Ah, landscaping around a pool sounds like a lot of fun. Some pictures of the area you are talking about always gets everybody enthused about making suggestions. How close to the pool will your planting beds be? Also it helps to know what which part of the state you live in to know what plants would thrive in your particular conditions.

I live in Frisco. It will be about another week or so before I can get pictures worth taking - my yard is still a disaster. I only plan to landscape around 2 sides of the pool The one bed will be separated by 4 feet of decking on the one side of the pool and the other bed will have moss rock (18 inches tall) on the back side of the pool (used as my coping).

msujohn,

Don't worry about what those pictures look like. Gardening, landscaping and construction is messy.

We're used to having things torn out and muddy, compost heaps, bags of soil and soil amendments, gloves, and miscellaneous tools laying round. Then there's always those potted plants waiting for their permanent homes to be prepared for them. (often waiting for years)

We can look past all that and see either what needs to be done or what 'could be'. :)

How do I actually upload pictures?

You'll have to use a photo hosting site, up load to there from your computer.

I use photobucket. From that site you copy the link that says its HTML it starts with: Paste that in your message. The photo will show up when you preview the post.

Photobucket.com is free :-)

oops...

it didn't show what the beginning link to the HTML code looks like.
I'll try again:

only there is no space before the a

Let's see if this works. As you can see I want to landscape along the backside of the pool (about 8 to 10 feet to the left of the spa and all around to the grotto jumping rock on the right?

hmmm nice looking dog! :)

That space is much smaller than I pictured in my mind.

I'm sure there will be people that will come along and know instantly what to suggest.

Important questions:
Once the fence is replaced how much sun is that area gonna get?
Which way were you facing when you took those photos?

You are right, it's not alot of space to landscape. I just want to maximize my space with the best options possible. The back of the pool faces North and the side where I will landscape faces West. My yard gets full sun.

I have Tropical Giant crinums on one side of my pool. They give it a very tropical look, are easy care, and quite beautiful....IMHO !!!!

MsuJohn,

If you're interested in the Tropical Giant Crinums, I just happen to have some still in pots left over from last year's Denton County Plant Swap!

Melvalena - thanks for the offer. Once I figure out what I want to use I will let you know. I'm trying not to do what I did to my front flower beds - which was go to Lowes and pick up whatever looked good. I ended up pulling out alot since it just didn't flow. I want to develop a plan this time.

There are some winter hardy palms that could survive in your zone (8?). See the link below.

I would use palms (little waste and some are evergreen), just a few rose bushes and grass. I would make sure of planting only a few tall plants behind the spa to avoid creating a spot difficult to clean and/or maintain.

Omar

Here is a link that might be useful: Hardy palms

We have decided on the following for our landscape. Thoughts?

Red Yucca
Dwarf Wax Myrtle
Salvia - Cherry sage
Loropetalum Purple Diamond
Double Knock Outs Red
Variegated Pittsoporum
Abelia - Rose Creek
Turks Cap
Guara - Blaze
Lemon Coral Sedum
Black Foot Daisy
Canna

I like all the plants on your list. Not sure if you can fit them all in that space though! :)

Oh you have one I detest. The wax myrtle. It suckers really bad and you'll be constantly fighting it. Eventually it will suck the life out of anything planted nearby and its running roots will make it difficult to ever plant anything else in the same area.

I don't recommend using perennials or deciduous shrubs around the pool. Looks good at first and in the spring, but barren and somewhat sad in the winter. Suggest evergreens and desert type plants (yuccas, agave, etc)that maintain their look year around and don't grow very fast. Also, I think Knockouts are a great foundation shrub and can make a beautiful hedge, but their thorns and growth rate make them impractical around a pool. Yes to Red Yucca, Loropetalum Purple Diamond, and Variegated Pittsoporum.

I have to agree with bedford, not a fan of perennials around the pool either, I would look into a windmill palm, a single sago against the fence as they get 3x3, and some tropicanna cannas. You might be able to pull off a couple of birds of paradise depending on micro climate in zone 8 with the fence/pool humidity/light level.

+1 on the loroptealumn purple Diamond.

Have you thought about sweet potato vine, even growing watermelon and cantaloupe by the pool, another one would be rosemary. That would make for some really cool conversation, like a tropical edible pool landscape :)

I read you should use red in your landscaping. A redhead by the pool would be the perfect accent touch.
I am willing to make the sacrifice and lay by the pool all day.

I agree on the wax myrtle, horrible things.

I am too jealous of your pool! Have fun landscaping.
Tally HO!

You might also consider:
Lantana
Purple (wandering Jew)
Elephant ears
Mexican Palms
Indian Hawthorne

Lonnie