It’s summer in the Mornington Peninsula. The mercury is nudging towards 30 degrees. And you’re craving a way to cool off without packing up the car and heading to the beach...
With your own swimming pool, it’s easy to relax, unwind, and cool off any time you like.
Adding a swimming pool to your backyard is an exciting home upgrade that instantly adds value to your property and elevates your quality of life. But the process isn’t as simple as picking a spot in the sun and grabbing the nearest shovel to start excavations. Proper pool landscaping is required to ensure your new pool fits the design of your home.
A well-landscaped pool design takes into account your usability needs, safety considerations for you and your family (not to mention curious pets) while adding striking aesthetic beauty from every angle.
To ensure your new pool is the stunning centrepiece of your yard and caters to your needs all year round, we’ve rounded up the most essential tips for getting your pool landscaping design right.
Pool safety
Safety comes first when designing your pool.
By law, you’re required to have pool fencing that meets Australian Standards AS 1926. This means your fence must be at least 1.2 metres in height and extend around the entirety of your pool. You’ll also need a self-closing gate with no direct access from your house - meaning no door can connect your home to your pool zone.
Finally, you’re required to install a non-climbable zone of at least 900mm on all sides of the pool with no tall objects in the zone that may allow curious kids to access your pool unsupervised.
While safety is paramount, that doesn’t mean you’re without pool landscape design options. For example, pool fencing is available in contemporary glass panels that adhere to all relevant safety standards, while providing clear lines of sight that encourage light in your backyard.
You can also utilise the Non-Climbable Zone around your pool with small, low-maintenance plants and shrubs (that won’t support climbing) while creating a social space away from the pool where furniture can be left for outdoor events, BBQs, and socialising.
Foliage Landscaping Tip: Any plants you choose need to tolerate pool water. It’s unavoidable that your pool’s chlorine-treated water will end up on the plants, so choosing hardy plants is key.
Aesthetics
Your pool is likely to be the most expensive element of your backyard, so you’ll want a pool landscaping design that creates a focal point and draws attention from inside and outside the home.
The right pool can make your backyard more attractive, but you’ll need to align your pool’s design with your backyard’s layout and style to get the most aesthetic value. For example, a rectangular or straight-edge pool may suit a rectangular backyard more than a round-edge pool.
Your pool should blend seamlessly into your outdoor space, so consider factors like:
Colour: What are the dominant hues that attract the eye in your backyard? Your pool should blend into the landscape, so consider matching your pool tiling with surrounding stone.
Style: Is your home traditional or contemporary? The style of your home can help inspire the style of your pool to blend your indoor and outdoor lifestyle.
Materials: The materials around your pool (both pavers and decking) should combine aesthetic value with practical properties. For example, sturdy, weather-resistant timber can be used for an adjoining deck, while lighter paving colours (think travertine or limestone) won’t absorb as much heat and feel cooler underfoot.
Functionality
Your pool isn’t just there to add value to your home, it needs to serve a function that maximises usability too.
The first and most obvious step in pool landscape design is to choose a location that offers the most sunlight. After all, you’ll be heading in for a dip on those hot, sweaty Victorian summer days, so you’ll want to enjoy the sun on your face while you cool off. Locations in the shade aren’t just minimising the usability of your pool, but overhanging trees can drop leaves and debris in the water which will add to your maintenance.
Outside of sunlight, consider choosing a location that provides privacy from neighbours or the general public. Your pool is your private oasis, so while the design of a pool is crucial, don’t forget you can complement functionality with creative landscape design. Consider adding plant screens to reduce wind exposure and create privacy at the same time.
Finally, consider a location that allows for full views from inside the house. More than a safety issue, you’ll want to enjoy your new pool while you’re cooking dinner, or enjoying a family meal, so look for straight lines of sight to your home.
A larger backyard means more flexibility for pool placement, but also more challenges in finding the right spot. Remember, a poorly-placed pool can disrupt the aesthetic of your yard and diminish an otherwise magnificent property.
Lifestyle
What are you going to be using your backyard pool for?
That may sound like an easy question to answer, but a pool is for more than just “swimming”. Your own pool can be used to complement your health and fitness goals, provide a place to de-stress and unwind or become a social hub for friends and family.
Think about your lifestyle expectations to help with pool landscaping that meets your needs. This could include paved seating space for guests and family members. Or, you may consider installing an outdoor kitchen for poolside cooking. From a simple BBQ to a speclialised outdoor kitchen with an oven, grill, and sink, the only limit is your imagination.
Foliage Landscaping Tip: Maximise the use of your new pool by installing outdoor lights that make an evening dip more enticing and safer. Floodlights, spotlights, string lights, or well lights, speak to our skilled pool landscaping team for custom advice.
Looking for more creative pool landscaping ideas?
If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your Mornington Peninsula home with a new pool, you’ve likely read your fair share of articles on Google and spent time researching unique styles, shapes, and materials.
While research can help you start to narrow down your ideas, nothing beats the value of speaking with a local pool landscaping team - so let’s chat about your ideas!
A backyard swimming pool is the perfect focal point, so you’ll need to ensure your landscaping supports your lifestyle goals. From stylish materials for hard surfaces, to durable and striking plants, and clever pool design that works with your space, we’re ready to help.
Looking for help with your dream pool landscaping design? Call us for expert advice today.