Choosing a Driveway Design To Match Your Landscaping
You’ve got the grill fired up, a perfectly skimmed pool, and your outdoor kitchen is stocked with plenty of beverages. The only thing missing at your backyard barbecue is your guests. Your driveway
is the first thing to greet your guests as they arrive. You already have beautiful landscaping all around your home, so why not have a gorgeous driveway to match? Impress your friends and family as they arrive at your home with a dazzling driveway design to match your landscaping.
What To Consider When Choosing a Driveway
Not only is your driveway the first thing people see when they visit or pass by your home, but it’s something you utilize every single day of the year. You need a driveway that withstands weathering and wears from daily use. When choosing the perfect driveway material for your home, consider the following:
Once you’ve decided on the exact size specifications and uses for your new driveway, you can take a closer look at different driveway designs. There are so many unique materials, colors, styles, and shapes to choose from; you’ll easily find a driveway to exactly fit your needs.
7 Dazzling Driveway Designs to Match Your Landscaping
1. Concrete
One of the most common driveway choices is concrete. Many people love this material for its durability and lack of maintenance requirements. Concrete driveways that are installed correctly can last up to forty years. However, they’re not recommended for colder climates because they’re susceptible to cracking after driveway de-icing.
Best for:
Concrete driveways can be smooth, stamped, or laid in slabs. There are even instances where homeowners opt to dye their concrete driveway a crazy color. The material’s versatility makes it a great option to complement any landscape design. Just remember to avoid concrete if you live in a colder climate.
2. Asphalt
Another affordable driveway option is asphalt. Sometimes referred to as “blacktop,” asphalt driveways only come in the color black and don’t allow for any customization. However, they are easily installed in any shape. Asphalt requires additional maintenance throughout the year, but it’s easily repaired.
Best for:
Asphalt driveways are arguably the most common driveway type found in the United States. They’re a fantastic option for any home but often seen in suburban areas or at homes with more traditional landscaping.
3. Interlocking Pavers
The best driveway design to withstand harsh Minnesota winters
is interlocking pavers. The interlocked stones allow adequate room for the material to contract and expand as temperatures fluctuate. Another fantastic feature of interlocking pavers is the range of styles and designs to choose from for your driveway. There’s an endless array of colorways and paver shapes and sizes as well.
Best for:
Interlocking pavers are perfect for colder climates. They’ll vastly improve your curb appeal
and match any front yard landscaping with their sophistication and range of styles.
4. Brick or Cobblestone
Some of the more expensive driveway design options are brick and cobblestone. These driveway options offer a classic, cottage-like feel and add tons of character to your property. When appropriately installed, brick can last for decades to come.
Best for:
Brick or cobblestone driveways complement a variety of landscapes. They’re great for giving off a cottage-like aesthetic or adding a sense of austerity to a sprawling, architectural landscape.
5. Gravel
Gravel driveways are incredibly cost-efficient and easily maintained. Since the gravel is loose, homeowners typically install edging around their driveways. They also allow for excellent drainage on large, sloping lawns.
Best for:
Gravel driveways are often found on rural properties with long-reaching drives. They also look fantastic at vacation properties or homes with a coastal aesthetic.
6. Concrete and Turf/Grass Pavers
For a more environmentally friendly driveway, opt for concrete and turf or grass pavers. You can either install a grid-like pattern of small patches of grass or lay large concrete slabs with grass seeded around them.
Best for:
Concrete and turf or grass pavers are great for climates where grass grows quickly. Although they look beautiful, they’re not recommended for dry or hot environments where the grass is difficult to maintain. These types of pavers best complement modern aesthetics and landscapes with native plantings.
7. Terracotta Pavers
If you’re looking to add a bit of exotic flair to your property, choose terracotta pavers. This driveway material is available in a wide range of shapes and sizes. The pavers are often laid in aesthetically pleasing arrangements. Terracotta pavers are easy to install, and the interlocking design allows for exceptional drainage.
Best for:
Choose terracotta pavers if your landscape is Mediterranean-inspired. The beautiful, deeply-hued orange and red pavers complement tropical and Spanish-inspired styles as well. Terracotta pavers are a perfect choice for warm and cold climates.
Different Driveway Shapes
After you’ve decided on a driveway material to match your landscape, there is one final element to finish off the perfect driveway design: shape. There are several shapes to choose from for your driveway design, including:
The most typical driveway shape is the basic, straight style. Circular driveways are a favorable option for properties on busier roads where it’s difficult to back out.
Although they are less common, S and L-shaped driveways are useful in several outdoor applications. L-shaped driveways work well for homes that require additional parking spaces. S-shaped driveways are perfect for long, downward sloping drives. The courtyard style is a popular choice, especially for homeowners with expansive properties or large recreational vehicles to store.
Conclusion
Deciding on the perfect design for your new driveway can be a difficult decision. Luckily, there is a wide variety of options available to complement your landscaping beautifully. Whether your yard has a more coastal vibe, is inspired by the tropics, or contains plantings native to your local climate, there is a driveway choice for you.
Before you even think about design aspects, determine your budget and how your driveway will be used. Decide on the perfect length, width, and shape of your driveway; then you can consider choosing a pavement material.
Contact a landscaping professional
to determine the best driveway style to fit your budget and needs. Someone with a keen eye for design can craft a beautiful, lasting landscape incorporating your new driveway into the existing natural elements.
The post Choosing a Driveway Design To Match Your Landscaping
appeared first on KG Landscape Management.
Plymouth’s clay soil causes soggy lawns, sinking patios, and constant sump pump issues. Learn how smart drainage design fixes it for good.
Minnetonka snow removal done right means safety, efficiency, and property protection—not just plowing. Learn how true winter care works.
Plymouth drainage problems? Fix soggy clay soil and prevent foundation and patio damage with smart drain tile, grading, and discharge solutions.
Edina lawn fertilization: seasonal strategies for lasting color and health. Expert insights on timing, topdressing, and soil care.
Design a Minnetonka outdoor kitchen built for all seasons — cedar, stone, and smart drainage make year-round living effortless.
Medina lawn experts explain how healthy soil—not chemicals—creates lasting weed control through aeration, overseeding, and topdressing.
Medina drainage experts explain how French drains and drain tile systems fix clay soil water issues and prevent muddy lawns and shifting patios.
Edina patio and pool drainage: protect your investment with smart design and precision installation that keeps surfaces beautiful, safe, and stable year-round.
When Pergolas Don’t Last, There’s Always a Reason After nearly two decades of building outdoor spaces across Medina, I’ve seen what happens when pergolas aren’t designed for Minnesota’s conditions. You can spot them a mile away—posts that lean, beams that twist, and concrete pads that have heaved out of level after just a couple of winters. It’s not because homeowners cut corners intentionally. It’s usually because whoever built it didn’t account for what our climate really does to structures that aren’t anchored right. Medina’s heavy clay soil doesn’t drain well. It holds moisture, freezes solid, and then expands like a hydraulic press pushing on everything above it. When pergolas are set on surface-level post bases, that pressure has nowhere to go but up—and the whole thing moves. Even small shifts can cause joints to separate, wood to crack, and hardware to loosen. That’s how a $15,000 structure starts looking tired after a few years instead of standing straight for decades. The truth is, pergolas here aren’t just about shade or looks. They’re about structure, drainage, and how every piece ties into the patio beneath it. A pergola that stands tall through Minnesota winters is built on the same principles as a good foundation—it’s only as strong as what’s underneath it. If you live in Medina and want to enjoy your backyard without worrying about your investment warping or sagging, start with design that respects the environment it’s built in. That means thinking beyond lumber and stain colors. It means understanding soil movement, water management, and the importance of integrating your pergola with the patio below it.
Solutions for Properties in Minnetonka You can always tell a Minnetonka yard that’s fighting its slope. Water doesn’t lie, it finds the weak spots every time. I’ve walked plenty of properties where a backyard starts beautiful in June, but by September, the patio is heaving, the grass near the pool looks like a marsh, and the homeowner is wondering how it got so bad so fast. The truth is, when you’re dealing with rolling terrain and heavy clay soils like we have around Minnetonka, you can’t just move dirt and hope gravity behaves. You need a plan that manages water from the surface all the way down through the subsoil. This is what I’ll walk you through here. You’ll see what actually causes drainage issues on sloped properties, how poor planning leads to cracked patios and shifting pool decks, and the smart drainage systems that can stop those problems for good. Whether you live near Lake Minnetonka or up in the higher ridges closer to Deephaven or Woodland, understanding how your yard sheds water is the difference between a property that lasts and one that’s constantly under repair. The Real Challenge of Sloped Minnetonka Yards Minnetonka is known for its hills, lakefront properties, and mature trees, but all that beauty comes with a set of challenges below the surface. Most of the soil here is dense clay. It holds water like a sponge and drains slowly, which means after every heavy rain, that water looks for a way downhill. If it doesn’t have a proper outlet, it ends up collecting right where you don’t want it, like along your patio, at the base of a retaining wall, or near your pool deck. I see this every season: homeowners trying to solve slope problems with a quick regrade, a layer of rock, or a simple surface drain. Those things might help for a while, but they don’t address what’s really happening underground. Clay soil doesn’t just get wet—it becomes saturated, expanding and contracting with every freeze-thaw cycle. When that happens under a patio or wall, it doesn’t matter how well-built the surface looks. The ground will move, and that movement cracks stone, shifts pavers, and slowly tears apart everything on top. The other challenge with sloped lots is how water interacts with gravity. It accelerates downhill, gaining momentum as it goes. When it hits a flat area like a patio, the water loses speed but not volume, pooling instead of flowing. That’s why I tell clients that “flat spots” on a sloped property are both an opportunity and a responsibility. They’re the best spaces to create usable outdoor areas, but they have to be engineered to handle water movement. I’ve worked on plenty of Minnetonka yards where the backyard has a beautiful view but terrible grading. You can have a perfect slope on paper, but if it directs water toward your house or creates a bowl effect between structures, you’ll end up with soggy soil and standing puddles that never dry. The goal is to move water off and away while keeping the surface level enough for comfort and usability. It’s a fine balance, but when it’s done right, it completely transforms how a property functions.