Pool Pleasures - Spice it up!

Spice up your pool with everything from poolside landscaping to accessories that can make your pool more inviting to be around.

Pool Furniture

New materials have made outdoor furniture nearly impervious to the elements. Wrought iron, all-weather rattan, and vinyl come in just about every design imaginable. Worried about wet swimming suits and rain ruining seat cushions? Don't. Weather-resistant fabrics make cushions suitable for outdoor conditions.

Pool Toys

Goggles, floats, noodles, water polo, water basketball, volleyball games, throw toys, beach balls, blow-up lilos...the list goes on and on. There is no shortage of fun products for your pool.

Fountains

Floating and permanent built-in fountains are popular options in pool designs. Both add interest to the pool just like they dress up a flower bed or other garden features.

Waterfalls

Cascading water into a pool is just one way homeowners are using their pools to create beautiful landscape environments; the sound of running water is always relaxing. A waterfall can be as simple as a small spillway into the pool or as elaborate as a proper waterfall complete with rocks and lush vegetation.

Landscaping

Pools aren't just pools anymore. They are part of your outside room. Because many people look at their backyard as an extension of their home, they put similar efforts into designing their outdoor spaces.

Ideally, the pool, landscaping, and house should appear as if they were all designed at the same time. Repeating materials and motifs from your home into the pool area and surrounding landscape will help tie everything together and compliment the look of your home. For example, if your home has a stone exterior, using boulders as landscape and pool accents will make the areas blend together.

Once you have a landscaping plan, start executing it slowly and in stages. Start with living and gardening areas between the house and pool. Establish paths that direct traffic flow in a natural way, and create comfortable seating areas and backdrops.

An arrangement of pots or hanging baskets in an array of heights, shapes and sizes beside a pool or on your poolside patio always looks pleasing. Brick built flower boxes are also a popular choice around the swimming pool and look stunning when filled with brightly coloured pansies in winter or beautiful palm trees for a tropical look.

TIP: Avoid planting trees with extensive root systems near your pool. They will wreak havoc with the pool shell or decking. Don't plant trees with leaves so tiny that they escape skimmers, or plants with slippery fruit or small litter; pine needles and bottlebrush stamens, for example, can clog filters.