Landscape design for a pool area is a highly personal endeavor. Just as the design and decor of every home are unique, so is the pool and the yard that surrounds it. There’s landscaping to consider, as well as easy maintenance, size, and privacy. If you’re wondering how to distinguish your swimming pool area and make it fabulous, here are a few ideas to consider.

10 Landscape Design Ideas for Your Pool

  1. Birch Trees for Shade. Birch trees are good for providing shade in any setting, including your pool area. Place planters between the trees, filled with your choice of lower shrubs to fill in the gaps. Atop a beautiful flagstone patio, the look will be stunning.
  2. A Terrace Focal Point. Your pool can be a focal point or it can lead the eye to another point of focus. One idea is a stone terrace at the head of your pool, extending the range of activities you can enjoy in your pool area. To soften the look, however, you’ll need plenty of greenery for your terrace.
  3. Japanese Maple Trees for Variety. With all their stonework, pool areas and other outdoor living spaces can easily take on a monochromatic look if you’re not careful. The vibrant reds of a Japanese maple can warm up the space and add interest.
  4. An Ivy-Covered Wall. Walls around your pool can be so harsh with their strong architectural lines and sharp edges. Ivy that drapes across the wall can not only soften the look of your pool area but also lend a classic charm reminiscent of a posh European estate.
  5. A Privacy Wall of Greenery. Whether you have neighbors or not, a privacy wall near your pool is a gorgeous idea. Choose a row of thick, small trees to plant behind it that will give additional cover year-round.
  6. A Splash of Color. Since we live in a more temperate climate, why not incorporate some colorful landscaping elements into your pool area. We like Bougainvillea in large planters on a stonework patio. This adds a unique vibrancy and makes your pool one of happiest, prettiest places on the block.
  7. A Compact Garden of Succulents. This works well whether you have a large space or a small one. All you need is a stretch of lawn three feet wide that’s located next to your pool. Design a garden of succulents that stretches the full length of your rectangular pool and frame it with a hardscaping stone wall. The result is a beautifully framed pool and a mini garden that’s easy to care for.
  8. Wildflowers. If you have a freeform pool, then planting wildflowers right up to the edges of your pool will enhance the natural look of your pool area. A well-placed hammock can complete the casual, unstructured vibe.
  9. Stonework and River Rocks. Why not build upon the natural look of all that water in your back yard and design a patio around your pool that incorporates river rocks and natural grasses or ferns?
  10. Retaining Wall with Custom Stone Veneer. A retaining wall will frame your pool, helping you avoid that sparse, flat look so many homeowners end up with after they install an in-ground pool. When you add planters filled with large-scale greens, the look is remarkably upscale.

Discover More Landscape Design Ideas

If you liked these 10 ideas for landscaping your pool, we’ve got more. Check out our portfolio of gorgeous pool-side designs or get a free estimate by calling our custom hardscaping Haymarket office today.