For new home owners or families building, a swimming pool is often on the wish list. If you have the budget perfect 😀 this information below will be helpful for you when your pool is being installed.  For those who don’t have it in the budget just yet and a pool is on the cards, our tips here will still help you in the future when the time arrises. 

💡Note for those building: Keep in mind the future pool site. Don’t plant large trees, only have temporary gardens and think of the most sunny part of your backyard. 

For those lucky enough to have a swimming pool in the Australian hot summers and want to revamp your pool surrounds, continue reading to find out the best and worst plants.

Best:

Pool areas should create a relaxing and luxurious space, where you can entertain and relax with family and friends in the hotter months. To hit the look of of tropical oasis or resort feel it is best to pick plants that can bring colour and texture along with creating a privacy screen if needed. 

For bursts of colour and plants that wont die after planting, think about:

• Agapanthus
• Cordylines
• Kangaroo Paw
• Hawaiian Hibiscus
• Bromeliads – One of South Coast Landscapes’ favourite

 

For some extra privacy with a natural feel and a plants that will create a screen along a plain fence, try: 

• Bamboo
• Palm Trees (Golden Caine or Fan Palm)
• Split Leaf Philodendron
• Bird of Paradise
• Banana Leaf Palm

Place the taller plants in the back or middle row of the garden beds and tier the plants in height towards the edges. When planting it helps to stagger the plants instead of putting them in a straight row to create that layered texture feel of a tropical oasis.

 

As pools are bright blue beauties in the backyard adding on small and large potted plants around the paving or decking area such as Agave Attenuata with their pops of green it will make the blue in the pool stand out more. Succulents are a perfect potted plant to have near a pool around because they can withstand high amounts of sun from the pool reflection and generally require little maintenance. 

 

Worst:

Moving on to plants you want to avoid. Do some research beforehand is key. Think about things like, plants with pollen and attracting bees, trees that shed lots of unwanted leaves. No one wants to be scooping leaves out of the pool all the time so avoid plants such as Wattle, Azaleas and Bougainvilleas. 

Also look to avoid trees that are know to like lots of water, their roots end up cracking the pool structures. Avoid fast growing large trees which end up shading your pool such as Arborvitaes and Acer trees.

 

We hope that this plant guide gives you a good guideline as to where to start when planting around your pool surrounds. Our tips will point you in the right direct to creating that perfect resort style pool or tropical oasis and not cause you a headache in the future. 

 

Landscaping pool surrounds by South Coast Landscapes

South Coast Landscapes is a Wollongong landscape company specialising in structural landscaping and pool surrounds. We operate throughout all of the Illawarra area. We have over 15 years experience in landscaping pool surrounds from pool cooping, paving decking and soft landscaping. For more information, you can contact us here.