pool friendly plants

Choosing the right species for your pool

Pool owners all over Australia know that proper landscaping creates the finishing touch to a successful poolscape. Plants provide both shade and privacy while also enhancing the style of the outdoor space, whether it be formal, tropical or native.

The plants you choose not only influences the aesthetic of your outdoor space but also impacts on the swimming pool and its surrounds. For example, rotting leaves from overhead trees can stain paving and coping, not to mention clog up expensive filtration and cleaning equipment.

Leaf litter left on the pool floor may also stain the internal lining, resulting in costly repairs that could easily have been avoided.

According to the Swimming Pool and Spa Association (SPASA) Queensland, plants with invasive root systems must be avoided at all costs as they may be prohibited under the pool builder’s warranty due to the damaging affects they have on the pool shell.

Steer clear of bamboo, umbrella trees and rubber trees because they are notorious for causing problems to pools, paving and underground plumbing.

In order to be classified as ‘pool friendly and hardy’ a plant must at a minimum (for the typical pool location and environment – namely sun drenched location, with wind and salt exposure expected) be capable of thriving in semi shaded to full sun, tolerant of wind due to the normally exposed nature of pool terraces, and able to with stand intermittent salt or chlorine exposure from pool splash.

There are an enormous variety of native and exotics that are suitable to plant around pools – here are some of my favourites:

NATIVES

TREES:

Banksia grandis (Bull Banksia)

Banksia spinulosa (Hairpin Banksia)

Elaeocarpus reticulates (Blueberry Ash)

SHRUBS:

Boronia heterophylla (Red Boronia)

Crowea exalata (Small Crowea)

Epacris longiflora (Native Fuchsia)

Grevillea aquifolium (Holly Leaved Grevillea)

Grevillea bipinnatifida (Grape Grevillea)

Grevillea ‘Ivanhoe’

Macrozamia communis (Burrawang)

Philotheca myoporoides (Waxflower)

GROUNDCOVERS:

Grevillea ‘Poorinda Royal Mantle’ (Prostrate Grevillea)

Pelargonium australe (Australe Storksbill)

EXOTICS

TREES:

Cornus campanulata (Himalayan Dogwood)

Ginkgo biloba (Maidenhair Tree)

Prunus campanulata (Formosan Cherry)

Pyrus calleryana ‘Capital’ (Ornamental Pear)

Syzygium australe ‘Select’ (Brush Cherry)

SHRUBS:

Abelia spp. (Abelia)

Aster novi-belgii (Michaelmas Daisy)

Berberis thunbergii ‘Atropurpurea’ (Japanese Berberry)

Buxus sempervirens (Box)

Camellia sasanqua (Camellia)

Choisya ternate (Mexican Orange Blossom)

Iris siberica (Siberian Iris)

Philadelphus mexicanus (Mexican Mock Orange)

Rhaphiolepis x delacourii (Indian Hawthorn)

GROUNDCOVERS:

Ajuga ‘Jungle Beauty’ (Ajuga)

Brachyscome basaltica (Swamp Daisy)

Campanula persicifolia (Peach Leaved Bell Flower)

Salvia elegans (Pineapple Sage)

By Veda Dante (www.vedadante.com)

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