When designing a swimming pool for your home, there is a lot more to consider than just purchasing the pool or booking an installation. To really maximise your swimming pool, you need to consider the entire space, not just the pool itself. What you do with the areas around your pool can drastically influence your comfort, privacy and overall enjoyment levels. 

Many people choose to incorporate outdoor entertaining areas, such as decks, patios, pergolas and outdoor kitchens. Others focus on using natural landscaping to good effect. There’s no right or wrong way to plan your poolside landscaping because every home is different, but it must complement your pool, home and the surrounding environment. 

In this article, we’ll discover the many practical benefits of poolside landscaping, and also give you some tips on the types of landscaping you could consider around your pool.

 

Improved aesthetics

Poolside landscaping is a great place to start if you want to improve the visual appeal of your property. Rather than having a pool in the middle of your yard surrounded by empty or disorganised space, why not craft your own little sanctuary? Natural materials such as plants and shrubs, timber and stone add a beautiful touch to any outdoor space, particularly if you’re considering a mineral pool. There is almost no limit to the number of landscaping materials you can use to beautify your pool area. 

Consider things like water features, pathways, privacy screens, green walls, planters and much more. It’s all about complementing your home and swimming pool area, so the choice is all yours.

 

Greater privacy

Another major benefit of poolside landscaping is privacy. If you want to relax around your poolside, you don’t want nosy neighbours peering in. You may even live in an area with considerable foot traffic going past your fences. Landscaping provides the perfect solution because you can still make any privacy features look great while offering protection from prying eyes. 

Plants, trees and shrubs all provide effective privacy screens, but there are other innovative ways to achieve some solitude. Bamboo screens and lattice panels are always popular, especially if you add climbing plants or hanging pots for a more natural touch.

 

Less pool cleaning and maintenance

Maintaining your poolside landscaping is essential. It’s true that trees around your pool offer excellent privacy and shade, but they also pose a risk of dropping leaves through your pool. So, if you’re keen on less pool cleaning, you need to be smart about your landscaping. When done correctly, landscaping can limit the amount of debris that ends up in your pool.

 

One of the crucial factors to consider is the distance between your pool and any landscaping features. Garden beds covered in dirt, mulch or leaves should be kept a good distance from the pool to prevent debris. With neat, tidy landscaping, you can significantly reduce the amount of work required to keep your pool clean.

 

Improved safety

Proper landscaping around your pool can increase safety levels considerably. Firstly, landscaping can help to define paths and walkways, making it safer to move around. Landscaping also includes decking and outdoor entertaining spaces, so you should always consider outdoor landscape lighting to further improve safety. 

You can also enhance safety by using non-slip materials around the pool and removing other hazards. Landscaping should always complement the space, not make it appear more cluttered. Walls, screens and barriers also provide a level of protection.

 

Shade and cooling

While swimming pools are all about having fun in the sun, there’s a limit to how much sun a person should soak up during the day. That’s why using landscaping features for shade makes so much sense. Of course, you can consider things like shade sails, especially if you have an outdoor entertaining space near your pool. But even natural features such as trees and privacy screens can provide an element of sun protection. 

As we touched on earlier, if you intend to use trees for shade, choose carefully. The common misconception is that evergreen trees don’t lose their leaves, making them more suitable around pools. But evergreen trees do shed leaves – all through the year, in fact. Deciduous trees, on the other hand, lose all of their leaves in one season. So, it’s up to you whether you want to do a lot of pool cleaning in one season, or if your pool skimmer can keep up with the work during the whole year.

 

A natural sound barrier

Poolside landscaping isn’t completely sound-proof, of course, but there are ways to create effective noise barriers around the pool. Thicker bushes and shrubs like hedges are ideal for softening outside noise. You can also use walls, screens, and natural materials like stone. Professional landscapers are highly skilled at creating all types of barriers, using a range of materials.

 So, whether you use walls, fencing solutions or something more natural, you can always limit the amount of noise coming into your yard. This is highly beneficial for those living in urban areas or near busy roads.

 

More personalised design

Landscaping around your pool gives you so much more flexibility, especially if design the pool and landscaping at the same time. With so many different materials and types of landscaping at your disposal, you can create the perfect outdoor area for your lifestyle. Whether you want more open space for kids to play or you’d like to close off your pool area to outside noise and eyes, landscaping affords you the luxury of customising the space to your needs.

 

Maximise your outdoor spaces

Every home is different, and all homeowners have different reasons for installing a pool. Whether it’s for family fun or solo relaxation on a hot day, you always want to get the most out of your pool. Adding convenient features around the pool such as seating, decking, pathways and more can help you maximise your outdoor space. Ultimately, it’s all about comfort, and landscaping gives you the option to make your swimming pool area exactly how you want it. From the types of plants you want around you to spas and outdoor kitchens, the choice is completely yours.

 

Types of poolside landscaping to consider

Now that you can see the major benefits of poolside landscaping, you probably need some tips to help you get started. Remember, it’s always worth working with professional landscapers as they have the skills required to tie everything in perfectly for visual appeal and functionality. However, these ideas can be useful for planning.

 

Plants and shrubs

There are countless types of shrubs, plants and trees suitable for Australian backyards. Native trees and shrubs are always popular because they’re so low-maintenance. You do need to be careful about plant placement to avoid dirt, leaves and other debris ending up in your pool. But there’s really no limit to what you can choose. 

Plants, trees and shrubs have multiple benefits, such as improving air quality, offering shade and privacy, and importantly, enhancing your pool’s aesthetics.

 

Shade structures

Sun safety is paramount around swimming pools, especially if you’ve got kids who love spending long hours outdoors but can be forgetful with sunscreen. Shade structures can be used anywhere, either directly above the pool or to protect an outdoor entertaining area nearby. Some shade structures are fixed like gazebos and pergolas, while others provide flexibility like awnings and shade sails.

 

Privacy walls and screens

You can get creative with your privacy walls and screens. Bamboo and lattice panels offer a great natural look, and you can add hanging or climbing plants to turn it into a green wall. Hedges along the fenceline are terrific for privacy and noise reduction. If you choose to build some more permanent walls, you can add all types of decorations and customise them to your preferences. 

Green walls are a popular trend in modern yards and can add a nice touch to poolside areas. Essentially, it’s a wall that incorporates natural greenery, as suggested above with hanging pots or climbing plants. These types of walls look great and offer environmental benefits, too.

 

Pavers and walkways

Clearly defined paths and walkways around your pool are crucial for safety, but they also improve the area’s visual appeal. Ideally, you want to choose pavers and pathway materials that complement the rest of your outdoor area. Natural stone is always a good option, and most materials can also be coloured to suit the surroundings. 

Using low walls, gardens and rails around your paths can improve safety, and the addition of path lighting is strongly advised to light the way.

 

Ready to transform your outdoor spaces?

The addition of a swimming pool increases property value while giving you an outdoor space you can enjoy for years to come. Installing the right type of poolside landscaping can significantly enhance your comfort and improve the functionality of the entire yard. Why have a standard backyard swimming pool, when you can have one custom-designed to work seamlessly with your landscaping? Blue Haven specialises in custom pool designs, and our expert installers can always offer landscaping advice and ideas. Contact our team today and discover how poolside landscaping can make your swimming pool even more enjoyable.

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