Gravel and shingle driveways, parking areas and gates for homes across Ferndown, Verwood, Bournemouth and East Dorset — built by our own team, with a fixed written price.
A driveway has to cope with the weight of cars turning on it every day and all the rain that falls on it. That comes down to preparation: clearing and digging out, a firm, compacted base, and edging that keeps everything where it should be.
Gravel and shingle are popular for good reason. They look smart, they're cost-effective over a large area, and because water soaks straight through, they avoid the run-off problems — and usually the planning questions — that come with a solid surface in a front garden.
We finish driveways off properly: raised sleeper borders that double as retaining walls for planting, clean edges against lawns and paths, and new timber gates. If your frontage is overgrown or full of old rubbish, we'll clear it first — we're a registered waste carrier, so it's all disposed of legally.
Not sure which finish suits your property? We'll talk it through at your free site visit and give you a fixed written price.
Real driveways and parking areas we've built — drag the slider to compare before and after.
Before
After
A tired, weedy frontage turned into a clean shingle driveway. We cleared and prepared the ground, laid the shingle, hung a new timber five-bar swing gate, and built a curved raised sleeper border that doubles as a retaining wall for the flower bed. (Each photo shows before above and after below.)
Before
After
An area beside the house that had been completely taken over by brambles and self-seeded growth, with the cars disappearing into it. We cleared it right back, prepared the ground and finished it in gravel, creating proper off-road parking for two cars.
Very pleased with the driveway GM Garden Landscapes completed for us. Tidy, efficient and friendly workers with a high level of attention to detail.
Can't see your question? Call us on 07515 341284 — happy to help, no hard sell.
In England, you don't need planning permission to surface a front garden if you use a permeable material such as gravel or shingle, or if rainwater is directed onto a lawn or border to drain naturally. If the new surface is impermeable, covers more than 5 square metres and would drain onto the road, you do need permission. Gravel and shingle keep things simple.
Lowering the kerb so you can drive onto your property needs permission from the council, which also sets out who can carry out the work on the pavement. In Ferndown, Verwood, Wimborne and Wareham that's Dorset Council; in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole it's BCP Council. It's worth applying before the driveway goes in.
A properly prepared base and a good membrane keep weeds to a minimum. The odd seed will still blow in and land on top over time, but they're shallow-rooted and easy to pull out or treat.
It depends on the size, how much needs clearing and digging out, the finish you choose, any edging or gates, and access. We visit, measure up and give you a fixed written quote — free, with no obligation.
Yes — all our hard landscaping comes with a 12-month workmanship guarantee, set out in writing in your quote.
Also covering Bournemouth, Wimborne, Blandford Forum and everywhere within roughly 30 miles of Ferndown. Ask us if you're not sure.
Tell us a little about your garden and we'll book in a free site visit. Your fixed written quote follows within a week.
