Rihanna told us to shut up and drive, but we’re pretty sure she meant onto a driveway that’s green, gorgeous and buzzing with life. With over a quarter of UK front gardens now completely paved over, choosing the right plants means you don’t have to pick between off-street parking and a vibrant, wildlife-friendly space.
The benefits are huge, as green driveways don’t just reduce flooding and pollution – they can also keep temperatures down during a heatwave, support biodiversity, and create a far more welcoming space for you and your visitors.
Throw in the fact that seeing calming plants and flowers as you step out of your car has been shown to boost mood and wellbeing? Not too shabby for a “functional” area, quite frankly!
The best plants for a green driveway
You don’t need to be an expert gardener to achieve your dreams. In fact, with the right resilient plants, you can create a fuss-free driveway that thrives with very little upkeep.
Don’t believe us? Here’s our expert-approved list of the best plants for a green driveway…
1. Creeping thyme
When it comes to picking the best plants for a green driveway, creeping thyme – available at Crocus – tends to pop up a lot, and for good reason.
'If I could only choose one plant for a driveway, it would be creeping thyme,' says award-winning garden designer Matthew Childs. 'It forms a dense evergreen mat of foliage that works brilliantly in gravel or tucked between paving slabs.'
'In summer, it’s smothered in magenta-pink flowers that pollinators love, and it’s tough enough to cope with the odd car tyre or footfall,' adds Matthew.
Hardy and aromatic, creeping thyme also adds bursts of colour and scent to what can otherwise be a very grey space. Win win!
2. Impatiens
For those with minimal soil space, impatiens are a clever addition to our list of the best plants for a green driveway.
'They have shallow root systems, so you can grow them in small containers, window boxes, or hanging baskets around your driveway without taking up parking space,' explains Morris Hankinson, director of Hopes Grove Nurseries.
Morris goes on to add that these 'bright, beautiful flowers' offer an easy way to add impact without interfering with the practical use of your drive.
For an easy win, try the Impatiens 'Beacon Select Mixture' from Crocus; they should keep blooming right through until those first early frosts.
3. Lavender
A firm favourite with both of our gardening experts, lavender is the ultimate low-maintenance driveway star.
'It’s perfect for edging or creating a low hedge,' says Matthew. 'The bees adore it, and you only need to give it one haircut a year to keep it looking good.'
Morris agrees, adding that 'lavender should be a staple, as it adds a gorgeous purple pop of colour, and its scent will be the first thing people notice when they arrive at your home.'
4. Sweet box
Paved spaces often lack winter colour and interest, which is why Matthew recommends sweet box shrubs as one of the best plants for a green driveway.
'They’re shade-loving evergreens, and in the bleakest months they give off the most welcoming perfume,' he explains.
'They’re also a vital early pollen source for pollinators emerging from hibernation.'
Position one (we rate this classic sweet box from Crocus) near your front door for maximum impact.
5. Hardy geraniums
You don't have to do anything really complicated to create a wildlife-friendly driveway; even something as simple as planting hardy geraniums will do.
'If your driveway has a border, or you can carve out a strip for planting, hardy geraniums are perfect,' says Morris. 'They’re drought-tolerant, spread easily, and are pest-resistant, so basically the definition of low maintenance. And the flowers continue for months, adding softness and colour that lasts.'
If you want to ramp up your eco-friendly points, try selecting a variety that grows in one of the flower colours that bees love most. We're fans of Erodium × variabile 'Bishop's Form' (available at Crocus) for this very reason.
FAQs
What is the best plant for driveways?
For the most effective green space, remember that there is no one best plant for driveways. Lavender can frame your parking area with scent and colour, shrubs like sweet box provide structure and winter interest, while containers of impatiens or hardy geraniums add seasonal variety.
That being said, Morris Hankinson of Hopes Grove Nurseries says, 'if you want low-growing plants to cover gravel or 'unsightly' areas of your driveway, Creeping Thyme can be useful'.
'It produces beautiful dark green leaves and clusters of purple flowers, and is a hardy herb plant, which means it will continue to grow happily throughout the winter months. Many people plant creeping thyme in between paving slabs to break up monotonous patios and driveways as it adds so much colour!' he adds.
How to add greenery to a driveway?
There are plenty of ways to add greenery to a driveway, whether that's swapping your wall or fence for one of the best hedging plants, thinking vertically with some of our favourite living wall ideas, or swapping the tarmac for a sustainable gravel garden.
Many experts will also advise taking out an occasional paving stone to create a planting spot. Something like allium schoenoprasum (or chives, if you prefer!) will work well, but it's also worth checking out the perennials that thrive on neglect, too.
Essentially, the takeaway is this: your driveway doesn’t have to be a sterile, grey patch of tarmac. In fact, in a world which desperately needs more green spaces, it absolutely shouldn't be.
Still, you don't have to give up on your precious off-street parking spot. Instead, pick out a few of the best plants for a green driveway and transform yours into a space that’s welcoming for guests, beneficial for pollinators, ridiculously easy to look after, and good for the environment.
We'll race you to the garden centre...
