Landscaping for a Swimming Pool

Landscaping for a swimming pool provides an appealing place to swim.

There are many things to consider when landscaping for a swimming pool.  First there is the lay of the surrounding land; then water transport into the pool; then away from the pool; how to take care of easily accessing the pool for maintenance; aesthetic visual appeal; raccoon, rodent, mosquito, horse fly, algae control; and positioning for the best use of the regional variations of temperature during the swimming season; among other considerations.

A pool without surrounding garden space can end up looking bulky and out of place.  While a pool that is the same size can appear less overwhelming if other uses for the surrounding space are taken into consideration.

It’s said that “anything worth doing is worth doing well.”  By choosing a pool that fits into your setting and the complete surrounding living space it will be much easier to take care of the pool later on.

Remember when choosing a pool shape, that you will spend most of your time at the shallow end.

Also, think about secure gating that will keep out small children.  This is very important for any in ground pool.  Look around your yard.  If a dog, or other animal can slip through the fence of a neighboring yard, so can a small child.  Be sure all the access points of an in ground pool are landscaped to shut out small children who may have momentarily slipped beyond the watchful eye of a care taker.

A solid surface cover is ideal for this reason.  And the added surface area can offer more space for guests from time to time.  This depends on what type of cover that is installed.

Consider how you would want your pool to look if it wasn’t operational for a few months. Or, if you needed to cut back on expenses for a while to cover medical bills while recovering from, or going through an illness.  Now think about the illness lasting for two weeks or more.

How would the look of your pool affect the surroundings?  Would the landscaping around your swimming pool be appealing for your neighbors?  Would dandelions’ and other quickly growing grass start to make the pool look unkempt as they raise against a tacky vinyl rim? Would the pool become a mosquito breeding bed if the filtration system jammed while you’re on vacation and a house sitting friend has to deal with it?

These are some of the reasons why deck pools, in-ground pools, and pools surrounded by a close dragonfly water garden are all good ideas.

On Do-it-yourself projects, knowing exactly where to plum is essential.  

The manufacturer of any kits should also be able to tell the professional landscaper or the do-it-yourselfer exactly where to place filtration unit skimmers.  Modern methods often eliminate the need to vacuum all together.

Once the choice is made to go with either an above ground or in ground feature, as well as the shape of the feature, and what type of pump / filtration combination you’ll be using; choosing the wall material is the next choice on the drawing board.

Most pool kit walls available are either made of polymers, or steel.

Having an unconnected water garden feature adjacent to or apart of the pool landscaped space adds a more restful feeling to a pool area.  Even if the water garden features are just few artfully displayed minimalist porch pond pots where the plants are there to accent the stillness of the water in the small structure; the whole scene becomes much more relaxing.  

A well landscaped pool should feel like floating down a slow clean river on an inner tube.  Much of the time afloat is spent playing.  But, after a while the rider has to relax, hang their head back off the inner tube with their hair submerged in the water, and enjoy the passing tree line greenery; as they lie motionless in the hypnotically relaxing drift enjoying the contrast against the backlit white clouds and bright blue sky.

Permeable and non-permeable surfaced Garden features from any gardening genre (like ornamental grasses or decorative rock) and textured aesthetic (such as a Colonial Revival, or Prairie accent) will add a calm that is stronger than the fun and commotion associated with pool activity. 

Any natural element adds to the depth of every style swimming water feature meant for people.  Plants, gardens, flowers, rocks, and grown food are a few examples that can be combined, reduced and dotted about.  One of the best ideas is to use these accents to bring attention to the empty space between them.    

The only types of earthy garden features that should be sectioned away from a pool area are chicken coups, and other types of man made land & air animal housing. 

Having the right sort kind of landscaped swimming pool will provide a great place to host outdoor dance parties, even music salons--or just sitting on the pool deck under the stars holding up smart phones to see which bright stars are actually planets--with friends, and friends of friends.