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Most good screening plants are an evergreen variety, meaning they will keep their foliage year around. Whether you will be using your pool year around or not, having a plant screen that retains its foliage is most desirable.
The selection of plant screens is not limited to pine type evergreens, though. There are many interesting evergreen plants that have leaves and are frequently used for screening. In USA zones 9 and 10 the Pittosporum tenuifolium or Kohuhu is a beautiful, yet easy keeper, plant for screening. The foliage of Kohuhu is glossy, leathery, and medium green throughout the year. It has dark red to purple bell-shaped flowers that are honey-scented and appear singly or in small clusters in late spring and early summer, followed by small, gray-black berries. Native to New Zealand, Kohuhu is a tolerant plant that will thrive in clay to sandy soil, salt spray, dry, hot conditions, and heavy shade.
In USA zones 3 to 7, the mock orange shrub is a great choice for pool screening. With dark green leaves, in June it will bloom small, white, very fragrant flowers. It thrives in shade or sun, a variety of soil types as long as it is well draining, and grows to around ten feet tall and five feet wide.
If you prefer a non flowering evergreen, try Nellie Stevens holly trees. These are easy care, very fast growing trees that reach 15 to 25 feet when mature, though you can prune and shape them to whatever size you wish. These holly trees retain their deep green foliage all year and in the winter will have red berries to brighten your yard. Nellie Stevens holly trees are low maintenance and will grow in poor soil, drought, full sun or shade, and even when neglected. -
An evergreen shrub or tree will provide you with year around privacy and will not litter your pool with dropped leaves or large flowers and petals. As tempting as it may be, do not choose a fast growing plant for your screening because they tend to have weaker wood and are more susceptible to breakage. Also, unless you plan to use planters that will control and retain it, do not select bamboo. Bamboo is a prolific spreader, hard to control when planted in the ground and difficult to remove once it has established itself.
Plants that have thorns or spiky branches should be avoided, particularly if children are going to be using your pool. Also any flowering shrubs, trees and plants that attract bees or other biting, stinging insects should not be placed in the vicinity of your pool.
If you plan to have your pool screening planted close enough to your pool that splashing and excess pool water will frequently reach your screening, make sure the plants you select are hardy and can withstand the salt or chlorine residue without harm. It is also a good idea to frequently hose off your screening plants to remove this residue.
