Pool Landscaping Ain't Just For Looks

Source: Ultimate Pool Remodeling Inc.

When it comes to pool design, landscaping is half the battle. Simply put, you can't have a beautiful and functional swimming pool with lackluster, ugly, or inappropriate landscaping surrounding it. Besides the visual impression it creates, it also serves practical purposes. Here are five reasons pool landscaping is both attractive and useful:

1. Decoration

The primary reason to landscape around your pool is the same reason you landscape anywhere else - it looks good. An inground pool without plants, trees, or other landscaping just looks naked.

2. Privacy

In all likelihood, you will have a fence around your pool (in fact, depending on your local laws, you may be required to). However, trees and bushes can provide additional privacy, blocking anyone from seeing you lounge around in your bathing suit - or acting like a fool with the kids.

3. Cleanliness

Landscaping near your pool deck is helpful for blocking dirt, grass, and other debris from blowing into the water. Less skimming and cleaning = big win.

4. Blocking Wind

Speaking of wind, it can make swimming and sunbathing unpleasant. If your pool is in a location where it gets a lot of wind, you definitely want a few trees and other barriers around to break it.

5. Shade

When you're a pool owner, the sun is your friend - most of the time. In many cases, it's helpful to have trees near your pool deck to make it more comfortable during the hottest days of summer. In hot climates, you may even want some shade over your pool to keep the water cool and refreshing.

It's doubtful that anyone needs to be convinced that pool landscaping is a good thing. Most people understand that, but might not get just how important landscaping is to pool design. Thinking about its many uses gives you a good perspective from which to begin planning.

While landscaping can be done at a more leisurely pace after the pool is built, it's a good idea to start thinking about it early in the process. It's one more part of the equation that can alter your thinking about other aspects of pool design, such as size, shape, placement, and materials. In particular, if you don't have unlimited space to work with (like most people) you need to be somewhat anal in your planning to make sure your backyard comes together just right.