Driveway Greenery: Plants for your Front Garden

Every area of your property can be brightened up with the addition of some plantlife and the edges of your driveway are no exception. Planters beside your drive can provide a happy home for many different types of hardy plants.

• Shrubs
  
• Ferns
  
• Palms
  
• Cacti
  

Shrubs are low-maintenance requiring only the occasional water during dry periods and the odd pruning when they are getting too big for their planters. Try Box if you want to shape your shrubs, Holly if you like the idea of free Christmas decorations or Lavender for the gorgeous smell.

Ferns prefer free draining soil, but can thrive in planters if in the right soil mix. They tend to fare better in single plantings. Try Carrot Fern or the intriguingly named Hairy Lip Fern.

There are many types of palms that grow well in the UK. Outdoor palms need a lot of water when first planted and until they are established, but from then on you can basically ignore them unless there is a drought. Chat to the arboriculturist (tree surgeon) in your local garden centre about varieties best suited to your soil type.   

If outdoor palms surprised you, then you may be shocked that there are also many species of cactus can grow happily outdoors in our cold wet climate. Most suited to these Northern climes are cacti of the Prickly Pear family. Cylindropuntia can survive temperatures of up to -30℃ and can grow to an impressive two metres. Make sure cacti are planted in sandy soil with a mixture of shingle so that they are reminded of their home deserts of Western America by the soil if not by the weather.

If you have a driveway that is split down the middle with shingle, you could even cut a hole in the permeable membrane and grow plants that are hardy enough to survive repeated exposure to exhaust fumes and the occasional squashing. The Royal Horticultural Society recommends Creeping Jenny or a thyme such as Thymus Serpyllum. 

The longer your driveway, the more worthwhile you will find it to invest in a hosepipe. This will have a dual use. You can use it to give your driveway a quick clean and water your plants at the same time - saving yourself the job of lugging a heavy watering can to the end of the drive. 

For any advice about the installation of planters or split driveways and for all your paving and brickweaving needs, please don’t hesitate to contact us on 01603 360548.