Monday, October 19, 2009

Landscape And Driveways Entrances

By Marshall Clewis

Have you ever stepped across the street from your house and gave it a close examination of what your visitors, guest and those who drive by see when they look at the message your landscape and garden gives? Does your entrance say - Welcome or chaos is happening here?

Driveway and Entrance

Besides presenting an attractive picture of the house, you want to create an atmosphere of welcome for your visitors. This was carried out beautifully in English cottage gardens.

The driveway is the first step, since most people travel by car. The semicircle so popular on large properties wastes a lot of space and seldom gives a good view of the house. It is usually best to have the driveway straight to the garage, if possible, with a wide bay for parking. A driveway should be at least 18 feet wide, to allow cars to pass easily, and the turns should have an inside radius of 18 feet.

The position of the driveway, parking area and a good lawn that are added with peat moss lawn often makes the approach to the house from one side rather than the front. This gives you a chance to have a welcoming, attractive entrance court or patio at the front of the house, as well as a pleasant view from inside.

Your entrance court does not have to be elaborate as the one shown. For example, if the house faces south or west, you probably will have trees to shade the front windows. In addition to framing the house, the branches overhead give a sense of enclosure. Between the driveway and the court you might have a paved area with a seat or some other feature to focus attention before turning toward the house. Then you could have a low hedge, to define the court, and a few outstanding plants for color. An interesting entrance like this makes your guests feel they have been welcomed before they even knock on the door.

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