Plans
Even though this small design is created for the center planter of a circular driveway, with a little imagination, it could be altered to serve other design styles and applications including small gardens.
This circular driveway planting layout displays unity with the home. The beds and walkway are created from the same material as the home. In this case it was brick but it could be flagstone, cobblestone, or any other home building material. Using the same material as the home can help make landscaping elements used in your yard an extension of the home instead of a separated area.
Plants and planting ideas can be adapted to any geographic area. We did use intentional plantings of groups of 3's to create unity and balance. Using a few varieties of plants repeatedly throughout the garden will help with balance.
The ground cover here can be altered to whatever is locally available to you. And, of course, should be placed on top of a quality landscape fabric to separate the surface and ground cover and to prevent weeds.
Colors, textures, plants, and elements can all be changed to match your home, atmosphere, climate, planting zone, and availability.
In this driveway planter, the area is surrounded by 30 feet of concrete driveway. Most times in situations like this, you may have to cut the concrete to get an automated drip or sprinkler system to the area. It is possible to water drill this distance as we've done it many times. However, it is quite a distance.
This design is actually a good example of asymetrical design (see Principles Of Landscape Design). Both sides of the dividing line are different in shape. However, a unified design is still created using plants and materials.
The real beauty and impact of this circular driveway landscape is because of the use of different levels. Good design can use more than one level to create character and interest. Also, in the use of small gardens, levels can help create the illusion of more space.
From the street view, the driveway design and shape is pleasing and interesting. The two taller beds have been planted with 11 foot Mondale Pines which create a back drop and boundary from both directions. While they will get much larger, the trees still won't hide the home because they're centered and far enough away from the home.
If this circular design pattern of this driveway planter was used in a small garden design (excluding the Mondales, or not), the different levels in the landscape would give the illusion of more space.
