Pool Landscaping Thoughts

Pool Landscaping Will Require Significant Thought

Coming up with ideas for pool landscaping will require a little thought, as there are many considerations to your plant choices. Whether your pool is above ground or in the ground, will be the deciding factor as to the types of plants you choose.

The possibility of their exposure to chemically treated water will make choosing the right pool landscaping plants a little easier.

For in ground pools, shrubs and trees should be avoided if planting in close proximity to the pool, as the growing roots can cause problems later if they grow into the pool’s foundation.

Since most in ground pools will be surrounded by a privacy and safety fence, plants can be chosen for the perimeter, or any open areas inside the fence. For inside pool landscaping, plants should be non-deciduous, meaning they won’t lose their leaves.

This is important if you don’t want your pool to fill up with debris. Evergreen shrubs run the risk of needles blowing in to the water during stormy weather and clogging the pool’s filtering system.
All plants placed near the pool should be low blooming varieties and the simpler the better. Many annual plants will wither and die if exposed to water from the pool, especially those pools treated with chlorine. Keeping the pool landscaping simple for inside the fence is the best plan and makes them easier to maintain. Creeping plants can help cover any open ground around the pool, but you will have to keep them trimmed to prevent them from taking over the entire area.

Protect Your Pool from External Forces

If your pool is fenced it allows more flexibility in the choice of plants, but remember the more flowers and plants you put in, the more work you will have maintaining them, detracting from the time available for using the pool.

When choosing pool landscaping for around the pool’s fence, the plants should not grow higher than the fence, as their leaves will end up in the water before the summer is over.

Small groupings of low flowers, with plenty of open space between them, can add a neat look to your pool landscaping and still provide a splash of color around the fence. An occasional shrub strategically placed around the fence’s exterior, can contribute to the height of the fence but, again, should not be allowed to grow over the fence.

Another consideration for pool landscaping is the type of flower that may attract flying pests. As I said before regarding the bees, many flowers are attractive to honey bees and other flying insects that can interrupt your enjoyment of the pool.

Use Landscaping Stones for Many Purposes

There are so Many Uses For Landscaping Stones

One way to keep your landscaping looking neat and uncluttered, while making it appear full, is through the use of landscaping stones. Available in a variety of shapes and sizes, they can also be used to separate different types of plants and work for soil retention in wet climates.

Landscaping stones can also be used as stepping stones to get through the area for weeding or other maintenance chores, without slogging through the dirt and mud.

Landscaping stones being so diverse can be used by the homeowner in many different ways. Some larger stones or rocks can be as big as a small car and can be useful in preventing unauthorized access to your yard by motor vehicles. However, before placing any of these larger landscaping stones along the yard make sure they are not encroaching on any rights-of-way that may have been granted for underground utilities.

Many choose to use landscaping stones, such as marble chips, in lieu of mulch in flower beds. The drawback with this decision is that any replanting may involve the need to remove all the stones before working on the flowerbeds later. White marble chips can lighten an otherwise dark area of the home’s landscaping, but before putting them in place, make sure all the flowers are in their final resting place and the appropriate steps have been taken to stop any weed growth.

One of the more popular uses for landscaping stones is for outlining flower beds, either next to the house or in isolated parts of the yard. Some stones can be used in one or two layers to set off an area of the yard, isolating it from grass or a driveway. By using appropriately sized stones, the bed can appear totally separate from the remainder of the landscaping.

Depending on the color scheme of your outdoor living space, different colors are available that can either compliment or contrast with the color of the home. While some prefer the landscaping stones to blend when put into place, others appreciate contrasting colors. Using brick-colored stones adjacent to a brick house can separate the bed, while still blending in with the home’s exterior.

Other designs of landscaping stones can be made to fit together like a puzzle to create a walkway around or through planted areas. Surfaces can be smooth or rough, depending on your intention of the path’s purpose. For walking on, rough surface stones can help prevent slipping in wet weather.