Be Inspired by These Landscaping Trends for an Updated Driveway in Wheaton IL

Do you see your driveway as a utilitarian feature or a design statement that boots your home’s curb appeal? The good news is that it can be both. If you’re ready for a driveway renovation, let yourself be inspired by these landscaping trends for an updated driveway in Wheaton, IL.

Choose Permeable Pavers

If you think of pavers as a luxury item, you’re not wrong; but, they are actually surprisingly affordable, especially when you consider the long term. First, permeable pavers are much more beautiful than poured concrete or asphalt. They can mimic the look of natural stone or have their own modern flair.

But the real value of permeable pavers is in the superior durability of the driveway. Solid surface driveways will, over time, crack and heave due to natural soil movement. As well, any water that falls on the surface has nowhere to go except your landscaping or the municipal storm drain system (if there is one). By contrast, permeable pavers feature a special substrate and larger joints between the pavers to allow surface water to seep into the ground. This prevents standing water (and ice build-up) on the driveway, and it prevents flooding. The pavers themselves are extremely durable and designed to move very slightly, independent of each other, which means that your driveway will never develop ugly cracks or frost heaves due to the freeze-thaw cycle.

If you’re worried about snow plows damaging your pavers, now is the perfect time to install a driveway heating system that will virtually eliminate the hassle of plowing and deicing. This system can also be used under your walkway (and in the backyard, on your paver patio) to make your landscape much safer and more usable any time of year.

Pavers really shine when it comes to creativity. They give you so many design choices that will complement your home and landscaping. Choose from a variety of styles, textures, colors, and finishes and make your driveway a key focal point. You could also add decorative borders, a driveway apron, inlays, and built-in LED lighting.

Landscape Your Driveway

If you decide to go with a driveway heating system, you can move plantings closer to the driveway without fear of damage from snow plows. This lets you turn a featureless space (a swath of driveway cutting through a lawn) into a gorgeous botanical garden-style landscape. And if you utilize native plants, this landscaping strategy will be about as low-maintenance as it gets. Native plants are water-wise, hardy, and take far less maintenance than lawns. More dimensional plantings along the driveway also give you the opportunity for creative landscape lighting that’s set in the greenery for a layered effect.

While pavers are a bigger upfront investment than many other driveway surfaces, ultimately the rewards both in terms of beauty, utility, and durability are also greater. Over the long term, when an asphalt or poured concrete driveway has been patched, resurfaced, or completely redone, is when the savings will really add up.

If your driveway is long, part of this landscaping strategy could involve a low wall, to add interest. This wall could be along one or both sides of the driveway. It could be a rustic stacked fieldstone wall, or a more substantial mortared wall where you could incorporate landscape lighting to bring soft illumination to the entire length of the driveway. A wall gives your home an estate feel.

If your driveway is shorter and you want to add a unique touch, consider a series of large, colorful planters along the driveway that you could fill with seasonal color and holiday decorations.