Poolside Plants

[SpaceDog]

We installed our pool in the fall with a large stamped concrete patio and a retaining wall. On 3 sides of the patio (those without the wall) we have about 2' of mulch surrounding the patio. I'm looking for recommendations for best plants and shrubbery for this area. We live in NC, so while we have winter it's usually relatively mild or with a few storms. We have a long summer season.

I'm also looking for recommendations about plantings that can hide the equipment area.

Any advise is much appreciated.

Thank you!

 

[bmoreswim]

If you want perennials, my favorite for mid-summer bloom are coneflowers, specifically those with colors like Echinacea Cheyenne Spirit, Harvest Moon and Big Sky. Daylillies are good. Sections of solid Big Blue Lirope can be fun too as separators. Shasta Daisies are fun too. I have about a 50' x 2' run of them, the variety named Becky.

 

[ajw22]

Some pics of the planting areas can help visualize the design. You need high shrubs for privacy or low plantings?

 

[SpaceDog]

I can prep some pics once the rain stops... hopefully in the next day or so.

Definitely perennial. I'm not a gardener and would rather not plant season after season. I'm also not opposed to evergreen with soft leaves.

Privacy is immaterial. I have neighbors with 2nd and 3rd story decks. There are no plantings that will create privacy in and around the pool.

 

[Txjole]

I happen to be a Dandelion farmer, grow every year and hard to kill. I can send you as many as you need free.

 

[Arizonarob]

I happen to be a Dandelion farmer, grow every year and hard to kill. I can send you as many as you need free.

In all seriousness though, think carefully what you plant. You want to plant things around your pool that will not shed badly and end up in the pool.

 

[SpaceDog]

I happen to be a Dandelion farmer, grow every year and hard to kill. I can send you as many as you need free.

Surprisingly, I haven't seen dandelions in my current neighborhood. We used to have tons in Massachusetts where I grew up.
Supposedly there is a great tea to be had, but I've never tried it.

In all seriousness though, think carefully what you plant. You want to plant things around your pool that will not shed badly and end up in the pool.

I'm very conscious of this. Having experienced fall, I'm even enthusiastic about getting plants that might capture blown leaves before they reach the pool
This is also why I'm thinking of some sort of soft-leaf evergreen.

 

[Arizonarob]

@Leebo

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh, wrong forum dude!

 

[Leebo]

Whoops, was wanting to send a message.

Sorry for me being an idiot.

 

[Leik]

We just recently planted a couple of Windmill Palms. They are the most cold hardy palm available. Nice accent for the pool area and will not create any mess. Here’s a few pictures from the planting yesterday.

 

[SpaceDog]

We just recently planted a couple of Windmill Palms. They are the most cold hardy palm available. Nice accent for the pool area and will not create any mess. Here’s a few pictures from the planting yesterday.

We are liking your little building! We have to one step at a time some things with the HOA, but that would be a good add. Is the area with the door a plumbed room or a storage room?

 

[jimim]

i'm with bmoreswim on all his suggestions. my whole yard is perennial. coneflowers are my favorite. i have pretty much every color of the hybrids that look like big bushy cottontops. they come in at least 30 different colors. you can't let them seed on the ground though cause if they do and you get new growth the new growth will all be purple magnus'. new plants from the hybrids go back to parent plant. found out the hard way.

right now my go to perennials cause of care and ease and look are little lime or bobo hydrengea. along with a daylily that is mostly white with a touch of yellow in them. that is what i'm doing around my back side of the pool. a mass planting of those variety. a back row following my pool lines of the hydrengea and then the daylily in front.

but again it matters what climate zone you are in. here in the northeast you can't kill a hydrengea or daylily if you try.

 

[Leik]

We are liking your little building! We have to one step at a time some things with the HOA, but that would be a good add. Is the area with the door a plumbed room or a storage room?

It is a small bathroom/changing area. We also put an outdoor shower on the back wall. It is very convenient, especially if you have visitors and they don’t have to go inside the house to use the restroom. Here’s a few pictures of the inside, shower and cabana kitchen area.

 

[SpaceDog]

Some pics of the planting areas can help visualize the design. You need high shrubs for privacy or low plantings?

I have updated the original post with images

 

[SpaceDog]

It is a small bathroom/changing area. We also put an outdoor shower on the back wall. It is very convenient, especially if you have visitors and they don’t have to go inside the house to use the restroom. Here’s a few pictures of the inside, shower and cabana kitchen area.

It would be convenient to have a space that guests can use without going into the house. I also like the idea of providing a path of less resistance to a restroom.

 

[woodyp]

Hibiscus fan here.

 

[Arizonarob]

After seeing pic #2, and all those windows/porches looking right in your backyard, Arborvitaes all the way! You’re going to need/want privacy.

 

[SpaceDog]

After seeing pic #2, and all those windows/porches looking right in your backyard, Arborvitaes all the way! You’re going to need/want privacy.

I'm honestly unsure what cover any planting will provide. I can stand on the deck for the 2nd house over (and probably the first and others) and look directly at the surface of the pool.

 

[Arizonarob]

I'm honestly unsure what cover any planting will provide. I can stand on the deck for the 2nd house over (and probably the first and others) and look directly at the surface of the pool.

Seeing as that swatch of mulch is approximately 4ft away, (hard to tell from the pictures) a row of arborvitaes on the left and right side of your pool would offer you some privacy once fully matured.
By planting them closer to the pool, (instead of along the fence) when they grow to their mature height, usually 12-14ft, your neighbors won’t be able to see you easily. (It’s sort of like taking a piece of paper and holding it in front of your face, you can’t really see much around it. Now take that piece of paper and hold it at arms length, now you can see around it)

 

[SpaceDog]

Seeing as that swatch of mulch is approximately 4ft away, (hard to tell from the pictures) a row of arborvitaes on the left and right side of your pool would offer you some privacy once fully matured.
By planting them closer to the pool, (instead of along the fence) when they grow to their mature height, usually 12-14ft, your neighbors won’t be able to see you easily. (It’s sort of like taking a piece of paper and holding it in front of your face, you can’t really see much around it. Now take that piece of paper and hold it at arms length, now you can see around it)

I wholly agree with the analogy. And it would offer “some” privacy, but the height of the houses and decks mean that neighbors would likely still see into the pool proper. Good idea, though.