Having a swimming pool in your backyard is like having a little private island to escape to at your convenience.
It’s the perfect place to get away from everyday stressors and offers a chance to spend time with friends and family while throwing pool parties and backyard barbeques.
While a pool just on its own offers a delightful refuge, dedicating some time to your backyard landscaping is the best way to turn your backyard pool into the perfect private oasis.
Not sure where to begin? Solda Pools has you covered.
Not only are we the best swimming pool contractors in Toronto who are experts at installing your pool, but with our expert landscaping know-how, we’re the perfect team for helping you choose the kind of plants which best complement your pool (while also keeping away the bugs).
In this article, we’ll tell you ten of the best plants for pool landscaping in Ontario that will enhance your swimming pool’s appearance and take your breath away.
1. Succulents and Sedum
If you’re looking to add some striking greenery to the landscaping by your pool, then you should absolutely consider succulents or sedum.
There are so many different varieties of these sturdy, low-maintenance plants to choose from you’re guaranteed to find a type that perfectly complements your backyard landscaping.
Crassula Ovata is a popular type of succulent that’s ideal if you have large bare areas that you’d like to cover up. These plants are associated with luck and prosperity, so they guarantee that any pool parties thrown in their presence are a sure success.
If you’re looking to add some smaller plants empty area around your pool, consider a low-growing sedum (also known as stonecrop) such as Purple Emperor.
These plants are perfect for providing ground cover. This type of sedum takes its name for its purpley-pink flowers and add will add a vibrant burst of colour to your poolside garden.
2. Emerald Green Arborvitae
These evergreen shrubs are a fantastic way to ensure you and your guests have privacy as you lounge by the pool. Their dense foliage is ideal for keeping you hidden away from nosy neighbours.
Once they’re fully grown, you can expect these shrubs to measure around 12-feet tall and 4-feet wide!
Emerald Green Arborvitae is also an ideal shrub if you prefer to keep low-maintenance landscaping. They require very little effort to maintain and thrive, even if you happen to be lacking an expert green thumb.
3. Little Spire Russian Sage
For a plant with such dainty-looking spikes and pretty flowers, you’ll be surprised to discover how hardy the Little Spire Russian Sage actually is.
Resistant to heat, pests and drought, this flowering shrub thrives in a variety of terrains and soil types. While these plants tend to shed their flowers, making them a hassle if planted right next to your pool, they’re perfect for bordering a nearby garden or deck.
What’s more, you’ll love lounging outside as you take in the sun and enjoy the fresh sage-like scent they give off.
4. Adam’s Needle Yucca
Adam’s Needle Yucca is a perennial with long, spiky foliage (which is where it takes its name from). This eye-catching plant is part of the succulent family and makes an attractive addition to any poolside landscaping.
Add Adam’s Needle to your garden or yard for a sturdy, unique plant that requires little effort to flourish.
5. Japanese Maples
Originating from Korea and Japan, if you’re into feng-shui or zen landscaping, Japanese maples are eye-grabbing, and they can be planted as shrubs as well as trees that grow up to 20 feet.
If you’re looking for something unique, these trees are great additions to the pool area as they do not attract insects.
6. False Cypress
If you prefer to have evergreen forestry in your pool area, then a False Cypress is the decorative tree that will do the job.
These plants are also called “golden mops,” a nickname attributed to their shaggy, mop-like foliage. They range between 2 to 25 feet and can add a lot of texture around your poolside without taking up a lot of space.
Along with their size, the dense leaves of a False Cypress tree are great for adding privacy to open areas.
7. Ivy
If you want a plant that will survive winter weather and still look good for pool season, Ivy is a great, long-lasting plant.
The only downfall about having Ivy in your pool landscaping is that it grows fast, and so you will need to trim it frequently if it starts to overshadow the water in your pool or cover too much of your poolside fence.
While it requires some maintenance, Ivy adds a classic sense of grandeur to any area that’s well worth your time.
8. Hostas
One of the most popular perennials amongst gardeners, Hosta’s are known for their lush leafy foliage.
While its wide, abundant leaves might make the Hosta look as if it comes from the tropics, the plant is known for being sturdy enough to flourish in a number of climates and soil types.
Easy to take care of and guaranteed to liven up your poolside, the Hosta is one must-have perennial.
9. Ornamental grasses
If you’re looking for low-maintenance plants that still provide density and movement around your pool area, ornamental grasses like zebra grass are available in different colours.
Ornamental grasses can be combined with other plants and are suitable for creating privacy around your pool as they are bushy and stand up sternly without bending.
10. Shrubs
Shrubs such as Hydrangeas are great to mix with Ivy as they are suitable for areas near the edges of the pool as they fill up with thick clusters of blue and pink flowers from summer to fall.
It’s best to have some shrubs part of your pool landscape, as they grow wide and tall to create privacy around your pool area.
Contact Solda Pools
Filling your backyard with gorgeous plants and shrubbery is one of the best ways to create a lush, inviting retreat right in the privacy of your own backyard.
You’ll feel as if you’ve stepped out into a luxury vacation resort every time you open your backdoor. We can help consider the way landscaping can best enhance your poolside views to create a private paradise.
At Solda Pools, we are swimming pool contractors serving Toronto and the GTA with the installation of in-ground pools and spas.
For more information on what kind of plants you should get with your pool installation, call us for a FREE consultation at Solda Pools at 905-796-6500 or contact us here.
