Things to Line a Driveway With

Retaining Walls

• Retaining walls permanently alter the height of the driveway's perimeter. Retaining walls might stand alone as a partition, form the side of a raised flower bed or hold the soil of an elevated yard space. Common retaining wall materials include cast concrete retaining wall blocks and cinder blocks, natural stones and brick. Building retaining walls requires substantial labor and materials. Depending on the wall's height, local building authorities might regulate the retaining wall's construction.

Edging Materials

• In hardscaping, the term "edging" refers to a variety of inanimate materials, usually decorative in nature, that line a driveway's border. The undulating, scalloped brick edging widely available at garden centers and home improvement stores is a prime example of edging material. Other edging materials include natural stone materials, such as flagstones and concrete paver units. Unlike retaining walls, edging materials typically remain flush with a driveway's top surface.

Plants and Trees

• Inexpensive and relatively easy to install, plants and trees add color and visual interest to a driveway's perimeter. Plants that flower several times throughout the year, such as ground covers and certain shrubs, are popular choices for lining a driveway. Taller shrubs and trees create a wall of vegetation along the driveway's border or form a canopy to frame and shade the driveway from above.

Outdoor Lighting

• Outdoor lighting along a driveway's perimeter not only guides visitors after dusk, but also provides homeowners an opportunity to augment their landscape and hardscape design. Outdoor lighting occurs both along a driveway's perimeter and at its entry gate. Common lighting options include tall lamps or short, cleverly concealed ground lighting. Additionally, landscapers often place lights beneath trees to create a dramatic visual effect during the evening.

Outdoor Structures

• Several types of outdoor structures augment a driveway's appearance and functionality. Arbors and pergola structures may stretch along the driveway's border or span across the driveway to frame and shade its surface. Outdoor structure frames can hold plants' climbing vines or serve as a covered roof for a bench. Alternatively, short, decorative fences, such as picket fences or split rail fences, create an attractive border for driveways.