If you think your pool area needs something to fill in the open spaces, provide shade and character, and add a more natural ambience, perhaps you need more foliage. The question is, which poolside plantings work best in the Hamburg, PA area?
Besides choosing plants that grow well in Hamburg, PA (USDA plant hardiness Zone 6b), a luscious poolside also requires a variety of plants of different sizes, shapes and textures. Not all plants are suitable to pool areas, so here are some ways to help you decide which plants to include.
Ambiance
Poolside plants should offer a relaxed feel to create a space where you can entertain and have fun. Plants can be selected with this in mind while still being low in maintenance, and above all not cause issues with the pool itself. The Rockspray Cotoneaster (Cotoneaster horizontalis), for example, offers delicate stems, an abundance of red flowers and relatively low maintenance requirements.
Related: 4 Landscaping Ideas for the Perfect Poolscape in Exeter
Lush and Colorful
Despite living in PA where winters can be harsh, there are different types of foliage and flowers you can use to create an oasis of your pool area. To give the pool a feeling of lush greenery and summer fun install plants that add color to the area. The Trumpet Vine (Campsis radicans) offers bright orange flowers and will attract a variety of butterflies and birds to your pool area. This vine can be trained over a poolside trellis or along your pool area fence.
Colorful plants that harmoniously blend well together can transform the pool into a private and colorful oasis. You may also consider using perennials to offer that color. The purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) is one such example. These do well in Hamburg and they won’t die after flowering, which means you don’t need to worry about flowers or foliage falling into the pool.
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Privacy
Trees, tall ornamental grasses and hedges can be used to create a natural screen that encloses the pool area and blocks the line of sight from your neighbors' property.
Texture
A variety of textures creates a visually interesting poolside. Combine ornamental grasses with flowering plants and trees to make the landscaping pop with character. Create plant beds of different sizes with different styles of plants to help add that layered, textured look with taller plants to the back or middle of the bed, and shorter, flowering plants at the front.
Avoid Plants that Litter the Pool
Dead flowers, leaves and pine needles dropping into your pool may lead to pool maintenance issues. Deciduous trees lose their leaves quickly during fall, so unless your pool is covered at this time, this can be an issue. Evergreens, however, lose their leaves steadily throughout the year, leading to less drastic cleanups. Of course, adding a pool patio area or paved walkways can keep plants further away from the pool itself, while allowing the greenery to add visual interest to the area.
Related: Last Minute Summer Landscape Maintenance Essentials
