get some decent looking shade structures up to knock off the afternoon sun. My house faces …

we have a slightly sloping driveway - will gravel slide? Not rated yet
We want to extend our driveway and re-surface , gravel would look great but we're concerned it will slide on the slope of the driveway - advise please. …

L-shaped landscape design Not rated yet
hi there, I live on a city lot in an 100 year old farmhouse. It is an L-shaped house with our kitchen addition on the back so that would be the top of …

Driveway Dilema Not rated yet
Hi Thank you in advance for any help you can provide. I've attached pictures to help with the description. Our driveway is approx. 600 feet from main …

We are considering a circle driveway for our 2.2 acre lot and are wondering if a circle driveway is a possibility? Not rated yet
The road coming into our property is centered with the house and we have a shelter belt taking up 53 ft around the perimeter of the lot. There is approximately …

I am on a low budget for landscaping b/c we are renting, but i have to have my summer flowers  Not rated yet
I have a large planting area in front of a large window. I purchased 7 large Mexican heaters, plumbago, a plant with tulip like yellow blooms and several …

Backyard Drainage Problem Not rated yet
My backyard is fairly small and has a city storm drain in one of the lower corners to help get rid of the rain water. The problem is that over the years, …

Do you have any ideas for 6" x 12" ivory pavers and tar and chip driveway? Not rated yet
Hello I live in south florida and tar and chip driveways are not common. I have travertine pavers (6x12) and was wondering if you had any design ideas …

Woodland plants below a 15' retaining wall Not rated yet
We've just completed a 80' x 15' tall retaining wall. Its on a hillside (2.5 to 1 grade) and overlooks a nice lake. We want to soften the wall. We are …

We are planning a circular driveway, but our front yard is a little small for such an endeavor. How close to the house should the closest part of the driveway be? Not rated yet
A 55 foot circle puts us about 3 feet next to the house. Is this too close? The closest I have brought a circular driveway in front of a house is about …

How do I Hide the Basket Ball Hoop? Not rated yet
New construction. Nice home w/ short (ish) driveway. On the right hand side is a half court hoop court I would like to screen. But, I do not want to …

Do you have any suggestions for designing a U-shaped or Circular Driveway for a cul de sac lot? Not rated yet
We own a 3/4 acre cul de sac lot and are in the process of designing a house for it (1 story, 4400 sq ft). The 3-car garage is in the back of the house …

How do I do a brick edge on a concrete patio? Not rated yet
I am in rural Missouri and would like to do a patio of concrete but with some old bricks set into it (the bricks were salvaged from an old building). …

Driveway help? Not rated yet
Am in process of designing driveway....need some advice ...living in nfld,Canada? I am happy to help you with your driveway. Can you be more specific …

I have a gravel driveway and the edges are always being run over by cars and trucks....then the driveway looks messy. Not rated yet
I need recommendations on edges for the driveway so that it can look neat and prevent drive overs. Price is a consideration. thank you. Hello! …

Ranch Style House Landscaping? Not rated yet
Can you please help? What sort of design suits a ranch style, single story house? A landscape design always takes into consideration the architecture …

Driveway Design Ideas Not rated yet
Hello, I just came across your website and thought you may be able to help. I have been racking my brain trying to come up with a good looking driveway …

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Trees & Edging for a long driveway Not rated yet
Hello there, I have a 900 foot gravel driveway in Newburg, Maryland. I would like to plant trees along the driveway. What do you recommend? What do …

what do you think of driveways with a center grass area Not rated yet
We are building a house with a side, three car garage. How would it look to have the straight section from the street with a grass or ground cover center …

driveway/parking question Not rated yet
My wife and I have started construction on our dream home. We have preliminarily designed the driveway as a straight driveway with a circle in front of …

How to add landscaping to soften and hide hard edges of driveway. Not rated yet
My driveway seems to overwhelm the overall view of the house and front landscaping. I would like to add a bed along the left side before the driveway …

Best landscaping for a long container to separate street from driveway?  Not rated yet
Hello! We are building a planting strip next to a street to separate street from a private circular driveway. Inside dimensions of the strip is 25 feet …

What would be the best liner for a backyard pond with dogs? Not rated yet
We would like to build a backyard pond in the dog run area of our yard, so the dogs have a way to cool down in the heat and hopefully distract them from …

How do we design a driveway and landscaping to balance new garage doors? Not rated yet
We are in need of a curb appeal genie. Right now the house looks like it was made by committee because of different colors and textures everywhere with …

We need assistance on large landscaping project. Not rated yet
I've attached pictures of the area we are wanting to landscape. Our home is for sale in rural South Dakota (Zone 4-5)and we'd like better "curb" appeal. …

What do you know about rolled limestone driveway surface Not rated yet
I have a 1/4 mile driveway that curves and rides small rolling hills, therefore concrete and asphalt seem prohibitive. I have always had gravel, but between …

Sloped Driveway Not rated yet
My partner and I are looking to have a new driveway installed this year as our current paving stones are beginning to crack and the mortar in-between has …

Driveway Problem Not rated yet
Our home is 36 years old. We started off with a concrete driveway. It cracked. Then we had it stamped painted. Cracks were back in two months and the contractor …

The most economical way to cover a dust bowl of a drive way and parking area Not rated yet
Driveway is about 32 metres x 5 metres (160 metres)and the parking area is L shaped 16m both outside lengths, 11m both inside lengths and end widths of …

How do we add a parking spot to the base of our driveway? Not rated yet
Hi! We have a long steep one car driveway that leads up into the one car garage. We would love to add a "parking spot" to the bottom of our front yard …

Circle Driveway or Not? Not rated yet
Hello, I am finishing our home in Hempstead Tx. Our ranch roads and drives were put in long before the house was designed. (The odd shape in yellow) There …

Making driveway look presentable Not rated yet
My driveway is concrete and had a few cracks so I got a local guy to repair it. I didn't realise that he would drill out the concrete and fill it in. …

The complete width of our new house is going to be 73 feet. How big of a circle do we need for a circle driveway? Not rated yet
The complete width of our new house is going to be 73 feet. How big of a circle do we need for a circle driveway? Good Morning Leslie, The …

best lawn for my yard? Not rated yet
I have a small (60' x 60') yard in Indianland, S.C. that is shared with 3 large dogs. Every winter the dogs running around create a muddy mess. I would …

Driveway Design Not rated yet
Please see my attached lot layout. Are the dimensions for the drive functional? Would you change anything? Dear Aaron, The scan is fuzzy, so I …

tar and gravel Not rated yet
Nice website ! We have a tar and pea gravel surface drive. We did this about 20 years ago over an asphalt driveway in bad shape. We enjoyed the …

is 30' radius okay? Not rated yet
my driveway is a derivative of the teardrop shaped driveway that starts with around 24' double-laned entrance, and then merges into a semi circle with …

What is a good option for replacing a stamped concrete driveway? Not rated yet
I have a stamped concrete driveway that is 10 years old. It looked pretty good 5 or 6 years ago and then started to go down hill. I spent close to $20K …

Will a Pergola provide shade on my deck? Not rated yet
Hi Nancy, My house faces NE and I would like some shade on my back deck. I've thought about a screen porch but not sure where to put it or how it will …

Dimensions of Tear Drop Driveway on Site Not rated yet
Nancy, On the landscape-design-expert web site, you have a design of a tear drop driveway. I have saved the picture and made it larger but I still …

What are the widths of the tear drop driveway on the sides and the side toward the house.  Not rated yet
Even saving the picture, I can not make out the numbers. Sorry for the inconvenience. This driveway drawing is 20 feet wide at the house and the two …

How to handle a slope on a driveway edge? Not rated yet
We have an existing driveway with a three foot edge that currently has dirt and plants in it. On the other side of the edge is the walkway to our front …

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Existing Driveway not centered - a problem? Not rated yet
We have a piece of property (pasture) that is about 900 feet deep with about 1400 ft of frontage (approx 30 acres runs north to south) and are ready to …

can you tell me the best way to improve traction on a steep concrete driveway Not rated yet
we are building a new ocean front house. Our driveway is quite steep. We are going to surface the driveway in concrete, but were wondering what was the …

What kind of "evergreen" plants are best for full sun around a mailbox? Not rated yet
I don't like the look of dead flowers so I think "evergreens" would be best. I'm not a gardener in any sense of the word - I can't even figure out which …

turning radius for a 18' SUV and 25' boat trailer Not rated yet
I'll be hauling a 25 foot boat trailer with an 18 foot SUV. I need a new drive to start off a main road at a 90 degree angle. It will then curve to the …

Landscaping a long driveway, with a garage in the way! Not rated yet
I'm looking for ideas on how to landscape my driveway and give my house some curb appeal. We have a long driveway and from the road you only see the side …

circular driveway Not rated yet
hi there... i wish you were in Baltimore. so i plan on creating a circular driveway and wanted to know the diameter size if i want cars to park along …

pergola Not rated yet
What is the minimun size of red cedar for a 14 foot span on a pergola. It will only be 64 inches wide and connected to the house. The span will be supported …

What is the best kind of pool deck? Not rated yet
I am about to have a back yard in ground pool put in at our Georgia home. I am trying to decide on the most cost effective but functional kind of deck …

Driveway Edging II Pictures Not rated yet
I am probably driving you crazy. I really apologize. Good Morning Alex! You can never drive me crazy. I welcome your input. Now that I can see the …

Driveway Edging II Pictures Not rated yet
I have a stone wall(Island) and the widest part is 27' which tapers off and is 15' long--(3 sides) This is the edging on the left side of my driveway …

Our backyard backs to the woods. Can we still have an outdoor fireplace? Not rated yet
My dream is to have a huge outdoor fireplace centered on my dining room window, so you can see the fireplace from the dining room. I've looked into ordering …

How should I layout my driveway? Not rated yet
Hi! I love your website! I am building a house on a semi-busy road and I am interested in driveway designs. I have a couple of options drawn out below, …

Will my perennials come back? Not rated yet
I live in Bethesda MD. Most of my perennials have started to come to life as it is the beginning of April. However, I have 1 catmint, 2 verbena, 2 Bluebeard, …

I need help with remodeled older home with large front porch. Not rated yet
My mom's house in central NC faces southeast. I'm having trouble with what to do around the front and right side. The porch is so large and short....about …

I don't want to "uglify" the home. Do you have a suggestion? My 2 choices that I have thought of are:  Not rated yet
I don't want to "uglify" the home. Do you have a suggestion? My 2 choices that I have thought of are: The sidewalk/walkway is hard to see in the …

Can I fit a U-shaped driveway at the from of my property? Not rated yet
Right now, the access to our house is off a side street, with a very long driveway leading to the back of our house. We'd love to get a u-shaped driveway …

design plan Not rated yet
Hi Nancy, I live in N.Tx (DFW) area and my husband and I moved into our first home in 2008. The house already has established shrubs and one Live Oak …

I need advice on my backyard pool and surrounding area Not rated yet
We installed an inground pool 2 summers ago. It is beautiful, we couldn't be happier. My concern is that we have a very large fenced in yard. I feel …