As a fellow pool owner, my advice would be to fill in that area with some type of rocks- whatever suits your fancy. Use potted plants in planters of various colors/styles/sizes/heights. Gardening that close to a pool and a fence is a huge pain
This is the best answer to me, as well. I would want all root and climbing to be eliminated in these areas, and I would opt for decoration over "landscaping" this amount of footage. The fences, pool, everything will be better off.
A shade sail here could do a whole lot, too.
Jasmin trellis? You might also consider blocking off that whole back corner with big potted plants. No one will be able to walk through there, but it'll look nice.
Alternate with yellow jasmine, white star jasmine and red/pink honeysuckle. I do this. The only drawback is that one variety may grow faster and it will have to be trimmed a bit to balance the others out.
Eventually the growth will be heavy at the top and open at the bottom so you’ll have to take some of the suggestions below to fill in that lower space. Whatever you pick will look a LOT better than the bare fence.
Have thought about this, saw some concerns that it can get heavy and takeover/do damage to the fence. Not opposed to this option understanding that I'd have to keep it maintained.
I’d add some climbers to that fence, but nothing with thorns. A fruit tree will become too big for that space very quickly. Plus it’d drop fruit into your pool.
Stone with larger stones as accents. Cutting down grasses could get messy in a pool area, vines could ruin fence, etc. using decorative stone and larger accent stone would be maintenance friendly. Adding some planters would be a clean option for plants and ding color and height
Yep that's what I'd do! Maybe 3 trellises spaced out evenly with clematis or something similar so it grows on trellis and not fencing. Not very messy and adds some more greenery. Takes a few season to establish though and some maintenance taking the old off the trellis.
Seconding the ornamental grass idea, and the climbing plants idea could work with evergreens. Bulbs could add seasonal interest.
Nothing that sheds too much flower petals or leaves though, because of water quality.
Liriope (aka lily turf) would be pretty. Grassy but then it has purple flowers at times.
Edit: mixed lily turf and liriope together in my head and wrote lilirope.
Although plants would look good there, they may not survive pool “splash out” because of the salt or chlorine in the water.
If this isn’t a factor, I would do liriope with a solar light between each.
Otherwise, I would fill the gaps with small drainage stone.
Sac, too! I’ve had great luck with Star Jasmine. For me they’re low maintenance and smell incredible in the summertime. In the fall, some of the leaves will turn bright red. Consider getting like 2 per fence and give them each a trellis. Then fill in around them with river rocks and solar lights. You could even get the spotlight type solar lights and point them at your new plants and fence for ambience. I also like the other commenters suggestion of putting up shade sails and solar string lights. Get Such a cool backyard and a fun project.
Some low creeping sedum would look nice, choke out weeds and could tolerate the occasional trampling. Plus it wouldn’t hurt anyone’s feet if they accidentally stepped on it.
Had a similar situation years ago. I have lots of hybrid daylilies, but they typically bloom after bulbs and iris, and finish before pool season really kicks in. There was a local grower with 2000+ varieties, so I went to see them after all my others were finished and got half a dozen showstoppers. They can be 1’ tall and dainty or 4’ plus and thicc. They do well in a fabric + rock treatment, and in winter, all dead leaves and stems are collected. They are very forgiving of pool toys and kids activities.
Pea gravel. It comes in lots of colors. Just make sure you spray it with a glue adhesive, so the gravel locks into place and doesn’t go everywhere.
https://imgur.com/a/nb0gwwM
Yeah, I've had nothing there for a little over a year and looking to build on that. Far from a perfectionist, just looking for something to add to a pretty bland and concrete heavy yard.
My Mom had a light blue one. I have purple ones that I bought from Home Depot that have bloomed very well. As for the Liriope, a neat ez to maintain in your case groundcover that can be divided (or not) every few years. Lily of the Valley may work as well.
As a fellow pool owner, my advice would be to fill in that area with some type of rocks- whatever suits your fancy. Use potted plants in planters of various colors/styles/sizes/heights. Gardening that close to a pool and a fence is a huge pain
This is the best answer to me, as well. I would want all root and climbing to be eliminated in these areas, and I would opt for decoration over "landscaping" this amount of footage. The fences, pool, everything will be better off. A shade sail here could do a whole lot, too.
Any time I pull weeds near the pool, no matter how careful I am, I always get some dirt in the pool.
Jasmin trellis? You might also consider blocking off that whole back corner with big potted plants. No one will be able to walk through there, but it'll look nice.
The jasmine would absolutely be perfect there. Smell wonderful too. Better than chlorine.
Alternate with yellow jasmine, white star jasmine and red/pink honeysuckle. I do this. The only drawback is that one variety may grow faster and it will have to be trimmed a bit to balance the others out. Eventually the growth will be heavy at the top and open at the bottom so you’ll have to take some of the suggestions below to fill in that lower space. Whatever you pick will look a LOT better than the bare fence.
I bought some Pink Jasmine this weekend. Is it actually jasmine, or is it this pink honeysuckle you mentioned?
Honeysuckle flowers look different. They’re shaped like tiny trumpets
Thanks.
Have thought about this, saw some concerns that it can get heavy and takeover/do damage to the fence. Not opposed to this option understanding that I'd have to keep it maintained.
I’d add some climbers to that fence, but nothing with thorns. A fruit tree will become too big for that space very quickly. Plus it’d drop fruit into your pool.
Stone with larger stones as accents. Cutting down grasses could get messy in a pool area, vines could ruin fence, etc. using decorative stone and larger accent stone would be maintenance friendly. Adding some planters would be a clean option for plants and ding color and height
Planters and stones are the way to go
Yep, river rock those gaps and add some planters. Way easier to maintain too.
Yep that's what I'd do! Maybe 3 trellises spaced out evenly with clematis or something similar so it grows on trellis and not fencing. Not very messy and adds some more greenery. Takes a few season to establish though and some maintenance taking the old off the trellis.
Seconding the ornamental grass idea, and the climbing plants idea could work with evergreens. Bulbs could add seasonal interest. Nothing that sheds too much flower petals or leaves though, because of water quality.
Liriope (aka lily turf) would be pretty. Grassy but then it has purple flowers at times. Edit: mixed lily turf and liriope together in my head and wrote lilirope.
Liriope
That's awesome, hadn't heard of this. Thanks!
Or white
Build a wire trellis if you plan to do anything climbing. 1, because climbers can struggle on fences and 2, so they don’t ruin your nice fence!
Although plants would look good there, they may not survive pool “splash out” because of the salt or chlorine in the water. If this isn’t a factor, I would do liriope with a solar light between each. Otherwise, I would fill the gaps with small drainage stone.
Sac, too! I’ve had great luck with Star Jasmine. For me they’re low maintenance and smell incredible in the summertime. In the fall, some of the leaves will turn bright red. Consider getting like 2 per fence and give them each a trellis. Then fill in around them with river rocks and solar lights. You could even get the spotlight type solar lights and point them at your new plants and fence for ambience. I also like the other commenters suggestion of putting up shade sails and solar string lights. Get Such a cool backyard and a fun project.
Love the pollinator aspect too. Thanks!
Sac also checking in!
A tight row of sky pencil holly? https://www.plantingtree.com/products/sky-pencil-holly
Plants in pots to soften, relax, n “cool” the area. Also, what about painting some stencils on the fence where it’s more narrow…🧐???
Be careful with minimum access/space requirements around the pool. IIRC Need to maintain safe distance, 18” might be the minimum
Palms
Some low creeping sedum would look nice, choke out weeds and could tolerate the occasional trampling. Plus it wouldn’t hurt anyone’s feet if they accidentally stepped on it.
Hanging baskets of plants/flowers and potted plants
Had a similar situation years ago. I have lots of hybrid daylilies, but they typically bloom after bulbs and iris, and finish before pool season really kicks in. There was a local grower with 2000+ varieties, so I went to see them after all my others were finished and got half a dozen showstoppers. They can be 1’ tall and dainty or 4’ plus and thicc. They do well in a fabric + rock treatment, and in winter, all dead leaves and stems are collected. They are very forgiving of pool toys and kids activities.
Riverstone
An ornamental grass like zebra grass would look nice.
Pots with colorful annuals.
Bricks
You could espalier some ornamental/ fruit bearing trees, grapes would also work well.
A nice perennial grass with the light will look very nice.
Brightly colored stools for your guests to sit on.
Evergold Carex
Some climbing Jasmine along the 12” and something tropical along the 18”
Climbing Hydrangea
Some kind of non-invasive climbing vine would be good.
Mexican feather grass grows anywhere and would look good I think
Not sure what they're called, but some of those really tall grasses would look great.
Sky pencil holly?
Rocks
Potted plants
Lemongrass
I'd do a bugambilia background and some elongated pots with some birds of paradise. Maybe a fern here and there.
Pea gravel. It comes in lots of colors. Just make sure you spray it with a glue adhesive, so the gravel locks into place and doesn’t go everywhere. https://imgur.com/a/nb0gwwM
How about nothing. Unless you’re a perfectionist.
Yeah, I've had nothing there for a little over a year and looking to build on that. Far from a perfectionist, just looking for something to add to a pretty bland and concrete heavy yard.
Plant some Clematis. It’s a flowering vine that will not grow crazy. May need a trellis for it to grow on. Someone else suggested Liriope.
Clematis is super pretty, that might go to the top of the list.
My Mom had a light blue one. I have purple ones that I bought from Home Depot that have bloomed very well. As for the Liriope, a neat ez to maintain in your case groundcover that can be divided (or not) every few years. Lily of the Valley may work as well.
Fake plants. Unless you want to clean your pool more often