Having a pool has its advantages, especially during the summertime, but sometimes they seem to take over the whole look and feel of the backyard. Whether you have a modern or traditional fence around your pool, adding some greenery to a sea of blue helps amplify the atmosphere of your backyard overall.
Adding some life to the pool surroundings helps mask fencing and gives it a little something extra, but it’s important to know what kind of plants you should use around the pool and fencing. While they may look pretty, you need to be sure your plants aren’t easy for small children to climb and get over the fence.
Tips and tricks for adding plants to your pool area:
Find plants suitable for the splash zone
You want your backyard to be beautiful and in unison, and while picking the right colours and styles to suit your needs is important, knowing what kind of plants can co-exist with water nearby is a priority. People will jump in and splash pool water all over your plants, so knowing your plants can handle the heat, salt, chlorine and rain is essential. Ask for advice at your local nursery and find out what plants are suitable for your climate and area.
Give your backyard tropical vibes
The last thing you want is for your plants to make more of a mess by the pool and potentially clog the filter, before choosing palms that become very large and have invasive roots, try trees to plant near the pool like Dwarf palms, Cycads and Macrozamias for an exotic look without the hassle. Adding strappy plants and shrubs around your pool area also adds a relaxed look and feel, bringing a tropical finish to your backyard.
Plants that love to sunbake
Finding plants that work well in the sun and heat are crucial if you don’t want to keep replacing plants every season; try to include trees to plant around pools such as:
- Hibiscus
- Lomandra
- Cordyline
- Acacia ‘limelight’
- Murraya paniculata, and
- Choisya ternata that help screen boundaries to create privacy around the pool.
If you need lower plants, try:
- Liriope
- Juniperus conferta ‘lutchuensis’ and
- mini Agapanthus for added colour and texture.
Don’t be afraid to add pots
Pots provide a nice eye-catching presence to any backyard and add a stunning feature to your pool; be on the look out for two or three interesting pots that suit your style, such as a bold colour or funky shape. If you love terracotta pots, remember to use two coats of bituminous paint on the inside, so the soil doesn’t dry out as this helps reduce evaporation. Take care of your pots and garden beds using a hand spray or drip irrigation in the early morning so they are looking fresh and green. Pool water can damage some plants, so rinse their foliage with a hose which helps reduce damage from the sun and salt.
Mulching all the way
Keep the area tidy by a mulching, a good thick mulch helps your garden appear neat. Try using pebbles or river rocks, coarse bark mulch, or attractive light coloured gravel/screenings. Protect your soil and try to get a hardy groundcover growing; try using Convolvulus mauritanicus ‘Blue Moon’.
Find plants suitable for the splash zone
You want your backyard to be beautiful and in unison, and while picking the right colours and styles to suit your needs is important, knowing what kind of plants can co-exist with water nearby is a priority. People will jump in and splash pool water all over your plants, so knowing your plants can handle the heat, salt, chlorine and rain is essential. Ask for advice at your local nursery and find out what plants are suitable for your climate and area.
Give your backyard tropical vibes
The last thing you want is for your plants to make more of a mess by the pool and potentially clog the filter, before choosing palms that become very large and have invasive roots, try trees to plant near the pool like Dwarf palms, Cycads and Macrozamias for an exotic look without the hassle. Adding strappy plants and shrubs around your pool area also adds a relaxed look and feel, bringing a tropical finish to your backyard.
Plants that love to sunbake
Finding plants that work well in the sun and heat are crucial if you don’t want to keep replacing plants every season; try to include trees to plant around pools such as:
- Hibiscus
- Lomandra
- Cordyline
- Acacia ‘limelight’
- Murraya paniculata, and
- Choisya ternata that help screen boundaries to create privacy around the pool.
If you need lower plants, try:
- Liriope
- Juniperus conferta ‘lutchuensis’ and
- mini Agapanthus for added colour and texture.
Don’t be afraid to add pots
Pots provide a nice eye-catching presence to any backyard and add a stunning feature to your pool; be on the look out for two or three interesting pots that suit your style, such as a bold colour or funky shape. If you love terracotta pots, remember to use two coats of bituminous paint on the inside, so the soil doesn’t dry out as this helps reduce evaporation. Take care of your pots and garden beds using a hand spray or drip irrigation in the early morning so they are looking fresh and green. Pool water can damage some plants, so rinse their foliage with a hose which helps reduce damage from the sun and salt.
Mulching all the way
Keep the area tidy by a mulching, a good thick mulch helps your garden appear neat. Try using pebbles or river rocks, coarse bark mulch, or attractive light coloured gravel/screenings. Protect your soil and try to get a hardy groundcover growing; try using Convolvulus mauritanicus ‘Blue Moon’.
