Sizing up the landscape

Sizing Up the Landscape

Plants and Trees

Plants and trees provide beauty and privacy around swimming pools. They soften the harsh lines of swimming pool equipment and help swimming pools blend more naturally with the surrounding environment.

If you grow plants that are tall enough, they will form privacy screens around the pool area. But plants must be chosen wisely. Strive for low-maintenance plants. For instance, you don't want large deciduous trees around swimming pools, as you will end up constantly fishing leaves out of the water. Even needle-bearing evergreen trees can be messy. A good alternative is a broadleaf evergreen such as holly. Avoid fruit trees: not only are they messy, but the fruit attracts bees. And as beautiful as flowers are, be aware that they, too, can be bee-magnets. Even worse, plants with invasive root systems can damage swimming pools over the years.

Remember to also make considerations if you have a saltwater pool. You will need to choose a salt-tolerant plant. A less-messy choice would be either a winterberry or a Bar Harbor juniper. Plant trees on the south side of the pool for added shade and a feeling of lush coolness. Remember to avoid shading the whole pool area so you’ll still have a place to sun yourself on cloudy days.

Irrigation Systems

An irrigation system is crucial to keeping your backyard pool area looking its best. Proper water management is a balance between conserving water while also providing enough water for healthy and appealing plant growth. Every homeowner should understand the importance of an attractive outdoor landscape, but even the most beautifully designed landscape will not look its best without ongoing attention. One of the most important elements of keeping that landscape looking its best is proper irrigation, especially during those times of year when sufficient rainfall does not arrive in your area.

There are many different types of irrigation systems available. The most common are spray, rotary and drip irrigation.

Spray Systems

Are the most popular form of irrigation for home lawns and gardens, and are most advantageous for small yard areas. The nozzles are easily changed to accommodate different spray positions, and the system in general is quite dependable, requiring little maintenance.

Rotary systems

Are most frequently used for large areas and are commonly seen on athletic fields. Rotary systems throw one or more streams of water up to 100 feet. This system is advantageous to cover large areas in which a high number of spray heads would be impractical. Despite the velocity of the water from the sprayer, rotary systems actually produce less water than spray systems.

Drip irrigation

Is one of the most efficient, water conserving types of irrigation systems. Drip irrigation has a number of important advantages over other types of irrigation, including:

Drip irrigation systems use a network of pipes and tubing to slowly and efficiently distribute water at low pressure. This low pressure distribution of water provides less waste than traditional overhead sprinkler types of watering, and in many cases this slow, steady water flow provides healthier and less disease prone plants.