The swimming pool is an important part of the entertainment area in a garden. In her book Easy Gardening, published by the Metz Press, Nancy Gardiner looks at the many ways in which to dress it up. Omeshnie Naidoo drew an extract.
Your pool may be tucked away, separate from the main garden, or it may be an inherent part of it, its paving continuing out into the rest of the garden where trees and shrubs share their shade with the pool area.
Whatever the location, it is bound to attract people. Ultimately the choice of plants to be placed around the pool is a personal one, but there are useful guidelines to follow.
What you need to achieve is a beautiful way of integrating the pool with the garden; consider seclusion, shelter from the wind, shade in the correct spots and privacy.
Paving, drainage, fencing
If the approach to the pool is by means of steps, there should be no soil in between the steps.
In fact any link – paths, paving, steps – between house and pool should have a clean surface so that soil will not be walked into the pool. You can edge a path or patio with annuals and flowering perennials, but this is not a good idea around the pool itself. Here evergreen shrubs, foliage perennials and ground covers are best grown.
Annuals can be most successful in containers, though, giving you bright colour without loose soil to mess up your nice, clean pool.
Any planting should be done in such a way that there is no danger of soil escaping on to the paving or into the pool. Low walls, preferably with drainage at the base, can be the solution.
Drainage is important and garden beds and paving should slope slightly away from the pool, so the hose-water or rain does not wash soil into the pool.
Some wise parents place a security fence around the pool. This is not a thing of beauty, and planting to soften the effect can be a challenge.
The answer could be low containers, placed on the outside of the fence, some of them planted with delicate, evergreen climbers, so that you can still see through the fence for safety reasons.
Trees
The sun needs to reach the water to warm it, which means tall trees should not be planted on the north side of the pool unless it is sufficiently far back, so that while they create a screen their shade does not reach the water.
Shade will be in demand near the pool and although a summer house will give shade, it can get quite hot. If you choose a tree with a spreading umbrella shape it will give cool shade, but it should be far enough away from the pool not to drop its leaves right into the water, nor cast its shadow on the water.
Shrubs
Evergreen shrubs are an excellent choice. Those bearing flowers are not suitable, as flowers attract bees and fallen blossoms can cause slippery conditions. Fruit-bearing shrubs or trees are similarly dangerous.
Plants with thorns should be kept right away as there is always a possibility of slipping on the paving and falling into the clutch of thorny branches.
Coprosmas are an excellent choice as they are available in upright or spreading shapes and offer attractive, shiny green foliage or leaves variegated with green and yellow or white. Their neatness of habit is another plus. Serene lavender bushes, cool grey foliage with mauve, blue, even pinkish blooms, are popular with garden landscapers.
A tropical look
There is no doubt that palm trees and cordylines have a place near the pool, as their growth is slender and they hold fast to their leaves. Palms have comparatively compact root systems and established palms can be transplanted with success to give your pool that instant, tropical garden look. Do check the light conditions required by the palm you have set your heart on.
While most prefer sun or semi-shade, few prefer the shade.
Ferns will also contribute to a tropical theme and not all of them insist on shade.
Containers and rock gardens
Containers are attractive around the pool and can be planted with small shrubs, perennials, trailing plants and annuals. If they are on pedestals, they could be knocked down in boisterous play and cause great harm. Give them drip trays so that the soil does not wash out and into the pool.
A rock garden can create a lovely natural backdrop to your pool. Try to choose cool, grey rocks to blend with the blue of the water and ensure that none are jagged to avoid accidents. Keep the construction low and make sure the soil is firmly contained in the pockets created by the rocks. If necessary, a rock garden can have a low wall at its base and a drain or gutter to lead away excess water.
Landscaping ideas
Some pool owners like to place plants (ones that don’t drop their leaves) so close to the water that the plants practically hang over it – on one, or even two sides of the pool.
These planting areas must preferably be away from the link to the entertainment area, on the side where traffic is low and a backdrop will have most impact.
If your house and garden design is formal, creating elegant straight lines of planting alongside the pool will echo your style, and the colour of the water will emphasise the cool restraint.
A dark-lined pool can be especially dramatic. - The Mercury