How to Landscape for Pools With Water Features

Pools should integrate with the landscaping to create one pretty picture.

Many swimming pools are now being designed and built with fountains, hot tubs and water falls. How well the landscaping is done for these pools with water features can make the difference between having a basic construction in your yard and having a beautiful, well-integrated garden. A good landscape job will blend your yard, all the structures, the water theme and your plants into a single lovely picture. Does this Spark an idea?

Things You'll Need

• Paper
• Colored pencils
• Plant material
• Spade
• Hand trowel
• Optional soil amendments
• Mulch

Instructions

1. Sketch out the layout of your hardscape (pool area), making sure the planters are drawn somewhat to scale. Pay special attention to garden areas around water features.

2. Make a list of the plants you’d like to use around your pool and water features.

3. Decide if you want to use a shade tree near your pool or water features. Choose an evergreen tree that is not a pine. Deciduous trees (those that drop their leaves in the winter) and pine trees drop too much litter and are likely to clog and pollute water. Also avoid trees that will drop a lot of petals or seed pods for the same reason. Research which trees are likely to grow well in your area and avoid trees with invasive roots that can lift your stone or cement work over time. If you want the tree to also act as a shade, plant it on the side that would provide the optimal amount of protection from the hot sun. Smaller growing trees -- up to 20 feet -- are usually better choices for planting near pools or water features. Also make sure you do not plant them too close to hardscape structures of pools or water features so roots will not become destructive as they grow.

4. Choose a colored pencil and make an “X,” circle or other symbol to represent your tree and draw it into your sketch. Draw the symbol as large as you expect the tree to be when mature to be sure you leave ample space for it to grow. Write the kind of tree you intend to plant by the colored symbol.

5. Continue to select plants that you would like to design around your pool and water features, giving each plant its own color and symbol. You will not only be laying out how you will landscape the area, but you will be compiling your shopping list at the same time. Keep in mind that you will want to buy plants that will grow well in the exposure you give them (sun, shade etc.) and are not likely to shed too much litter into the water.

6. Design in taller, more striking plants as focal points to punch up the areas around special water features like waterfalls, hot tubs or fountains.

7. Check with a garden center or nursery or ask a garden coach or designer for suggestions if you are not sure about your choices.

8. Buy your plants and set them into planting areas following your sketched plan. Feel free to play around with placement.

9. Remember to think in terms of each plant as if it were full grown so you don’t crowd your plantings. If spaces between young plants look too vacant, fill the spaces between your permanent plants (perennials) with short-lived annuals.

10. Plant your plants and keep them well-watered, even if they are drought tolerant, until the roots are established. Keep in mind that plants placed close to waterfalls and fountains are likely to get light sprays of water and higher humidity.

11. Mulch the top of the planter areas. If you live where there is likely to be heavy rain or winds, avoid mulches like bark chips that can blow or float into the water in the pool or water features. Use gravel, stones, tumbled glass, compost, crushed brick or another material that will look attractive, keep soil temperatures equalized, hold in moisture and keep soil from washing or blowing into your pool, waterfall or fountain.