Adding plants to a driveway accomplishes several objectives, such as adding a touch of greenery to an otherwise drab landscape, or creating more privacy and fewer sightlines. For starters, you need to establish whether you want fast-growing, privacy-screen kinds of plants, or the low-growing, ground-cover plant types. This decision will mostly be influenced by the width and length of your driveway, as well as the type of fencing installed.
Since most driveways use gravel as their primary material, many plants have a difficult time thriving in their vicinity. This is because gravel reflects a lot of heat, adding to the already hot condition of the driveway. Instead, try to use organic materials for your driveway, such as mulch or wood chips. That said, here are some drought tolerant plants recommended by a landscape designer in Spoken WA.
Mexican Sage
This low-water landscaping plant grows to form beautiful spiky purple flowers and can survive just about anywhere. When it is not flowering, it maintains a full coverage of grey-green leaves that provide color and texture throughout the year. It is an excellent choice for driveways as it requires minimal maintenance and is resilient, such that it easily recovers if you accidentally drive over it. As a bonus, this attractive, low maintenance, and drought tolerant plant attracts beautiful hummingbirds to your property.
Lantana
These fast-growing beauties are primarily used for ornamentation around the edges of your driveway, with their orange, blue, pink, and multicolored flowers. They require regular watering before they establish their roots, but once done, you can water them as scarcely as once a fortnight. Additionally, they quickly and perfectly cover the ground, such that in some areas, they are categorized among the most stubborn weeds. Depending on the variety, you can use them as a privacy hedge growing as tall as six feet, or as a ground coverage option only.
Lavender
This diverse plant has at least three dozen species from which you can select your preference. The perennial shrubs grow to about four to five feet depending on the species. As such, they can be used to boost privacy by blocking the view as you drive into and out of your driveway. While English lavender is the most popular variety, you should check with your gardener to see the varieties that are available and suitable for your environment.
Seaside Daisy
If you have an oceanfront home, or a home that is open to the beach, then this flower variety is for you, as it easily grows in these areas; it has even been observed to grow wild near the seaside, indicating how at home it is in this environment. While it is native to coastal California, it can survive almost anywhere with little to no care. This short perennial grows to a height of about one foot, making it suitable for areas that require colorful ground cover but not much height. Additionally, seaside daisy appears natural to your driveway and it does not overpower your driveway pavement.
When selecting flowers for your driveway, you first need to establish the type of your driveway. Is it a large driveway? A long straight driveway? A sloped one, or a sunken one? Determining this will help you easily select flower options that will complement your driveway. Discuss this with your landscape professional when making the decisions.
