Landscaping Ideas >> Pool Area

Swimming Pool Landscaping Ideas

by Brandon Cornett

For many homeowners, a swimming pool is a "must have" item for the backyard. I happen to be one of those homeowners. But when it comes to landscaping ideas for the pool area, many of these same homeowners come up short.

Over the years, I've learned a lot about pool landscaping through trial and error. So in this article, I'll share with you all of the ideas and techniques I've used over the years for landscaping my backyard pool area. Hopefully you'll find something useful within this information, and perhaps even come up with some ideas of your own.

Considerations When Landscaping a Pool

Before tossing ideas around, let's go over some of things to keep in mind when landscaping the area around your swimming pool. There are certain considerations to take into account here that normally wouldn't matter. When you introduce a pool into the mix, your landscape methods have a new variable. Here are some things to bear in mind.

• Plants that shed -- For obvious reasons, you want to avoid plants and trees that shed excessively. By this I mean plants that "throw off" a lot of leaves, buds, flower petals, etc. Or if you do use these types of plants in your pool landscaping, place them a little further from the pool.
• Water damage to plants -- We have a salt pool, and one of the first things I learned when landscaping around it is that most plants don't like salt water! The same goes for regular chlorine pools. So when laying out your plan, try to avoid putting plants in an area that's going to get pool water runoff. Or use elevated beds.
• Plants that attract bees -- Whenever you bring your landscaping into a high-use area, which is the case here, you have to consider the insect factor. Some types of flowers and flowering shrubs are notorious for attracting bees. Most bees are non-aggresive unless they feel threatned, but still ... do you want them buzzing around your pool? Choose plants wisely.
• Plants that stay green -- In most parts of the country, there are certain months of the year when you cannot use your pool for swimming. But it's still a nice landscaping feature! For this reason, it might be wise to select plants that stay green year-round, or for most of the year. This will be easier in some regions than others.
• Above ground vs. in ground -- There are some obvious differences in technique here. With an above-ground pool you have fewer options for putting things in the ground. You must either (A) use shrubs and/or trees with some height to them, or (B) build an elevated deck area with pots and hanging planters. You have more options with an in-ground pool because the pool edge is flush with the landscaping surface. Something to consider.

Idea #1 - Adding Patio & Deck Space

One of the things you should consider early on, before you get deep into your landscaping efforts, is the idea of deck and patio space. When we built our pool, we had grassy area behind it that backed up to a greenbelt area. Weed control was a serious problem in this area, because it was so close to the "wilds" of the greenbelt. We also wanted more deck space around the back of our pool for accessibility reasons.

The solution we chose was to rock in the area completely. In the picture above, the read line shows the new section of stone. This expanded the patio / deck area of the pool while also taking weed control out of the picture entirely. Had we spent a lot of time landscaping the area behind the pool, we would have had high-maintenance issues forever. Many people don't think about hardscapes when planning the landscape approach to their pools, but it's certainly something to think about.

Idea #2 - Tropical Landscaping Approach

Now before you plunge headlong into this landscaping strategy, you need to think about the big picture of your pool area. What kind of "look and feel" are you going for? With our pool, we strive for a native southwestern type of look, mostly because we live in Texas and those types of plants do well here. But if you live in an area with a higher moisture level (like Florida), you could get away with more techniques ... such as the tropical look.

In fact, in certain parts of the country this is the only pool landscaping strategy that makes sense. In the pictures above and below, for example, the tropical "vibe" is already present in nature. So the homeowner simply brought into the pool area with some well placed palms and native bushes. It wouldn't make sense going for a southwestern theme here.

Idea #3 - Letting Nature Do the Work

If your pool is situated near an impressive view (a lake, a forest, etc.), you might want to take the minimalist approach to landscaping the area around it. In the picture below, the pool is situated near a beautiful backdrop of trees. So the homeowner had chosen to let nature do the work, and has merely planted a row of bushes along the retaining wall.

Landscaping is all about drawing the eye toward something of interest. If you have a beautiful view of a lake, forest, or some other natural feature, then that's where the eye will go!

Idea #4 - The Idyllic Garden Approach

There's no single name for this type of landscaping, but it's often referred to as "Eden-like." It means making your yard (and in this case your pool area) peaceful and idyllic, like your own little Garden of Eden. In the picture below, the homeowner has combined some attractive hedges with climbing vines on a pole or trellis. Note the absence of brightly colored flowers that is common with this "soft and green" approach.

Keep water requirements in mind when considering this idea for your pool area. These types of shrubs and vines often have moderate to high water needs. So if you live in Arizona, for example, you might want to steer clear of this and go for the southwestern style instead.

Choosing Plants for the Pool Area

The types of plants you choose will largely determine your level of success when landscaping your pool area. If you choose "fragile" plants and put them too close to the pool, the chlorine or saltwater will damage them. If you choose plants that cannot tolerate the winters or summers in your area, you'll end up replacing them often. It can be a frustrating situation, so it's best to avoid it altogether.

If you use a landscape design firm, many of these problems will be avoided from the start. If you take the DIY / do-it-yourself approach, you'll have to do a bit of plant research. My advice is to buy a landscaping book written for your area. This is an excellent resource to have on hand, because all of the plant recommendations will be specific to your area.

Let Logic Be Your Guide

The style of your home and your pool, combined with your climate, will largely dictate your landscaping options. You want to choose a style that complements your home, plays off of the native vegetation, and works well with your climate. I hope the ideas presented above give you something to start with. Good luck!