New IG near Binghamton NY. Need ideas/help with fence.

[ajfjcklc]

This is week 5 of construction, but most of the work has been done for a couple of weeks now. Couldn't get the concrete done due to them not showing up twice plus scattered rainy days. Concrete poured today! They still have to come back and pour the concrete pad and 2 steps that will be outside the screened porch sliding doors leading down to the pool. My PB has been doing pool closings for other customers while waiting for the concrete sub, but my pool season is about to start once the filter and heater are turned on tomorrow.

Going to have a black alum 54" fence installed - debating whether to keep the fence close to the pool on the "low" side (same side with ladder) of the grading or put it 6 feet or so down the slope to keep the majority of the fence out of the sight line while sitting on the pool deck enjoying the view (view as shown in the pic below IMG_1588). Keeping the sight line clear might also give an infinity edge sort of feel which would be nice. My concern with putting the fence 6 feet down the slope is what to do with the space between the pool deck and the fence: landscaping stone would look nice, but not nice to step on with bare feet when volleyballs, basketballs, beachballs inevitably bounce out of the pool and down the slope to the fence. Mulch would be better for feet, but would result in mulch being brought into the pool every time one of the kids gets a ball from that side and re-enters the pool. Note: IMG_1589 shows the "high" side of the grading - the fence will be about 2 feet from this side of the pool deck.

Any suggestions? Thanks!

 

[duraleigh]

If it was my pool, I would like to keep the fence as unobtrusive as possible. What about grass for the space between?

 

[DOMO]

I vote for putting the fence down the slope. That leaves the option in the future for whatever you figure out (grass, mulch, tiered hardscape, an artificial surface, etc.).

 

[ajfjcklc]

My tendency is to put it down the slope too. Grass would be easiest to care for, but I'd have to buy a push mower just to cut the grass within the pool fence - right now I get by using only my lawn tractor. Another thought I had was to plant ornamental grasses that don't grow too high in the space between the pool and a fence down the slope - this works also in that the deer don't eat ornamental grasses. If I plant anything the deer like they will jump the pool fence.

Here is another pic with a direct view of the slope I'm talking about.

 

[danacc]

Beautiful view!

I'd put the fence down the slope. Grass sounds like the easiest solution for feet, looks, and upkeep. Is there no way to continue to use the lawn tractor to cut it? Another option would be ornamental grass with a couple of paver paths to use to get down to the fence. My guess is that they wayward balls will tend toward 1 or 2 specific spots, and you could build a path with stone or concrete pavers to protect the pool from debris being tracked back in on little feet.

 

[bmoreswim]

I had a similar situation, nice view and the option to put the fence at the edge of the concrete or down the hill some. I went with down the hill some. I was originally planning to do a heavy landscape fabric on the hill then 4-6" river rock on the hill with assorted landscaping. I then talked myself out of it after talking to my PB, who is actually a landscaper first. His estimate was that in 10 years or less, there would be issues with accumulated debris on top of the landscape fabric supporting growth of weeds. And this debris would continue to accumulate. I will go with mulch eventually. We had it seeded with grass originally to keep it from eroding. Then in late summer I killed (sprayed) the grass to begin the landscape project. (The grass never came in that well anyway though).

So this summer I've had exactly the issue you mentioned with dirt getting on wet balls and feet. My solution which worked great (kids and kids friends were really good about it) was to put two buckets on that side of the pool, one at each end. They are used as footwash buckets. I just change the water every few days and use pool water to refill them. That way they at least have some chlorine in them so they don't turn green too quickly. Our fence is 30' from the concrete at the peak of the arched fence. I also highly recommend putting a gate on that side. Wife and kids all asked why we would need that gate (it's the third one), but it gets used a lot for a multitude of reasons.

I'm now landscaping with a semi-circle of Winter Gem boxwood in the center of the arc. There will be liriope mostly along the concrete and other perennials between the two. Behind the boxwood will be some taller ornamental grasses, yucca, needle palms (hardy) and hardy hibisicus. (or whatever I change it to between now and when I make it happen. I do love landscaping though so working on that area is not a burden for me.

I just made the call myself to put the fence down lower. My wife usually defers to me for such decisions. I've heard her tell numerous friends out by the pool that she loves the fence being down low. You can't see most of it when seated on the opposite side of the pool. Perfect.

Here are a few pictures to give you the idea of our situation. This was before I killed the grass on the far side.