10 tips for plants around a swimming pool or pond

Pools are no longer anything new in gardens. If you want them to look truly natural in the garden, they should be surrounded by attractive greenery. Plants around a pool look fabulous and stylish, so take a look at our selection.

1. Cedar

At a sufficient distance from the pool, you can also grow this beautiful, stately conifer. It stands out in a well-kept lawn, and there is no need to plant any other ornamental plants around it. Cedars are long-lived trees that are not attacked by diseases or pests. They grow slowly, but their needles are truly beautiful. They will thrive best in a sunny spot with free-draining soil that contains more calcium.

2. Canna

It is a majestic-looking plant. Every year in May you can plant its tubers or buy young plants. You can grow cannas in a bed near the pool or in a larger planter. Ideally, grow several plants in a group for the perfect effect. They like warmth, sun, generous watering and regular feeding. They reward you not only with beautiful leaves, which may have a bronze tint or variegation, but also with their overall exotic look.

3. Oleander

You simply have to have this popular Mediterranean shrub by your pool. You can choose from various cultivars with white, pink, burgundy, yellow or multicoloured flowers. Plants with variegated leaves are even available. However, it can only be grown in larger planters in a free-draining and nutrient-rich growing medium. Oleander also likes sun and warmth, and it does not mind the intense summer heat either. It cannot tolerate shade, though.

4. Pampas grass

This exotic-looking ornamental grass, about 2 m tall, will look stunning near the pool and in the middle of a well-kept lawn. It likes sun, warmth, sheltered spots and free-draining soil with a high nutrient content. The ideal time for planting is late spring and early summer. The plant spreads outwards, so it is essential to give it enough space. Pampas grass tolerates strong sun and does not mind wind either.

5. Lantana

You will find this plant in garden centres in late spring and early summer. It can take the form of a smaller shrub or a small tree. The flowers are the main attraction, and they have one special feature: they change colour. You can buy plants with orange, yellow, white or almost pink flowers, or multicoloured ones. Lantana also has abundant foliage, which adds to its overall appeal. After buying the plant, put it in planters and place it by the pool straight away.

6. Palm

This particular palm is often recommended for planting in gardens, as it can tolerate even light frost. It is better, however, to plant it in a larger decorative pot and place it on a paved area by the pool. The little palm will thrive best in a sunny and warm spot. In winter, you will need to move it, pot and all, to a cool, bright space.

7. Siberian bugloss (Brunnera macrophylla)

Its fresh green heart-shaped foliage with long stalks, densely packed close together, is very striking. That is why it is successfully used as a ground cover plant. It grows up to 40 cm tall. It needs a spot in dappled shade and rich, humus-rich soil with plenty of nutrients, ideally moist but not waterlogged. It definitely belongs among the plants around a pool.

8. Yucca

You probably know this exotic-looking perennial well. However, it may not have occurred to you that it will thrive and stand out by a pool. It spreads outwards and often flowers beautifully, with large clusters of white bell-shaped flowers. The leaves are stiff with sharp tips, so be careful where children play.

Japanese primrose

It is a perennial herb that grows up to 45 cm tall. The leaves form a basal rosette, emerge in spring, and the flowers are purple or pink. It prefers moist and shady spots, such as the banks of streams and ponds. As an ornamental plant, plant it near pools or in a Japanese garden.

10 Pickerelweed

Pickerelweed is grown as an ornamental plant in gardens and parks. In many places (for example in South Africa or Australia.) it forms dense stands. It can sometimes slow the flow of water in drainage channels and block access to the edges of bodies of water, and it also establishes itself in irrigated fields. Removing it mechanically is usually only temporary, as it spreads easily from root fragments.

Some plants around a pool will give you shade, while others look very stately in any garden. So do not hesitate and give them a try.

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