Summer is still officially four weeks away, but with the heat we have been experiencing your pool is possibly already the focus of family activity. While there’s nothing better than swimming in sparkling clean water, having the right plants around the pool will help create a relaxing atmosphere and soften areas that are so often dominated by concrete paving and timber decking.
Not all plants thrive around pools, so before you head to your local nursery, keep these tips in mind:
1. Anything close to the pool is likely to get splashed – chlorine, salt and pool chemicals can affect or even destroy some species of plants.
2. Pools in seaside locations need hardy species that can tolerate harsh conditions, so opt for Australian natives such as coastal rosemary, coastal banksia, dianella, and pig face. Also consider exotics like bromeliads, agaves, yucca and cycads.
3. Harsh sunlight reflected from pool water and light-coloured paving can intensify heat on plants, significantly increasing evaporation and salt leaching. Drought tolerant plants are best in these situations.
4. Plants with perfumed, bee-attracting blooms may deter swimmers who suffer from allergies.
5. Unless you want to spend every weekend dragging out the pool cleaner, choose species that drop all their leaves at one time rather than all year round. Likewise, avoid plants such as tree ferns, which release spores throughout summer.
6. Organic matter like pods and petals produced by some flowering species can end up in or around the pool, staining the deck and making it slippery.
7. Minimise grassed areas near your pool in order to keep clippings out of the water when you mow.
8. Trees that are known to drop large branches are also best avoided around swimming pools for safety reasons. Also, be mindful of fast-growing, long roots as they could damage the pool shell and surrounding paving.
9. Planting endemic species will entice local flora and fauna around your pool deck.
Whatever plants you choose to turn your pool into an oasis, add some low-energy or solar-powered lighting to illuminate them at night and maximise on your enjoyment of the landscape.
