If you are fortunate to have a garden large enough for a pool, and you plan to have new landscaping installed in that garden, then you have the best of both worlds. Firstly, having a pool allows you to not only keep fit and have fun, but a pool is also an ideal centrepiece for gatherings of friends and family.
In addition to that, if you also add professional landscaping into the mix, the result should be a garden with a pool area that makes others envious and gives you and your family lots of pleasure. It is on that note of combining a pool and landscaping that we alert you to the subject of this article because you must get the combination correct.
By that, we are referring to you knowing that, when you are planning your landscape design and the pool plays a role in that design, there are factors that you need to consider that you would not have to if your garden did not have a pool. This should not be seen as a negative as all this is doing is making sure that your landscaping both functions and appears as it should in a pool environment.
To help you get this right, we have highlighted five of the top considerations you must make when combining landscaping and a pool so that both complement each other whilst you also benefit from them having their individual merits.
Key Consideration #1 – Fast Or Slow Growing Plants Around The Pool?
One of the decisions that will make a significant difference to how much foliage you want around your pool area is whether you wish to use that foliage as screening. If the latter, then you will want quick-growing plants that will quickly provide the aforementioned screening.
However, if the idea is for decorative plants and you are happy to wait for them to mature and bloom, then slow-growing varieties might be more suited to your needs. If you are unsure which plants fall into these two categories your landscaper will be able to advise you.
Key Consideration #2 – Low-Maintenance Plants
The term ‘low-maintenance’ covers several scenarios when it comes to poolside plants. First, you want plants that are not going to shed their leaves or flowers so often to the extent that every day you are skimming the pool to remove natural debris.
In addition, you have to take into account how much maintenance each specific plant requires to keep them healthy. Do you really want to be pruning and the like when you are by your pool, or would you rather just be sitting back and relaxing?
Key Consideration #3 – Stone And Rock Features
Continuing on a theme of low-maintenance landscaping around your pool, one of the ways that can also be achieved is by including more rock and stone features in your landscape design. This is especially true if they are used instead of plants.
You do not have to be an expert gardener to know that rocks and stones do not require watering or pruning, nor do they shed any leaves which have to be cleared. Also, bear in mind that rocks and stones can look amazing when set within a pool environment.
Key Consideration #4 – Providing Shade For Everyone
Whilst a swimming pool is a fantastic way to cool off when you jump in, not every moment of your day, nor those of your family or guests, is going to be spent in the pool. It is for this reason that a key consideration for the landscaping around your pool has to be shade.
This can range from something as simple as having several parasols situated around your pool, to a permanent structure such as a pergola that has been built to complement the pool area, whilst providing a shaded area where everyone can get some respite from the blisteringly hot sun.
Key Consideration #5 – Lighting For Your Pool And Its Surroundings
To be honest this is our favourite consideration because you have so much scope to truly put a personal stamp on how your pool area looks, especially at night. Pool lighting within the pool itself allows everyone to use the pool safely at night, and even here you can choose various colours for those lights.
Even more choice is available for the lighting for the poolside area that surrounds the pool. This can go as far as being a custom lighting installation agreed with your landscaping company to make your pool area every bit as appealing at night as it is during the day.