Landscaping around base of Intex Ultra Frame pools

[john redcorn]

I'm so ghetto, this being the 3rd summer with a pool I never leveled ground ( < 1.5" difference @ any spot), didn't cut sod, you can feel all the bumps in the earth and tree roots but we don't care*, didn't put any kind of sand or mulch around and the only decoratives around it are pool-toys the kids + their friends threw out and didn't put away. You guys pics make me jealous but I also love + attach a lot of value to the fact that the 75% of the year I don't have a pool in my yard I just have a normal (little)** backyard.


* bumpy bottom + clockwise rotation of water IMO makes spot-vacuuming easy since stuff will collect on the ccw-face of the bumps/roots.

** If I had a bigger backyard I'd totally do something that looks good like you all but would still probably only want a pool I could take down every september. It's enough work while its in use, we're all lazy and I can't imagine 150% more maintenance while we're not enjoying it. (still going to get the 32x16' intex rectangle in summer 2014 or 15 in our little backyard)

 

[bikerskid120]

I used two 40ft. Rolls of landscape border from Wal-Mart, then gravel. Didn't even bother with the stakes.

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Don't you love that floating cooler

 

[bikerskid120]

I used two 40ft. Rolls of landscape border from Wal-Mart, then gravel. Didn't even bother with the stakes.

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Don't you love that floating cooler

 

[connie]

A wide shot.......... :-D

Just beautiful!!!! Are those flagstones for the walkway? I was thinking of using pallets to make a walkway around my pool then garden beyond those. Pallets with a bit of work free to use. Of course I need to put a wee bit away from sides of pool but figure if I use ground cloth to prevent weeds it would be ok. I love your set up. I already see myself sitting there with a book , a floatie, and a large glass of ice tea.

 

[jcp]

Really like the plants some people have incorporated. I don't have any plants but here's my set up. Some hard scaping and rubber mulch. I like the low maintenance. The rubber mulch is really nice in a lot of ways, but it's one downside is that it does stick to wet feet and get tracked out. And for some reason my kids won't stay out of it.

[attachment=1:gr5b0xsy]pool.jpg[/attachment:gr5b0xsy]

[attachment=0:gr5b0xsy]pool from deck.JPG[/attachment:gr5b0xsy]

 

[TweakMO]

jcp....Love the setup!!! Nice and clean cut!!! Is that loose rubber mulch, or the Rubber Rolls of it? was thinking about the rolls, but don't know how it would do on a curve, then it wouldn't be wide enough so you would see a seam. probably just do the loose rubber mulch with pavers to walk on so it doesn't stick on the feet. or just use river rock, but around here, the mulch would look nicer. thanks for the pics!!!

 

[HacoboPablo]

@jcp - I like the minimal setup! Beautiful sparkly water btw. I couldn't help but think, you need a huge slip n' slide down to that lake!

 

[jcp]

jcp....Love the setup!!! Nice and clean cut!!! Is that loose rubber mulch, or the Rubber Rolls of it? was thinking about the rolls, but don't know how it would do on a curve, then it wouldn't be wide enough so you would see a seam. probably just do the loose rubber mulch with pavers to walk on so it doesn't stick on the feet. or just use river rock, but around here, the mulch would look nicer. thanks for the pics!!!

I've got the loose rubber mulch. The "shredded" style, saw they've got "chunks" also.

 

[joshuaberman]

Yup, comes in handy. Even as a toy chest. Lol

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[bunnygraham74]

We went with river rock around our pool with stepping stones. I may add a few potted plants eventually but here is mine

 

[Coastal Carolina]

Hi Connie, yes I guess that is what they are called. We just purchased what we could find at Lowe's for stepping stones. I am not sure that they carry the same style there anymore though as they probably change their inventory.

 

[HacoboPablo]

Mine still in progress:

 

[itodd]

Well...compared to what I've seen here...I have a long way to go!


IMAG0638 by puying_7, on Flickr



IMAG0632 by puying_7, on Flickr

I would be quite happy with your landscaping. My intex pool will have to be taken down during the fall and winter months and I need to keep that in consideration before landscaping around mine. This looks like it would be easy to work around when taking down and putting up the pool.

 

[connie]

A wide shot.......... :-D

Your pool oasis is stunning! I wanna grow up like that. Do you take down your pool at all or is it there forever? If it comes down is it difficult to put back in place so as not to disturb landscaping?

 

[itodd]

I used two 40ft. Rolls of landscape border from Wal-Mart, then gravel. Didn't even bother with the stakes.

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I have to take my pool down during the fall and winter months and have to keep that in mind when landscaping. Have to have something easy to work around. This looks perfect. The plants can easily be moved during installation. Where did you get the big rocks from?

 

[connie]

Hi Connie, yes I guess that is what they are called. We just purchased what we could find at Lowe's for stepping stones. I am not sure that they carry the same style there anymore though as they probably change their inventory.

Thanks, looks beautiful!

 

[Coastal Carolina]

A wide shot.......... :-D

Your pool oasis is stunning! I wanna grow up like that. Do you take down your pool at all or is it there forever? If it comes down is it difficult to put back in place so as not to disturb landscaping?

Yes, I do take it down every year in September. My pool is nine years old and is in excellent shape due to that fact I think. When the pool is put away in our shop, I spread out my table and chairs over the area. I also bought the propane fire pit to sit around in the fall and winter when it isn't too cold. The area is just landscape fabric that is permeable. We leveled the area the first year, but did not dig out a hole because we had nutsedge grass in the yard. If it is disturbed by digging, it may come back through the liner. So we just let the grass die and covered over with the fabric. I planted the surrounding area with the thought in mind that one day I may not have a pool anymore. I wanted it to look like a garden and if we decide to put down permanent stones of some sort down the road, it would be already prepared.

 

[connie]

I usually leave mine up even though we have tons of snow and bad winters, however, this year I am taking it down so that I can get the wrinkles off the bottom and reset the pool deck from the old pool. Now I have a picture in my mind how to do a gardened area from you so I can get that done prior to pool being set up again in the summer. We have bamboo that permeates through our ground so I did double tarps (ground clothes) after excavating to make level and then did not get a garden around it as I was unsure how with an Intex so the sides do not get jeopardized. I like your hardscape and softscape so that it becomes a retreat area. Mama's rototiller will be put to good use this spring. I will be looking to the creek beds for some flagstones. Thank you.

 

[Noni]

Hi, new to post but not new to Forums. Recently, July 2nd., put up an Intex Ultra Frame 20x52" from Target with crystal clear sand filter here in the Foothills of SC. Of course the very next day it started Monsoon rains 47' in 35 days straight! Water is surprisingly crystal clear now to deal with the red clay mud issues. I have put down partial gray resin border leaving enough room for a picnic table & lounge chairs. Am on a fixed budget so I am working in shifts. Will be using river pebbles & adding a slate walkway from the deck to the pool. We have a beautiful mountain view from the back of & half of the pool so a deck in in future plans. I would love to see more Intex photos without decks or partial decks if anyone has them & how they landscaped. I will post pictures when the mud issue is dealt with. Grandmother of 11 here trying to keep the Grandbabies busy~

 

[Noni]

A pic of mountain view from our pool. Love how some have landscaped, looks so neat & clean. We had monsoon rains {47" in June & July...have had a few legs sink & am off by 1&1/2 inches in one spot. Will wait till spring, drain & re-level. The mud from the yard with all the rain has been atrocious! We are on a major slope & the drain off from the next block up is a problem on other side of yard. We will be putting in a retaining wall { Thank God my son-in-law works for a concrete co.! Slow & steady, doing things in increments. Eventually we will get to where we want to be hopefully![attachment=0:1q4udt3g]970139_567204449987877_1051632936_n.jpg[/attachment:1q4udt3g][attachment=0:1q4udt3g]970139_567204449987877_1051632936_n.jpg[/attachment:1q4udt3g]