Cape Town - With summer around the corner, now is the time to revitalise the garden around your swimming pool.
The plants you choose have an important role to play in creating the look and feel you want to achieve poolside.
Landscaping around the pool deck can complement and link the various elements of your home and garden. With a little planning, success can be achieved, no matter what the size or shape of the pool or garden.
Design elements
The defined lines of the pools of yester-year have been replaced by more natural looking pools that complement the garden, rather than dominate it.
Award-winning landscape designer Alan Dawson of Alan Dawson Gardens says that plants around a swimming pool help to create a tranquil environment, helping to soften hard paving or decking around the pool. “Plants also help to cool the area, reduce glare and add depth to the area around a swimming pool,” said Dawson.
They can also be used to enhance the design of the pool area. Formal plantings create a clean, modern look, while tropical plants are suitable for an organic shaped pool. “Eco pools are perfect for an indigenous garden and help to attract birds, reptiles and insects. They are low maintenance and change with the seasons.”
Points to consider
While plants are used to beautify the area around the pool, they can be a source of aggravation if incorrectly chosen. Keeping the pool clean can become a tedious chore, with clogged filters and surface debris a daily battle. Sensitive plants that are continually drenched with pool water may not survive.
* Pool surrounds
Pool surrounds like paving or decking provide a place for bathers to suntan or relax and protect the area adjacent to the pool from damage by foot traffic and pool water.
“The style of the swimming pool, flow around the pool and frequency of use are all factors that should be considered when determining the type of material to use around the pool,” said Dawson.
Plants provide a way to connect the pool and its surrounds with the patio and other entertainment areas for better linkage and continuity between the living areas. Large areas of paving are best broken by steps or terraces and plants in build-in planters or containers can further soften the lines.
* Water, heat and reflection
Do you have a salt chlorinator or do you use chlorine and other chemicals to keep your pool clean? This must be taken into account when choosing plants to include close to the pool. Dawson says he prefers salt chlorinated pools as chlorine, over a period of time, can have a detrimental effect on the surrounding soil and plants.
The pool deck can be a harsh environment for plants as sunlight is reflected off the water surface and off paving or decking around the pool, radiating additional heat.
* Safety around the pool
Install gardening lighting in the pool area to ensure good illumination at night. Effective lighting can also be used to draw the eye to important design elements around the pool. For safety, also consider the plants you include around the pool. Avoid thorny plants as these can injure bathers as they move about.
If you have children and pets, a pool cover or net is mandatory.
* Choosing plants
a) Suitable plants for the pool area include shrubs, perennials and trees, but avoid deciduous trees, or plants that drop their fruit, berries or cones.
b) Flowering plants may also be a problem. Consider the individual plant’s flowering season, as well as size and amount of blooms before making a final selection.
c) Raised beds alongside the pool produce height and lift the eye. A raised bed can frame the pool and define shape. Plants are also less likely to be splashed with pool water.
d) Trees around the pool can help to provide welcome shade on a hot afternoon. When choosing a tree, make sure the roots are not invasive or they will damage the pool and lift paving. Alan Dawson’s ideas for indigenous trees for the pool area include the white pear (Apodytes dimidiate), ironwood (Vepris lanceolata), pompom tree (Dais cotinifolia) and Indigofera frutescens.
e) Trees can be also used to effectively to create a specific look around the pool, for example, a tropical oasis created with palms.
f) For pools positioned close to a boundary wall, remove the lawn and replace with a selection of plants that are water-wise and can withstand heat from the wall. Succulents and drought-resistant plants can make an attractivedisplay.
g) Shrubs and perennials can be used to create an attractive border alongside the pool as well as provide a privacy screen, windbreak or hide unsightly pool equipment.
h) Ornamental grasses are no-fuss, low maintenance plants very suitable for the poolside environment. They create a pretty show as they sway with the breeze.
i) As an alternative to paving, Dawson suggests loose laid pavers inter-planted with hardy groundcovers like Dymondium margaritae, Mazus repens, Lippia nodiflora.
i) Containers alongside the pool can be used to add colour to the space or used as a focal point, adding interest and texture. Annuals, perennials, succulents and trailing plants are all good candidates for containers, but make sure the plants you choose can take full sun. Use saucers under containers to prevent soil and fertilisers from washing into the pool.
Kay Montgomery, Weekend Argus