Renovating your pool area can benefit your entire home by adding extra outdoor space while adding value to your home.
There are five areas to consider when landscaping around your pool.
These include choices for plant material, water features, privacy, fencing, and covered areas.
Most importantly your main purpose for any design should enhance the overall plan while adhering to local safety guidelines.
The space can be enjoyed during summer and winter months, if properly planned.
The best choice for plant material include natives within your region, non-poisonous plant material, shrubs and dwarf variety trees, as well as container plantings.
You should not plant any large trees that would disrupt the pool hardscape surface.
If you prefer adding shaded areas around the pool throughout the year, consider evergreen shrubs that keep their leaves and maintain a reasonable height.
Water features add a naturalistic feature to any pool.
You can install small structured fountains or consider building a cascading rock waterfall.
These features will create a remarkable focal point around your pool or provide soothing white noise in your landscape.
Privacy is another concern for your landscape design.
You may want to install a privacy fence or consider installing shrubs with dense foliage that reach a mature height of four to six feet.
Other options include stone, brick, or concrete paver walls.
Fencing is an important aspect to any poolscape especially with children around.
There are a variety of fencing options that meet required height and width between bars for child safety.
Be sure to ask about safety features on pool gates and pool accessibility after installation.
You may also consider installing a deck patio or covered area such as a pergola or gazebo.
This would be a comfortable alternative during warm summer months and another "outdoor room.
" Covered spaces create more shade for relaxing outdoors and safety from other extreme weather conditions such as high winds or warm temperatures.