Landscaping Creates the Perfect Environment
Landscaping is the finishing touch to your backyard oasis. Your pool will be
even more inviting when surrounded by the right flowers and foliage. Create
a landscape that frames your pool, making it the focal point of your yard.
Choose plants that work well with your watering system and, especially, that
will work well with your pool.
Here are a few tips to help you with your landscaping decisions.
- Choose low-water use plants that will not require heavy irrigation around
the pool. Too much water can damage your decking and equipment.
- Pick plants with a minimum of litter or species that drop all their leaves
at one time so you only have to clean up after them once a year. Constantly
shedding leaves will require constant cleaning and, if you get behind, will
dirty your pool and possibly clog its equipment.
- Plan for year round color and interest. Select plants that bloom at
different times of the year.
- Your pool and deck reflect a tremendous amount of intense Arizona sun.
Choose plants that will thrive in bright sunshine.
- Choose plants with showy flowers. These are generally pollinated by an
animal (as opposed to the wind) and are much cleaner and less likely to cause
allergies.
- Cacti and succulents are excellent choices. They thrive in the high heat,
require minimal irrigation, produce almost no litter, are attractive
year-round and many have fabulous blooms. "Just be sure to plant them far
enough away from the path to prevent accidental injury or damage to beach
balls", cautioned Terry Mikel, horticulturalist with the University of Arizona
Cooperative Extension.
- To reduce the amount of litter from palm trees, keep the fronds pruned
and remove the flowers before seeds are set.
Desert Landscaping - Plants for a Water Scarce Environment, a CD-Rom
by the University of Arizona, is an excellent tool for helping you select the
appropriate plant. Search by plant name, browse some award-winning
landscapes, compare groups of similar plants or use the plant selector to
precisely describe the plants you seek. The Desert Landscaping CD is
available from the Maricopa County Master Gardeners for 25 dollars, including
shipping. To place a mail order, send a check or money order for $25 dollars,
made out to the University of Arizona to: Desert Landscaping CD-Rom, Maricopa
County Master Gardeners, The University of Arizona Cooperative Extension, 4341
E. Broadway Road, Phoenix, AZ 85040.
(Thanks to
National Spa & Pool Institute)
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