Designing Driveways Part 2

debroahsdrive1Few of us have the luxury, opportunity, or headache of designing a drive from scratch.  My home was built in 1930, and had a gorgeous brick driveway; this became mine in 1994.  Over the years the drive had heaved such I could only broom the snow-not a good option in Michigan.  I took up the old brick, with the idea of replacing it with a concrete brick made by Unilock in a pattern called “Copthorne”- in exactly the same configuration and pattern. Unbelievably, there was a concrete foundation under that old brick-I still do not understand how it ever drained. The original garage is part of the basement of the house. I understand now why I have a huge steel trench drain inside the basement door, which is tied into the house drains.  In order to insure good drainage to the street, I now have to take a step down into my garage.  This I do not mind, as I love my old house from start to finish.

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My driveway is a full 28 feet wide when it meets the street. In 1930, there was a fountain in the center of that approach. An owner in the 1940’s must have driven a giant Buick that he kept smashing into the fountain. I am sure in a fit of exasperation, he cemented over that “bollard in a fountain costume”. Whatever unknown great designer narrowed that drive to barely 10 feet halfway to the house, and then expanded it back out again near the garage, I salute you.  I have an hourglass shaped driveway-why not? I am sorry I cannot say that I designed it myself. I have a lavishly over scaled welcome home feature at the street, and a narrow transition that requires careful driving to get through.  I call that the “slow down, you are home now” checkpoint.  This opens up again at the garage/basement entrance.

The expansion I call my driveway piazza.  I plant a slew of pots in this area, and I police a big bed of butterburrs there. My driveway piazza is a gateway to my yard-so yes, I have gates. Though I have days when I do not go everywhere on my property, I am looking at my driveway landscape every day, twice a day. The first rule of dealing with a driveway that is staying: do what it takes to make you happy to be pulling in.

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Comments

  1. pretty spectacular! and i gotta’ love those butterburrs. keep up the good work!

  2. OH< Tis BEAUTIFUL………….I need help with my short little driveway!
    Your pots are always stuffed with gorgeous specimens!I must try to be more like YOU!

  3. Wow. Love your drive; I have a much better sense of it now. Beautiful landscape.

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