Best Barriers To Keep Cars Off Your Lawn

If your lawn is vulnerable to cars potentially running over it, we know how much of a worry and annoyance it can be. Whether it’s your neighbors or random cars passing by, sometimes people have no consideration about all the lawn care efforts you’ve gone through.

The great news is that various solutions are on the table for preventing cars from running over or parking on your lawn and wrecking your grass.

Some can be considered more temporary preventative measures, while others will offer you a permanent way of blocking cars from going anywhere near your lawn.

Now, let’s explore all your lawn barrier options one by one…

Netted Driveway Guards

Kidkusion Retractable Driveway Guard, Black, 18' | Driveway Safety; Outdoor; Barrier; Adjustable
  • The 36" high net extends up to 18' wide
  • This product is not for pool use and is not a safety gate
  • Unit weighs only 8 pounds and mounts on either side of the driveway

First up, we think one very simple and elegant-looking solution is to utilize driveway guards, which come in the form of a safety netting. These are a pretty new way of dissuading people from running over your lawn, and they can send the same message to people thinking of walking over it too.

Driveway guards are super easy to set-up and so can be a temporary fixture if you don’t always want to block off your grass areas.

Simply unravel the netting to the required distance you need and then thrust the poles holding the netting into the ground at each end to create a barrier. 

If you need to block off large areas, you might want to get multiple guards. Although, if you have corners to deal with, a savvy way of avoiding buying extra guards is to use a short stick where the netting can press against and be angled around accordingly.

The big plus about netted driveway guards is that they don’t look particularly ugly, as the netting isn’t as obtrusive to the eye as other options.

The downside is that the netting could be a little too subtle and may go unnoticed by some drivers.

Nevertheless, netted driveway guards are a cheap and flexible solution to get the message across in a non-aggressive manner.

Hedge Walls

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For a more permanent and aesthetically pleasing way to block off your lawn altogether, hedge walls are a popular solution.

They can be a little pricey, but they can maintain more natural-looking views in your garden while being practically effective.

One of the easiest hedge wall choices is to go for a boxwood constructed type like the one above.

There are multiple color options available, with many that make use of astroturf to maintain a natural fluidity. 

You could, of course, opt to add in natural hedges to surround your lawn, but this will take time, money, and a fair bit of effort to cultivate.

Pre-grown hedges can be bought and planted, but remember that you’re going to have to spend some time maintaining them in the long term.

By choosing an artificial hedge wall, you take all the hassle and effort out of hedge maintenance while creating a barrier to keep cars off your lawn.

Driveway Pole Markers

The ROP Shop | 5/16 Inch (Pack of 10) Orange 48 Inch Reflective Driveway Markers, Snow Stakes Poles...
  • Pack of 10 Driveway Markers, Snow Poles, Stakes, Rods, 48 inches, 5/16 inch
  • Specs - Marker Length: 48", Marker Diameter: 5/16", Reflective Tape Length: 9"
  • Includes - (10) Driveway Markers, Orange, Fiberglass with Reflective Tape

For those who want to send out a prominent message to neighbors and other drivers passing by who are thinking of crossing or parking on your lawn, driveway pole markers can get the job done.

Pole markers are an extremely inexpensive and sure-fire way of marking out your territory for all to see. This is because they typically come in bright orange and with reflective white or silver stripes – so they’ll be just as effective at night.

Plus, you normally get a highly reflective tape to attach to the poles to create a more obvious looking barrier.

They’re super easy to install – just thrust as many as you like into the ground wherever you want to mark out your borders. 

The only real downsides to these poles are that they are pretty glaringly obvious and can be considered unattractive.

Therefore we think they work best as temporary markers, when you know there may be an influx of drivers coming your way over certain periods like in the holiday season, for example.

Furthermore, if you live in colder climates, it can be hard to distinguish where your lawn area starts and where the driveway begins when there is a thick snowfall.

Driveway pole markers can help drivers know where the road lies, and so they act as a good safety feature in both the day and nighttime.

Tree Barriers

 

Trees are solid installations that will well and truly stop cars running through or parking on your lawn.

However, these barriers are going to be expensive if you want them planted at their full size. Or, if you decide to grow trees yourself, it may take some time for them to look how you want then – we’re talking years.

You don’t always have to plant trees along the boundaries of your grass.

They can be more strategically placed to make it more difficult for cars to park properly. As well, to get the message across, you could add “No Parking” signs onto the trees where you’re getting repeat parking offenders.

Another option that keeps things all-natural but more practical is to use a mixture of small potted trees and other shrubberies in pots to mark out areas you don’t want neighbors to park their vehicles.

This could be a much simpler and elegant solution, rather than having to plant trees.

Rock Gardens 

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Rock gardens or simply a line of rocks can be easily installed along the edges of your lawn to stop cars from being able to park on it.

Rocks are very cheap and sometimes free if you know where to find them.

We think making a rock garden instead of just a line of rocks will take a little more effort and creativity. Yet once you have the rock garden all set up, people might not even realize you installed it just to prevent cars from parking on your land.

So setting up a rock garden is an extremely subtle way of stopping those pesky parkers – without offending them.

A good tip is to mix things up with your rock gardens by adding some shrubbery, maybe some flowers and even small trees.

Ultimately, it’s all down to your available time, resources, energy, and creativity to come up with something unique yet in-keeping with your lawn. 

Fences

AMAGABELI GARDEN & HOME Decorative Garden Fence GFP008 27inx10ft Outdoor Coated Rustproof Metal...
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Fences are an obvious choice to stop people from parking, but they may cost a good few bucks to install around your lawn area.

You can always attempt a DIY effort if you’re feeling confident enough or even employ someone to erect your fencing for you.

One downside to fencing is it may obstruct some nice views you may have.

Also, fencing can come across as a little aggressive to the neighbors – which might just be the effect you’re after, though!

Parking Cones

28'' inch Traffic Safety Cones 6 pcs with Reflective Collars, Unbreakable PVC Orange Construction...
  • MULTI FUNCTIONS - The safety cones can be used in personal or public areas, like garden, parking...
  • PREMIUM PVC MATERIAL - The traffic barricade are made of environmentally friendly PVC material. The...
  • 2 REFLECTIVE COLLARS - With 2 reflective strips, the cones are highly visible during day or night....

By far, the simplest and probably cheapest way to stop vehicle invaders from entering your territory is to invest in a few parking cones.

They’re bright orange and glow in the dark due to their white or silver stripes, and they can emphasize a clear point that you’re fed up with people parking or driving over your lawn.

Furthermore, you can just order a few online or buy them down at your local hardware store with little effort.

And, there’s no expertise or any sort of installation needed with them. Just plop your parking cones around the problem areas and remove them whenever you want. 

The only issue we can think of with these cones is that kids might be tempted to steal them or just play around with them, which means you’ll have created a whole new problem.

Yet, if you’re confident that nobody will mess around with your cones, they’re an easy solution to keep your lawn intact.

Parking Posts

BISupply Safety Bollard Post 36 x 4.5 Inches - Yellow Pipe Bollards Steel Parking Barrier for Garage...
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Parking posts can be a simple but more permanent fixture around your property.

They can be bolted down into the ground, meaning there’s little chance of anyone being able to remove them. Other types don’t bolt into the ground, which is convenient if you don’t wish to use them all year round.

Keep in mind that they might not even be allowed in some regions, so it’s best to check with your local authorities before buying a load of them.

But, if you get the all-clear, parking posts are just as good as any preventative measure, and they work well for more extensive rural gardens and yards.

Standing Lamps

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Standing lamps are an option that might not have crossed your mind.

These lamps will serve two purposes as they will light up your yard, which can add an element of safety, and they can be used to stop cars running over your lawn – if cleverly positioned.

It may be that you need to install a few standing lamps to ensure cars can’t fit over your lawn.

The idea is you spread them apart on your lawn’s boundaries with gaps between them smaller than your typical truck or car.

We also think choosing this option can add a lot of character to your home if you choose the design and sizing of the lamps wisely.

Decorative Ponds

One guaranteed way of preventing cars from parking over your lawn is to install a decorative pond. As in the end, no sane person wants to risk parking their vehicle near water or driving by close to it.

Just make sure you plan out a good location for your pond where it can maximally benefit your desire to prevent cars from coming your way.

The decorative aspect is, of course, optional, yet we think if you’re going to commit to this idea, you may as well make your new feature look the part. 

Why not add a fountain into the mix like the one below to make it clearly visible to drivers? And you could even add a few fish in there too.

Outdoor Water Fountain With Boy and Girl, Antique Bronze Design and Soothing Sound for Decor on...
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Spikes

Rolson 60680 Security Spikes
  • Manufactured from weather resistant PP
  • Ideal for fences, walls, gates, sheds and ledges
  • Size per length 490 x 43 x 19mm

Spikes may be a last resort option to take for many, as you may not want the confrontation involved suddenly installing spikes around your borders.

Neighbors might see them as dangerous to pets or kids. And, they certainly won’t appreciate their tires puncturing when they go about parking on your lawn without seeing the spikes.

But, sometimes, when you’ve tried other methods, and you’re not making any progress, spikes can send a serious message to people to keep off your lawn!

One great thing about spikes is that they don’t really mess with your lawn and garden’s aesthetics.

They can be well hidden if you are just gazing at your garden from afar, but they could also be painted to show a clear border marking. 

Security Sirens and Signs

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We already mentioned that you could attach signs to trees you’ve planted, but you can just as well hammer in signposts that have words of deterrence written on them for drivers. 

Along with your signs, you could as far as having security sirens installed.

The beauty of these sirens is that they create a sort of scene for anyone that gets too close to your land with their vehicle. 

And the best part is, they are security sirens just warning intruders to get off your property.

Therefore you can argue that you only installed them to feel safer, not because you were annoyed that your neighbours were wrecking your lawn every day by parking on it.

Final Considerations

To remain discrete and retain the natural beauty of your lawn and garden, we always advise that you create barriers that fit in well aesthetically.

These barriers could be natural or artificial, but your neighborhood will probably appreciate more subtle suggestions of no parking than more blatant ones.

That being said, parking cones and pole markers, for example, can be great temporary solutions to stop cars spilling over onto your land when the neighbors are having a party of some sorts, and several vehicles are needing a parking space.

As well, if you live in snowy regions, it’s always handy to have highly portable and temporary barriers ready at your disposal, not just to mark out your land but also to be used as safety features.

Thanks for stopping by, and feel free to check out our other informative blog articles.

Also read

10 Cheap Ways To Block Neighbors View

How to Fix Tire Ruts on your Lawn

Someone Drove on My Lawn! What To Do With Your Grass

Source:

  1. https://home.howstuffworks.com/lawn-garden/professional-landscaping/build-a-rock-garden.htm 
  2. https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/actions/how-build-pond

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