You Have the EDGE! Landscaping the Small Space Along the Driveway.

Ivylore
by Ivylore
2 Materials
Spending so much time in my backyard garden, I had neglected the side of the house adjoining the neighbor's driveway. (They are so nice and never complained :)) After that side of my house was dug up a couple of years ago to waterproof the house, I had not replaced the grass. I had covered the dirt with landscape fabric and mulch and that was it. I thought it was about time to fix it up a little. I edged it with black edging and white marble rocks. I added some perennials that I transplanted from my back garden and a couple of annuals: shasta daisies, brown-eyed susans, coral bells, hostas, sedum, trailing evergreen, ice plant and petunias. I know when all the plants get settled in and bloom and spread, it will look even better. I think my neighbors are very happy with the result- as am I!
This is how it looked when I started. The dirt angles downward from the house and was covered with landscape fabric and mulch. I dug along the driveway and put in the black plastic edging.
I planted the hostas under the tree in the front of the house- they should love this shady area.
I transplanted the shasta daisies to the corners as well as some brown-eyed susans (which haven't bloomed yet- they are pictured here to the left of the daisies). You can see the silver mound in the foreground.
In front of the basement window, I planted some bright red petunias and an ice plant in between them.
Here are the coral bells and the trailing evergreen to the right of it.
I thought the john breech sedum will add a little color once it blooms. It is pictured here to the left of the silver mound.
As a final touch, I added white marble rock all along the edging. (It matches very nicely to the landscaping of my neighbor's house.)
What a difference. (I think my neighbors are very happy with the new look!)
The front and side of the house next to the neighbor's driveway as it looks now.
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  • Giselle Giselle on Apr 18, 2018

    I see you live in Michigan and I live in Southern Ontario so I figure we have similar growing seasons. I have a really bad back and can’t really garden much. Do have any idea on what I can plant on the side of my house (the front faces east and gets a lot of sun) that would look pretty but not require a lot of maintenance. My neighbours yard is so beautiful and mine looks so shabby plant wise! Any advice is helpful as I am a total novice!

  • Marcia Serrenho Marcia Serrenho on Apr 20, 2018

    What did you use to cover the soil? It's not green grass.

    Thank you!

  • Beth Gold Roccia Beth Gold Roccia on Jun 12, 2018

    How much white rocks did you use?

    I like this and want to do a bigger area like this.

    Thank you

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  • Margot Margot on Apr 18, 2018

    It’s a nice idea but I would have planted more flowers - or shrubs . I planted holly and it’s green all year long with beautiful red berries.

  • Hollie Wooldridge Hollie Wooldridge on Jun 11, 2018

    SoSo cute gonna do this one!

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