How to Design the Perfect Pool Landscaping

Everyone knows adding the right landscaping can transform your inground pool from an ordinary place to a lush, breathtaking paradise. But knowing exactly how to choose the right combination of plants, and where to plant them can be a challenge.

Putting in a new pool or spa rarely means that once it is in the yard that the job is done. Instead, it is just the beginning of a multifaceted endeavor. At the very least you’ll need to add decking to surround it, a fence for safety, and perhaps a place for storing the pool-care equipment. But to fully enjoy your investment, you’ll want to add other elements to complete the setting. Very often this means landscaping your yard to include things such as a larger patio or wooden deck for relaxing and entertaining, walkways for getting to and from the pool, plantings for privacy, and gardens for decoration. It may even be the addition of a water feature, such as a pond, waterfall, or fountain, that can complement the pool and the surrounding landscape.

To begin the perfect pool landscaping design you should develop a good design concept. It helps to keep in mind your lifestyle, daily activities, needs, wants, and personal preferences. List every feature, no matter how small, for your new outdoor oasis. This list should include your favorite plants, a need for privacy, and any allergies you have. Be guided by the basic elements of any good landscape design: proportion, light, color, mass, and texture are key to a successful plan. Ask yourself, “What makes sense for the space around my pool?” It’s important to decide on a realistic budget. This will determine whether you need to scale back and plan to do some of the work yourself or relax and let the professionals handle the whole project. Next collect pictures, make notes and draw sketches to commit your ideas to paper.

Some people have a natural sense of design, they know exactly what they need, can visualize how all of the elements will fit together, and then also have the expertise to do the actual work themselves. But since a lot of the hardscaping or landscaping involved is above most people’s skill level, hiring professional help is usually the best solution. There are several professional options, for the initial layout and design of the yard, you have a choice between a landscape design architect or a landscape designer. For the actual work, there are landscape contractors. You can always find a design-build company, like ours, that can provide both the design and installation.

A good landscape design architect can develop a master-plan design of the area around your pool based on your vision, needs and expectations. This comprehensive pool landscaping design will include existing elements / conditions and help with the orientation and placement of new landscaping and hardscaping. Because your pool will definitely be the focal point of the yard, it makes the most sense to start designing around the pool and work out from there. Lots of choices will need to be made: the size, shape, color, and placement of hardscapes, the specific types of trees, shrubs, and flowers, and where to place each for the best effect. Some elements, such as fencing around the pool is not negotiable. A certain height and type fence is a legal requirement for safety. Your project will not pass inspection without a suitable fence. The addition of hardscapes such as a fireplace, outdoor kitchen, or covered porch should also be considered. Your finished outdoor oasis should be perfectly planned, to scale and include every detail to avoid confusion or mistakes.