Pool Landscaping

When you're thinking about swimming pool landscaping, privacy is a top priority. A relaxing dip in the pool shouldn't be spoiled by the fear of peeping neighbors.

Usually, swimming pools are closed off by fences for both privacy and safety. A good, sturdy fence is essential in keeping neighborhood kids from running around when adults are not present. If you feel like a fence will ruin the aesthetic effect of your pool area, the strategic placement of plants is recommended.

Put in the time to research the kinds of plants you're considering for inclusion. Deciduous plants shed their leaves, which may muck up your pool, necessitating extra pool maintenance labor. Pines and evergreens, aside from littering your pool with dead leaves, will leave your pool area exposed during the leafless seasons.

You should consider designing a living wall around the pool fence you install. This will make a beautiful addition to the functional but unsightly fence. For a loose, wild look, choose shrubs. For severe lines and a sense of structure, try a boxwood hedge, which is hardy and easy to grow.

It may be in your interest to build a gazebo or pergola. These structures provide not only privacy but a sense of luxury or coziness (depending on the style you choose). Introducing shrubs and vines to the outside of the gazebo or pergola can add further privacy and shade.

Do you like entertain? The pool area is a great place to do it, so that that into account when considering how to landscape it. Plot out places to lounge and barbecue, tables and chairs for eating, and maybe even a bar for events! Here's a tip: surround your pool area (along the inside of the fence) with pots of assorted summer annuals. These bright dashes of colored flora will lend your pool a light, tropical feel.

These tips should keep your pool investment low-maintenance, beautiful and satisfactory.