Pool owners in Charlotte love the endlessly blooming flowers that dazzle their backyard pool landscape for almost every month of the year. However, this constant show of color means carefully planning your pool landscaping ahead of the coming season. Specifically before the blazing heat of summer and the freezing winds of winter.
When spring is in high gear there’s no time to lose. Pool owners that wait to get started find there’s not much they can do to embellish their pool landscaping beyond dropping in some potted begonias at the last minute. Smart pool owners plan ahead for easy summer color that thrives in the heat. Start planning now for future seasons of beautiful garden flowers.
This timetable will help:
LATE SPRING PLANTING
-Plant your favorite annual transplants for summer color around your pool before the weather gets hot. They’ll root in, become established more quickly for a better and longer lasting show. We know it’s hard to rip out flourishing cool-weather annuals while they’re still blooming, but you will find the great results of replacing them with new summer blooming botanicals before it gets hot and dry will be well worth it.
-If you have natural areas around your pool or are looking for an informal, cottage-style garden, sow seeds of quick-germinating annuals, such as cosmos, zinnias, spider flowers, marigolds, common sunflower, and Mexican sunflower directly into the ground. Barely cover the seeds with soil and water until the seeds are soaked. The results will be stunning and you’ll be happy to find that these amazing flowers will bloom not only throughout the summer but into the late fall.
-Late spring is the best time to plant summer and fall-blooming bulbs, such as gladiolus, cannas, callas, dahlias, spider lilies, and ginger lilies. And don’t forget caladiums for easy spectacular summer foliage.
-Before summer’s roasting temperatures hit you may want to plant your favorite shrubs and perennials to add your outdoor paradise. Small shrubs and climbing vines can add pretty foliage and color to the fall landscape (roses, sasanqua camellias, Mexican bush sage, ornamental grasses, asters, mums) and winter landscape (winter honeysuckle, winter daphne, common camellia, Lenten rose).
SUMMER PLANTING
-Midsummer isn’t too late to add fall-blooming plants to the landscaping around your pool. Good choices include asters, joe-pye weed, Mexican bush sage, pineapple sage, iron-weed, mums, and goldenrod (don’t worry, it doesn’t cause hay fever). When shopping in the garden center for yo fall flowers look for plants with healthy roots growing in 1-gallon pots. After planting, be sure to water daily for two to three weeks until to ensure the roots are established.
-In late summer, sow seeds of cosmos and large-flowered zinnias directly into the garden for colorful, easy blooms in your backyard throughout the fall.
FALL PLANTING
-Get to your garden center early for the best selection of winter or spring flowering bulbs Some of our favorites are daffodils, tulips, hyacinths, snow-drops, and crocus. Make sure they are in the ground by early December. Charlotte is an area with short, mild winters so you may need to chill bulbs in the refrigerator for 8 to 10 weeks before planting.
-Set out transplants of cool-weather flowers that will bloom next spring. Good choices include foxgloves, violas, snapdragons, stock, and sweet William.
-Sow seeds of spring-blooming annuals, such as poppies and larkspur, directly onto bare soil, and barely cover with dirt. These beauties will sprout and bloom when mild weather hits for a showy surprise long after you’ve forgotten they were planted.
-Don’t forget Fall is also a great time for planting hardy trees, shrubs and vines to add to the colorful flowers and foliage around your pool next year.
If your new pool needs pool landscaping we’re here to help. Maybe your pool landscape has seen better days. Coogan’s Design-Build has the expertise to quickly transform your backyard into a dreamy get away that is refreshing and serene.
