POOL LANDSCAPING

PLEASE HELP. I NEED LANDSCAPING IDEAS FOR A POOL. IT MUST BE ABLE TO HANDLE FULL SUN, DOGS, AND TEENAGERS.

we3bram,

Are you allowing the dogs in the pool or trying to keep them out? Is this above ground or below? Will you have a patio/deck &/or fenced in area? Backyard? Away from house or near? What are the safety laws in your area? Sorry, but I need some type of visual.

Betty : )

Having not seen a picture of the site it is hard as said above. With all the teenagers and dogs I would consider having alot of gorgeous containers surrounding the pool. Also some (assuming it is full sun) ornamental grasses, Sedums, Daylillies, Knockout roses. These are all tough to kill/fairly low maintenance perennials.

THE POOL IS INGROUND. LIVE IN THE COUNTRY. NO LAWS. ONLY ONE OF THE DOGS GET IN THE POOL. NO FENCE, NO DECK, I HAVE ONLY PLANTED LIRIOPE AROUND CEMENT DECKING. THE POOL IS IN THE BACK OF THE HOUSE. ABOUT 20 FEET FROM BACK PORCH.
THANKS FOR ANY HELP.

NO NEED TO SHOUT AT US :) Any chance you can take a picture of the area and post it? It's really hard to visualize the area otherwise.

I am looking for ideas too. I live in southern ohio, have an in-ground pool, large fenced in back yard with lots of trees, and 2 large dogs. So far I have had the best luck with annuals in containers and japanese mound junipers planted in the ground next to the landscape lighting.

Also - any suggestions on how to discourage dogs from digging in planted areas? I have been working the dog droppings into the soil around the plants. Its gross, but seems to work ok.

Never thought dog droppings were good for the soil. Try an electric fence around the areas you do not want the dogs. It works! I have had one for many years and there are simply areas my dogs cannot go. Now the teenagers are a different problem.

To discourage digging, you can put down some chicken wire over the ground, then put mulch over top of it, that way you won't know it's there but the dog won't be able to dig through it (and probably won't like running into the chicken wire). I wouldn't put the droppings in the garden, I've also heard that you shouldn't use pet waste in the garden, but if you want to use it anyway any manure you're using regardless of the source should be composted before you put it in the garden, otherwise it can burn your plants.

I like the electric fence idea for the teenagers too, oops, sorry, for the dogs. Hee hee.

this photo for one of the pools in cairo you can take an ideas from it

Is that mosaic tile on the bottom of the pool? Very interesting photograph ahmed, I don't usually associate Egypt with pools, only deserts.

LOL about the teenageers.....that pool is very tempting. Does your look ANYTHING like it?

NO, it has an inflatable top, I only hope it doesn't leak, duct tape will fix that.

Thanks for all the great tips. I put my pool in last fall and I have to start landscaping after the concrete deck and fence go in. I like the idea of the perennials, especially the grasses as that will give it a warm feel. I am sure I'll have some questions as I get into it. I will post some before and after photo's.

This message was edited Apr 16, 2007 8:42 PM

THANKS FOR THE SUGGESTIONS. I'LL TRY TO POST A PICTURE. KEEP IDEAS COMING.

Someone mentioned Liriope...here is a pic of one end of our pool. The liriope is nice because the kids can chase ball and pool toys in it, yet it doesn't have to be mowed but once a year in the early spring.

I am going through this now. We are getting ready to put our pool in too and I have been giving much thought to landscaping around it. I want a tropical kind of feel so I think I am going to put in some musa basjoo and some fatsia japonica. Both look tropical to me. I will put in some other stuff too but these were my first two pics for the area.

ga_peach, there are many threads on tropical-looking plants in zones such as 7b. For starters: http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/623936/