Tag: pool landscaping ideas

With warm weather and lots of sunshine, you’ll probably be spending a lot of time in your pool during summer. You may also notice that your pool garden could use a makeover. Plants around pools need to be tough, and knowing which plants work best in your climate will allow you to create a lower-maintenance, more vibrant pool garden. 

So which are the best plants for around pools in Australia? Here are our recommendations for pool-friendly plants to create your private slice of poolside paradise.

Before we begin, let’s talk about what NOT to plant around your pool.

Plants not to have near your pool

Pool maintenance is a lot of work, so we recommend avoiding trees and shrubs that shed leaves and twigs all year-round near your pool area where possible. Jacaranda, silky oak and poinciana trees are some of the worst offenders when it comes to dropping debris into pools. 

Also avoid trees with spines or cones, and large trees that develop sprawling root systems. These include umbrella trees, ficus (fig) trees, rubber trees, willows and bamboo.

The best plants for around pools – Australia

Smart pool landscaping means planting tough, low-maintenance, low-mess plants that can tolerate full sun positions and the occasional salty, chlorinated splash. 

If you’re stuck for pool garden ideas, start by considering what your goals are. Do you need plants to enhance privacy, provide shade, or add a vibrant decorative feature? Then, choose a mix of the following pool-friendly plants that fulfils those needs.

Succulents for around pools

Succulents are perfect plants for around the pool: they’re low maintenance, drought-tolerant, sun-loving and beautiful. Look for Crassula varieties, like Jade plants, for larger features, and Sedum and Aeonium varieties for intricate, colourful highlights.

Aloes and agaves

Few plants are as tough as aloes. Aloes and agaves are low maintenance, can grow to up to 1.5m tall, heat and sun-tolerant, and – best of all – they don’t shed leaves. 

Shrubs for pool gardens

Privacy is a huge perk for pool owners, so many use shrubbery to create functional and beautiful privacy screens. Look for hydrangeas or tropical hibiscus varieties – they love sunshine, offer luscious blooms and have large enough leaves to make cleaning up easy.

Trees for around the pool

Trees are essential for creating shade in super-sunny pool gardens, and can become standout features of any backyard garden. We love frangipanis as ideal poolside trees. They flower through summer and autumn, and a beautiful fragrance and work well in a pot or in the ground.

Palm trees also work well, with minimal leaf shedding and thin root systems. Create shade or privacy and boost growth by planting them in clusters around the pool. Just keep in mind that they’ll need a partially shaded position, as full sun can fry their leaves.

Is your pool full of leaves, sticks and sunscreen after the first half of summer? Let us get you swimming in a sparkling-clean pool again. Let us know what we can do for you – from monthly cleans to a full service – and we’ll handle the rest!