A new landing and parking area were the last hurdles to face before plantings could begin. We designed a half circular loop for off-street parking to complement the main driveway that runs along the side of the house. The front loop gives homeowners and guests a place to park their cars for a quick entry to the front door.

Although the new parking area takes up a lot of the front yard, it's not visually overwhelming. In fact, the finished product has a cottage feel, and resembles a wide garden path. Using spray paint, we began by drawing the dimensions of the landing and parking area across the front yard, allowing us to easily visualize the space. For a driveway to be useful, it has to have maneuver room. A half circle like ours needs to be 10 feet wide or larger for easy navigation and parking. If the new driveway is straight, about 12 feet is the minimum width you need.