Did you know there are 10.4 million privately owned pools in the USA alone?
Are you one of the lucky ones that has one?
Many who have their own backyard swimming pool install it, use it a few times over the summer, and then forget about it. But with a little bit of imagination, you can turn your backyard pool area into a tropical-looking paradise for you to enjoy all year round.
Keep reading for five swimming pool landscaping tips that’ll turn your pool area into a lush oasis.
1. Pick Your Swimming Pool Landscaping Theme
Get your creative juices flowing and design your own tropical poolside haven!
You don’t have to be an artist. Just get a blank sheet of paper and a pencil, draw the perimeter of your garden, and the outline of your pool, then start outlining a rough idea of what you want it to look like. If you’re stuck, you can get loads of inspiration from websites like Pinterest.
When designing, remember to keep things as natural as possible. Stone borders and wooden decking are great accents that can also serve a functional purpose.
Try to keep most of the plants located near the pool in pots. Other bedded plants need to be planted further away to reduce mini mudslides! Also, don’t overdo it and over-clutter your space. Less is always more when it comes to accenting a space!
2. Pretty and Practical
The reason you installed a pool was to have a private retreat to relax in, so design with upkeep in mind. You don’t want to be spending all your free time trimming, pruning, and fertilizing your pool area, especially if some areas are hard to reach.
Keep it simple and select your plants wisely. For example, it you select smaller plants that won’t grow extensively, it will cut back on your pruning needs. Also, try to choose plants that are indigenous to your area and can adapt to your climate.
Remember that over the years certain trees and plants with invasive roots can cause damage to your pools structure and its plumbing system. Do your research before you plant, and you’ll save in additional work and expenses in the long run.
3. Less Cleaning, More Swimming!
Another important factor to keep in mind when choosing which plants to install near your pool is how often it sheds. Remember, deciduous plants shed their leaves annually while evergreen plants keep their leaves year round.
Some fruit and flower bearing trees and shrubs are absolute beauties but can make a huge mess. Leaves, fruits, flowers, nuts, and needles falling into your pool on a regular basis can lead to a lot of extra work for you or your pool cleaner.
4. The Secret Garden
Privacy is extremely important. Your pool should be a private and secluded place, without nosy neighbors looking in. Having a privacy screen of some sort isn’t just practical, it can be a cool design statement or pretty garden feature.
Options vary from wooden fences, bamboo screens, evergreen hedges, trellises and even curtains!
5. The Finishing Touches
Swimming pool landscaping isn’t just about plants and pathways. Lighting is important too. If you want your pool to be a lush oasis both day and night, lighting is key to creating an illuminated escape.
String lights hung in trees or around the pool can add the perfect ambiance to romantic evenings.
Tiki torches add an island vibe to your garden and are great for pool parties!
Looking for an energy saving alternative? Solar lights are a great investment. Make sure they get direct sunlight during the day so they shine brightly throughout the night.
Other finishing touches include getting the right poolside furniture. Always match your theme! For example, white plastic sunbeds would ruin a rustic or tropical design. Instead, you would want to go for wooden sun loungers or even hammocks!
Design Your Swimming Pool Landscaping Right!
If you follow these useful tips, you’ll be able to enjoy your paradise-like oasis all year round. However, swimming pool landscaping isn’t like designing a general garden. It takes both time and forethought to get it right.
If it all seems a bit too much to take on, don’t fret! Blue Landscaping and Contracting Group is here to help! With our skills and experience, we can take your dream project from the drawing board to completion!
Check out our services page for more information.