Landscaping is one of the final touches that we at Legendary Escapes absolutely love. Good landscaping can make an incredible backyard experience even better. It helps to finish off the look and feel of the pool area, making it look polished and beautiful. Pool landscaping is different from other types of landscaping, though, for several reasons. It is important to hire a landscaper who is familiar with swimming pools and the unique requirements associated with them.
Our resident landscaper, Jodi, gave some thoughts about pool landscaping. Essentially, she says, you are creating a new environment with specific criteria for plant material. Different types of landscaping have different requirements–whether the landscaping is going in near a home, in the middle of a lawn, with cement, near a pool, etc. The poolside environment has specific criteria when it comes to the plants that can be used. This doesn’t have to mean you are limited or restricted in plant choice, but, if you have a landscaper who is not familiar with the various types of plant matter, you could find yourself with limited options. It’s important to find a landscaper who is familiar with all the options for plant material so you have the widest variety of options available.
Your typical, commonly-used plants might not be the best options for use near a swimming pool. This can sometimes leave pool owners feeling limited, but this is where it is important to have a landscaper who understands the dynamics of a swimming pool and the options of plant matter that can be used. Your landscaper should be conscientious about the specific requirements of a swimming pool environment. The most important thing to keep in mind is the fact that pools have working parts that can easily get plugged up without proper care. Plants that drop a lot of leaves or other debris are not good poolside options. With the wrong choice of plants, you could be constantly skimming debris off the top of your pool and vacuuming the water–and if you’re not careful, that debris can get sucked into the skimmer and fill up your skimmer basket and pump basket, which can make your pool run less effectively and eventually damage your equipment.
Another important thing to consider when finding a landscaper for your swimming pool area is the goal of the landscaping. Most landscapers work to make the landscaping the focal point of the yard–this is understandable, as this is generally the reason they are hired. However, when it comes to pool landscaping, the focus should remain on the pool. Especially if you are building a unique or custom swimming pool, you will want the unique aspects and details of your swimming pool to shine, and to take center stage in the backyard. Landscaping designed to be the focal point of the yard will compete for attention, often making the yard look too busy or overwhelming. It is important to find a landscaper who respects the fact that the pool is the focal point, and will create a beautiful landscape design to accentuate and support your pool.
