Landscaping for Backyard Pool Patios

Fencing Options

• Most localities' building regulations will require that your pool has some kind of fence around it, and even if not, a fence is one of the smartest things you can place around a pool. Try to avoid iron or wood fences, as both of these materials can get damaged if they are exposed to too much water. Consider aluminum or vinyl fences, which can be made to look exactly like iron or wood without the water damage drawback. Also consider enclosing the entire backyard with a fence, so you won't have to have a fence around just the pool or patio. Fencing in the entire backyard will give you a better chance to hide the fence if that is what you desire.

Place Highlights in Sight Lines

• Consider where people will enter your pool patio area, where they will sit and view the pool patio area, and where they will most likely congregate. Use these sight lines to ensure that any landscape highlights -- like waterfalls, large flower patches or garden arbors -- are featured prominently in the landscape.

Tree Choice and Placement

• Use large deciduous trees to provide an area of shade to your pool. Keep in mind that most trees will provide shade to the north of them during the summer months. Don't use trees that produce fruit or flowers, as these will attract numerous pests to the area. Try to place all large trees downwind of the pool, to avoid having to clean leaves out of your pool daily in the fall.

Outdoor Rooms

• Use awnings or arbors to create a congregational space on your pool patio. These overhead structures will provide some shade for visitors in outdoor furniture. Consider adding a barbecue pit or outdoor cooking station just off of the outdoor room to further enhance its usefulness as a gathering place. You can also incorporate climbing vines in an arbor through the use of a trellis. This will build a very green and enclosed patio space. Be sure to leave access to, and a view of, the pool.

Privacy

• Place tall, dense shrubs along the outside of the pool area to provide privacy during the summer months. You can also add a fence that is just under the height of the shrubs, so you can have privacy during winter as well. If your landscape around the patio slopes, you can create terraced retaining walls that you can fill with plants or flowers, giving you a bit of privacy while adding a nice element to your landscape.