Grass Driveways | Environmentally Friendly Driveway

The idea of a grass driveway is off-putting to many people; indeed, weren’t driveways invented as an alternative to plain grass, to provide greater traction and durability for the regular use they receive? In fact, grass driveways provide an environmentally friendly, beautiful alternative to more conventional driveway material choices.

Grass blends into the natural landscape much more easily than man-made materials like asphalt and concrete and, though grass by itself cannot be expected to bear the same loads or daily use as more solid driveways, it can be cleverly reinforced to fortify its load-bearing ability, making it nearly as effective without compromising its aesthetic appeal. One such method that is extremely popular is known as “cellular paving,” which consists in the construction of specially shaped concrete shells, which house within them soil and grass seed. The concrete acts to support the load of even very heavy motor vehicles, while the interior shell allows grass to grow freely. The result is a beautiful grass-and-concrete pattern, which can be hexagonal, circular or rectangular, giving the homeowner greater control over the overall aesthetic of the driveway.

Some people might also opt to forego the cellular paving method altogether, giving their driveway an appearance indistinguishable from a front or back lawn. This type of grass driveway is most suitable for country homes, where the regular use caused by constant car traffic will not wear them down as quickly. Should you opt for such, it is still important to create a foundation on which to lay the grass, as otherwise excess water from heavy rains or heavy loads will create severe problems.

Grass driveways require regular maintenance, as any lawn or grass-covered area would. Grass should be mowed regularly to maintain a desired length, and weeds, plants and trees should not be allowed to take root. After droughts, long winters or particularly hot days, the grass might require reseeding. The relative cost of all of these maintenances is low, but bear in mind that grass driveways, even those reinforced with cellular paving, are not intended to bear heavy loads, and should they be ill-used, repair costs can increase dramatically.

Because of their particular appearance, grass driveways are best suited to rural or country homes, where they can be blended into the surrounding landscape. They are not ideal, but not necessarily impractical, in suburban areas, as regular use by automobiles will wear the grass out quickly.