Before tossing ideas around, let's go over some of things to keep in mind when landscaping the area around your swimming pool.

There are certain considerations to take into account here that normally wouldn't matter. When you introduce a pool into the mix, your landscape methods have a new variable. Here are some things to bear in mind.

Plants that shed -- For obvious reasons, you want to avoid plants and trees that shed excessively. By this I mean plants that "throw off" a lot of leaves, buds, flower petals, etc. Or if you do use these types of plants in your pool landscaping, place them a little further from the pool.
Water damage to plants -- We have a salt pool, and one of the first things I learned when landscaping around it is that most plants don't like salt water! The same goes for regular chlorine pools. So when laying out your plan, try to avoid putting plants in an area that's going to get pool water runoff. Or use elevated beds.
Plants that attract bees -- Whenever you bring your landscaping into a high-use area, which is the case here, you have to consider the insect factor. Some types of flowers and flowering shrubs are notorious for attracting bees. Most bees are non-aggresive unless they feel threatned, but still ... do you want them buzzing around your pool? Choose plants wisely.
Plants that stay green -- In most parts of the country, there are certain months of the year when you cannot use your pool for swimming. But it's still a nice landscaping feature! For this reason, it might be wise to select plants that stay green year-round, or for most of the year. This will be easier in some regions than others.
Above ground vs. in ground -- There are some obvious differences in technique here. With an above-ground pool you have fewer options for putting things in the ground. You must either (A) use shrubs and/or trees with some height to them, or (B) build an elevated deck area with pots and hanging planters. You have more options with an in-ground pool because the pool edge is flush with the landscaping surface. Something to consider.

Courtesy of www.homebuyinginstitute.com

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