The second your family saw the pool, you knew that you were going to be buying the house. What better way to escape the heat of southern summers than a backyard pool? Your kids have gotten to swim and play and have fun for hours at a time without you having to chauffeur them around or waste time packing swim bags and inevitably forgetting something. But if you’re honest, there are some regrets. You kind of miss having a bigger backyard. A garden. Plants. Trees.
Pool Plants To Turn Your Backyard Into an Oasis
Often, new pool owners make their backyard about the pool and little else. But while pools certainly require a lot of care and attention, you can have your lush, green yard and have a backyard oasis within it to swim in.
In fact, adding plants and shaping the landscape can turn the space into an absolute oasis—one that adds value to your backyard. Depending on which plants you choose, you can even reap additional benefits. Like shade. And fewer mosquitoes.
So how do you decide which plants to add around your pool?
First, Some Things to Consider
When you add plants around a pool, you have to consider what you will have to do to care for them and how easy (or not) this will be. Ask yourself the following questions:
How Much Sun Do They Need? Depending on the location of your pool, the surrounding plants may be exposed to long periods of sunlight or only a few hours. This will have a big impact on how well the plants grow. Choose based on your situation.
How Much Debris and Dirt Do They Create? No one wants a dirty pool. If possible, consider planting in a location where the debris and dirt won’t fall into the pool. Otherwise, make sure you look into plants with minimal shedding.
How Much Care Do They Require? Plants behind your pool may not be as easy to get to. In this case, you will want to find plants that require less maintenance and care.
Pool-friendly Trees
If your main goal is to create shade, plant some trees in your backyard. Worried about the room they will require, or how they’ll impact your pool? Some trees can be grown in a container. Others have especially narrow or shallow roots that won’t affect the plumbing around your pool. Whatever your concern, there are options.
Some of the best trees to plant near your pool include:
- Palm Trees
- Citrus Trees
- Banana Trees
- False Cypress
- Olive Trees (non-fruit bearing)
- Palo Verde Trees
Low Maintenance Pool Plants
We know that a pool alone requires a lot of maintenance, so it may be wise to choose plants that look great but don’t require as much work. Consider these:
Succulents. These plants have become quite popular both in and outside the home. They are very low maintenance and come in many different colors and varieties. Just make sure to keep them out of the way of your guests entering and exiting the pool, so you don’t end up in any prickly situations.
Agave. This plant is often incorporated into southern landscapes because of its ability to resist drought. Even homeowners in drier parts of the south can build a lush oasis by adding agave to their backyard. A word of warning: agave can grow to massive sizes, and they grow fast.
Ornamental Grasses. The great thing about long grasses is that they can cover a lot of space without requiring a lot of maintenance (or creating a big mess). Aesthetically, grasses can help to “fill in” areas that are not occupied by trees or eye-catching plants. Some of the best grasses to plant around a pool include:
- Yellow foxtail grass
- Lemongrass
- Japanese forest grass
- Feather grass
- Blue fescue grass
Plants to Repel Mosquitoes
Pools are mosquito magnets, especially in places with hot, humid weather. Counteract that unfortunate reality by choosing plants known to keep them away, and maybe you won’t have to spray your kids with quite so much repellent. Consider adding plants such as:
Geraniums. Not only do geraniums naturally repel mosquitoes, they come in a variety of bright, gorgeous colors and they tend to last throughout most of the seasons. Geranium hybrids also grow quickly, so you won’t have to wait long for a great-looking backyard.
Citronella. Citronella is a versatile plant that is relatively low-maintenance and can be placed anywhere around your backyard. Instead of buying citronella candles or tiki torches to keep bugs away, get the plants. You’ll add texture to your backyard while still repelling mosquitoes with their scent.
Lavender and Basil. Adding these herbs to your garden not only repels mosquitoes, but also helps create a calm environment. They generally require full sunlight to really thrive, but if you need to repel mosquitoes inside your home, you can even bring them indoors.
ABC Can Help Enhance Your Landscape
By mixing a few different types of plants around your yard, you can create an awe-inspiring landscape that will entertain guests and make your pool feel like a little slice of paradise. At ABC Home & Commercial Services, we’ve been helping homeowners find the right landscape design for decades and we can help you beautify your pool area, too.
