The Most Affordable Driveway Border Solutions For Your Next Project

If you are looking to give your driveway a glow-up and add a new border, there are loads of options to pick from. From sleek Corten steel plates to cobblestone walls, there are some great driveway border ideas to boost curb appeal. However, driveway borders can get a little bit pricey, and you may need to hire experts if you are paving or adding walls. Thankfully, instead of spending loads of money on contractors and materials, there are a few affordable driveway border solutions that look great and can easily be installed by a DIY-lover who is looking for their next project. Two solutions you may want to consider are gravel and landscaping. 

If you decide to use gravel for your driveway border, you will be paying around $1 to $10 per square foot. Exactly how much it will cost will depend on how long the border will be and the type of gravel you will use. For cheaper gravel, opt for pea gravel or crushed shell. White or blue stone gravel can get expensive, but it may still be cheaper than other options that have installation costs involved.

Using plants and flowers as a driveway border can be pretty cheap if you purchase plant plugs or seeds that reach a decent mature size. Opt for low-maintenance perennials you can plant en masse for your driveway border, such as grasses, heucheras, or hostas, as this allows you to buy in bulk. For example, you can get six heuchera plugs that get to 2 feet in size for around $35, making the border cost around $2.90 per linear foot.

Installing gravel for your driveway border is pretty simple and easy to do by yourself. All you need to do is dig a shallow trench next to your driveway and fill it with gravel. You can also include a weed barrier to help prevent weeds from poking through.

Make sure not to dig it too deep, as this will mean you need more gravel! You may need to top the border up every few years as the gravel can disperse. If you still have some money left over after installing your gravel border, you may want to consider picking up some cheap plants to add to it. There are some wonderful plants that grow well in gravel landscapes, such as grey cranesbill (Geranium subcaulescens). and broadleaf stonecrop (Sedum spathulifolium).

A gravel driveway border will not need much upkeep, apart from refreshing the materials when necessary. However, clearing debris away from the border will help it stay looking smart. Depending on how big the border is, it may also be useful to rake it every so often to keep it even.

If going all out with greenery is your border choice, you first need to decide what you are going to plant. This means considering your USDA Hardiness Zone, how much sun the area gets, and how protected the plants will be. You should also consider drought and cold weather, matching plants that can withstand the conditions of your climate. 

As previously stated, buying in bulk and planting en masse is usually a cheaper option, but you can explore different ways of designing your border, depending on your budget. For example, picking plants that have contrasting color palettes is a nice way to add some intrigue to your driveway. Mixing different textures and heights along the drive is also something to consider. Buying two types of plants, i.e., a small flowering ground cover and an ornamental grass, makes a stunning driveway border with all the variety you need.

When installing your landscape driveway edging, make sure you give every plant enough room to grow to its mature size. It can be tempting to plant them closer for a more complete look straightaway, but in the long run, this is a waste of money and can cause overcrowding. Once you have planted your border, add mulch to suppress weeds. If you have picked plants that are low-maintenance and suitable for your conditions, your landscaping driveway border will be easy to look after, with yearly pruning and fertilizing all you will need to do.