The Art of Swimming Pool Landscaping

You just fulfilled your dream of putting a swimming pool in your backyard, and you can already envision the amazing pool parties and neighborhood get-togethers that will fill your summer weekends for years to come. Only one thing stands between you and your first big party: the challenge of landscaping your swimming pool area. Staring at the blank canvas of yard around your pool can make swimming pool landscaping seem a daunting task, but if you follow these easy tips, your poolside will be gorgeous.

Swimming Pool Landscaping Begins With The Right Fence And Decking

Fencing a swimming pool is a major safety precaution that every pool owner needs to follow. In fact, many cities require fences as a part of getting a swimming pool permit. Since your fence will be a major focal point around your pool, take the time to choose one that will look attractive next to your house and provide a great backdrop for swimming pool landscaping. Don’t make the mistake of placing your fence too close to your pool, or you won’t have room to place plants.

Depending on the type of pool you have, the way that you surround your pool will vary. Above ground pools often have wrap around wooden decks and in ground pools are often wrapped in cement sidewalks or flagstones. Choose decking that compliments the shape of the pool, type of fence surrounding it and the type of swimming pool landscaping you want to pursue.

Swimming Pool Landscaping And Plant Choice

When you are landscaping your swimming pool area, sometimes the plants you don’t choose are as important as the plants you do choose. Many people like the idea of shade around the pool, but planting trees around the pool means you will be cleaning leaves out of the pool on a regular basis. If you want shade choose evergreen shrubs, such as junipers and you will have a cleaner pool.

It is very tempting to plant highly fragrant or flowering shrubs next to your pool. As beautiful as a flowering bush can be, it can also be a haven for bees. If you don’t want to deal with bee stings at pool parties, skip the types of shrubs that attract these insects.

A great way to bring foliage near your pool, with the ability to keep things portable, is to plant shrubs and annuals in containers and spread them around your swimming pool.

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.