Pool Garden Ideas
Landscaping around swimming pools, or "poolscapes," creates an even more pleasant environment in which to relax. Whether your pool is in-ground or above ground, plants will contribute to the look of the area and will sometimes provide shade. Plants will make your pool area a more restful, attractive place that beckons visitors to stay awhile and enjoy the great outdoors. Walkways, paths and decks are also important components of a pool garden. Does this Spark an idea?
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The Basics of Pool Garden Design
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Consider how large your pool plants will get. Many plants will grow large and possibly block the sun for people desiring a tan. Yet taller plants can provide privacy. Their placement is key: study the sun's path before you plant and put them in an area that will provide privacy while allowing the sun to hit deck areas that might be used for sunbathing. Whether you plant in the ground or use large, attractive pots, easy-care plants such as broadleaf evergreens are desirable. A drip irrigation system on a timer will save work keeping pool plants watered.
Walkways and Other Access
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People need to easily get to the pool. If you have an above-ground pool, you might want to create a wooden deck around it, or around part of it. Stairs will enable you and your guests to get to pool level, and the deck will allow you to relax at poolside. If your pool is in-ground, you can build a cement or brick pathway that leads to the pool and provides a clean area to lounge in the sun.
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Flowering Plants
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Many flowering trees and smaller plants can be messy and also can demand care in pruning and fertilizing. If you don't mind sweeping seasonal flowers, you might consider a citrus tree in a pot: lemons, oranges and tangerines have fragrant flowers before they form fruit and can thrive in large containers. For a natural look, native flowering plants can be good choices. Penstemons and columbines have pretty flowers, need very little water, and have small flowers that shouldn't pose a big clean-up problem.
Palms and Tropical Foliage
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If you like a tropical look, and if your climate is suitable for some tropical plants, consider palms, ti, bananas, bamboo, schefflera, croton and other tropical foliage plants. Some palms, such as the Mexican fan palm, are hardy to 18 degrees Fahrenheit. Your local garden center will carry palms and other tropicals that are suitable for your part of the country. You can grow other tropical plants that are less tolerant of the cold in large pots, which you put outdoors in summertime and move inside during winter.
Grasses and Cacti
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For dry regions, some grasses and cacti provide greenery with few water needs. A grass such as Bermuda grass can soften areas and cool them down. (Solid cement around a pool in a hot, dry climate can make your "landscape" into a "hardscape" that is unappealing to many people.) Other grasses, such as fountain grass, are attractive, low maintenance and look pretty when they move in the breeze. Cacti are also good additions to poolscapes. Just be sure to plant them where their thorns won't pose a threat to humans.
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