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Basic landscaping principles

When considering the landscaping around your swimming pool, it is best to consult with a landscape architect for recommendations, but make sure to provide your own input. A homeowner's input combined with the expertise of a landscape architect oftentimes produce remarkable results making parties are proud to have contributed.

In determining your swimming pool's landscaping, aesthetics, privacy, safety, convenience, flexibility, and easy maintenance should be considered. You want your pool and its surrounding area to be an enjoyment and a pleasing to all of your senses.

To achieve an aesthetic balance in the environment, the pool landscaping should be consistent with the surrounding landscaping of your home or building. The use of trees, fences, walls, or screens can provide the degree of privacy for you while
enjoying your pool or spa, as well as enhancing the beauty of your yard. Make sure the trees that are near your pool do not drop a lot of leaves. This can lead to a messy pool and a lot for additional clean-up time.

To ensure safety, a protective barrier such as a pool fencing or wall with self-latching gates should surround the swimming pool area. The pool area should also be well lit for night use. There is a verity of outdoor lighting you can choose from that will enhance the beauty of your yard, both in the day and night.

Planters and patio furniture placed around a swimming pool can make a tremendous difference in aesthetics. Depending on the temperature zone you live in, you can have flowering plants accenting your pool area year round.

Another option to consider, depending on your expenses, is constructing changing rooms, and outdoor showers.

In essence, keep four basic landscape principles in mind: unity, balance, variety, and proportion.

Unity in a pool or spa setting is achieved when everything looks as though it belongs together. Achieve balance by combining elements that produce the same visual weight.

A large tree or structure on one side of a pool, for example, can be balanced with a grouping of smaller trees on the other side. Variety breaks up what could be monotonous.

Differing but complementary grade levels, textures, colors, and shapes arouse visual interest both horizontally and vertically.

Proportion is something most people do have a hard time with, and yet it is the easiest to achieve. Landscape elements need to be in scale not only with each other, but also with your house, lot, and pool or spa. If your lot is extremely large, try breaking the space upinto several distinct areas.

To maintain proportion in a small lot, keep things simple and uncluttered.

Remember, landscape architects and designers use some basic design techniques that you can borrow when thinking about your own plan. These can make the difference between a visually pleasing landscape and an awkward, jarring one.