A swimming pool right in your own backyard certainly sounds like heaven, especially during the hot summer months where you can instantly refresh by taking a dip and enjoying the feel of the cool waters.

It’s also the perfect place to host intimate and fun filled gatherings with your friends and family. But, when you really think about it, what sets a swimming pool apart from, say, an inflatable one (or heck, even a bathtub) apart from the size (and the money you spend on it) is the surrounding landscape that makes it into your own slice of paradise.

There is a vast selection of landscaping styles to choose from, such as lush tropical sceneries and streamlined modern pool backyards, and finding the right one for you can be quite daunting, but certainly a fun filled activity.

Of course, that isn’t to say that your swimming pool landscape should blend well with the aesthetics of your pool, backyard, home, and surrounding landscape. When you settle with a design that perfectly complements your property, you can really have that heavenly oasis right outside your doorstep.

Some things to consider…

Like we said, your options are virtually endless, and it can be difficult to narrow it down. To help you with your journey, here are some important things that you must take into account when planning your pool landscape: 

• Any existing landscaping on your backyard and front lawn
• The design and architecture of your home and other hardscapes
• The climate and geography of your property’s location
• Size, shape, and area for landscaping
• Color palettes, textures, and variety
• Safety and privacy
• Irrigation and sunlight requirements and availability
• Ease of maintenance

The best plants for your pool side

When landscaping your pool area, you can’t just put a couple of flower pots and be done with it, and expect it to look pleasing to the eyes. Now, after taking into consideration the factors mentioned above, you still have a lot of options on how to make your pool side look amazing.

For one thing, succulents are increasingly popular and quite easy to maintain- just stay away from the thorny ones as they can spell disaster. Another low maintenance but visually striking option are ornamental grasses. But, if these are not low maintenance enough for you, you can try potted plants and drought resistant plants.

If your concern is privacy, why don’t you hit two birds with one stone by opting for beautiful, sprawling vines and lush trees? Just make sure that whatever you plant, don’t place it too close to the pool so that it can grow properly and avoid shedding its leaves all over the pool.

The best looking and smelling plants are vibrant flowers and tropical wonders, but these are considerably more high maintenance than the other options. If you are willing to exert the extra effort, it’s definitely worth it in creating your own backyard paradise.

Spice it up with some fixtures

Plants are undeniably great, but they are not the end all, be all of landscaping- pool side or otherwise. You can spice things up and really take things up a notch by adding some really nice and functional fixtures. If you are creative and resourceful enough, these don’t have to be costly and may require little to no maintenance as well.

Beautiful street lamps, string lights, and underwater LED lights can help set the mood at night, a nearby fireplace and a surrounding stone walkway can certainly be beneficial to keep you safe and warm, and wood furniture can help you maintain that well blended, seamless look and appeal that you are going for.