A green drive on a grass grid
Lots of households need somewhere off the street to park, and many would rather not lose the front garden to do it. A grass grid lets a car park on a lawn that stays green.
These notes cover how driveway grids work, where grass in a grid does well, and what a green drive does for the house and the street. They draw on government guidance on paving front gardens, the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) and Leeds City Council's front garden guide.
What a driveway grid is
A driveway grid is a mesh of open cells, usually plastic or concrete, laid across the drive. The cells hold grass growing in soil, or gravel. The grid strengthens the surface so that cars can drive over it.
The RHS describes one common type as hexagonal cells made from recycled plastic. Government guidance says both plastic and concrete systems strengthen the ground and reduce erosion. The plastic ones can take gravel instead of grass.
Grass that takes a car
A reinforced grass surface lets a car drive over it without leaving ruts. The RHS says these products stop the drive turning into a muddy field.
Government guidance suggests using the grass species the grid's maker specifies, so that it suits the spot. A low-growing grass that needs little mowing is one option.
Where a grass grid does well
Government guidance gives one clear limit. Grass may die where a car stays parked for a long time. It also says the surface may need mowing and some upkeep to look tidy.
Leeds City Council's guide looks at drives where cars are out for much of the day. It suggests low plants between the wheel tracks that cope with the odd knock, such as creeping Jenny, bugle and thyme.
What a green drive does
The RHS says hard surfaces such as concrete and tarmac can increase rainwater run-off by as much as 50 percent. That water often ends up in street drains that cannot always cope.
Government guidance adds that reinforced grass can help reduce temperatures around the house, absorb pollution and dust, and reduce noise. The RHS also warns that paving stops rain reaching clay soil, which can shrink and crack walls and paths.
Wildlife in the front garden
Leeds City Council points out that front gardens of every size support birds, butterflies, bees and hedgehogs. Together they link up into a network of spaces for wildlife.
The council encourages people to keep natural grass rather than plastic turf, and to keep trees and hedges where they can. It says this also lowers the risk of flash flooding.
Paths and planning
Leeds notes that loose gravel and stepping stones are hard going for wheelchairs and walking aids. A firm path from the street to the front door helps, and it makes moving wheelie bins easier.
In England, a house owner does not need planning permission for a new or replacement drive of any size if the surface lets water drain through. Flats, maisonettes and homes in some protected areas follow different rules. Driving across a pavement needs a dropped kerb, which the council approves.