Landscaping Swimming Pools

Landscaping swimming pools in a way that brings color and shade is important part of enjoying your backyard pool.

There are many other considerations to think of when you select the plants or bushes you want to include such as:

1. Low Maintenance 

Living in Atlanta, Georgia we chose plants that are heat and drought resistant since we don't have a sprinkler system around our pool. Less time watering means more time in the pool. 

2. Disease Resistant

Plants that rarely get plant diseases like black or leaf spot, aphids, or mildew means you don't have to spend a lot of time spraying or dusting with powders. 

3. Provide Color 

We have pool plants that provide color throughout the summer including Nikko blue hydrangeas, Knock-Out Roses, Black-eyed Susans, zinnias, yellow and red day lilies, gardenias, and clematis.

4.  Provide Fragrance 

Confederate Jasmine, Ligustrum and gardenias provide fragrance at different times through out the summer which provides a "scentsational" experience.

Landscaping Swimming Pools with Colorful Perennials and Annuals 

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Landscaping with color is an important consideration as you choose plants, bushes or perennials for around your pool.

Our bushes and perennials provide color all through the summer when we are out by the pool.

Find perennials that blossom at different times like PeeGee Limelight hydrangeas, cone flowers, Gerbera Daisies or daylilies.  We use the blossoms for bouquets for parties and for our personal enjoyment.

The blossoms of a perennial hibiscus are not just large - they are huge. 

For more ideas on getting some color around your pool click here:

Best Plants for Pool Landscaping for Color

Landscaping Swimming Pools Ideas for Privacy

This is a picture of a Jackmanii clematis which not only provides privacy but wonderful purple blossoms as well.

Pool landscaping should provide some privacy. We did not want a wooden privacy fence around our pool, but we do want some privacy since we back up to a golf course.

We have planted Evergreen Clematis, Carolina and Confederate Jasmine and would you believe some thornless blackberry vines along our pool fence.

Swimming Pool Landscaping Ideas for Low Maintenance

When we consider what plants we want to include around our pool they need to be low maintenance. For us, living in Atlanta, they also need to be drought, heat resistant and disease resistant.

My husband and I work full time and we don't have a lot of time to water everyday or to spray plants that catch diseases. We mostly use perennials and bushes that come back every year and thrive on neglect.

These red day lilies are a favorite of mine. Not only do they provide color around the pool, but I use these perennial flowers for lots of my centerpieces and pool decorating.

Low Maintenance Pool Landscaping Plants

Landscape for Fragrance

In June our gardenia's are in blossom and provide us with a month of a wonderful garden scent. We have several of the Radicans Dwarf Creeping Gardenias that mound nicely and don't get as large as a traditional gardenia bush.

They have beautiful green glossy leaves year round and require minimal maintenance or trimming.

Ligustrum provide tiny white blossoms and a nice fragrance during the month of May.

But my favorite fragrance is from our Little Gem Magnolia. It has a really fresh citrus smell and beautiful white blossoms and shiny green leaves.

I use the blossoms from both to make fragrant flower centerpieces.

The two other plants that provide flowers and fragrance are the Confederate Jasmine and peonies.

The Confederate Jasmine vine grows along our pool fence.

Landscape for Floral Bouquets

Plants around the pool need to provide flowers or fragrance. I use my perennials to make up bouquets for our pool party decorations.

In spring I made several floral centerpieces from white azaleas for a girl's night out by the pool. This weekend we had a group of friends over for an outdoor dinner and I made several floral centerpieces from my Endless Summer Hydrangeas.

My husband and I are not professional landscapers, but we do enjoy making our backyard pool a colorful and relaxing retreat. When we entertain guests out by the pool, there are always compliments and comments on how beautiful our backyard looks.

Swimming Pool Landscaping Safely

Choose weed killer around your swimming pool that is safe for people, pets and planet.

Here are a couple of reasons why I love Avenger Weed Killer:

1.  It's safe and reduces our exposure to toxins.

2.  Less toxins end up in the pool after a rain

3.  Works effectively against weeds and will also kill grass if applied 

4.  Easy to use by buying a pre-mixed solution and sprayer.  

This citrus based weed killer works by spraying the solution on leaves.  It has worked really well for me, occasionally I'll need to reapply. 

Avenger Organics Weed Killer, 1 gallon

Landscaping swimming pools for beauty, color, and easy maintenance is possible.  Find plants that you enjoy and that are happy around your pool for you and your guests to enjoy all summer long. 

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