Swimming pool landscaping ideas – 12 expert ways to incorporate a pool into your outdoor space

Not so long ago the thought of needing pool landscaping ideas in the UK was the preserve of the rich and the famous. However, with temperatures matching, and sometimes exceeding those of our continental neighbours, there is more interest in how swimming pools can work in British landscapes.

As the experts I approached made clear to me, anyone (with the financial means) can put a swimming pool in, but making it a feature in your outdoor space takes considered design, ensuring it fits with your landscape and doesn't look dropped-in as an afterthought.

Therefore if you're thinking of installing a pool, or are looking for ways to blend an existing pool into your landscape, these ideas come straight from swimming pool and landscape experts.

12 pool landscaping ideas for beautifying swimming pool area

"Incorporating swimming pool ideas into your garden depending on the space can be a challenge, particularly if you don't have a lot of room. However pools do not have to be enormous and can be made to blend into the garden landscaping," says garden designer Fi Boyle.

There are several ways to achieve this:

1. Try a low-impact dark pool lining

"One thing I often advise clients is to put in a dark liner such as black or dark grey. Whilst you may be worried that this will look too dark the effect is stunning. This is because these swimming pool types will reflect the sky, at the same time absorbing the heat of the sun. The pool can then take on the feel of both a water feature, as well as a pool," says Fi Boyle.

"The other way of reducing the impact of a pool is to reduce the amount of hard landscaping around it by only using a coping stone and perhaps one run of paving around it. This way it can blend better into the garden space," Fi adds.

Fi Boyle

Award-winning garden designer and head of Fi Boyle Garden Landscape Design & Consultancy, Fi has a wealth of experience designing pools, both natural and traditional, in UK gardens.

2. Consider your size needs

Swimming pools don't have to be grand in size to do the job, in fact it's easy to be tempted to go too big. Size also impacts how much a swimming pool costs.

"In theory, you can go as small as you like," explains Andy Carr, Group COO & Managing Director at Guncast. "Typically, an average recreational pool is usually around 8 x 4m. If clients are looking for a training pool they tend to go longer and thinner - often 15/20m in length," says Andy.

"Ultimately it comes down to how big your space is and what size best suits your needs. It's possible to design and build a pool of any size and specification. Lap pools are also an option for small gardens – and we have seen an increased demand for these in recent years. The lap pool is a long, narrow design which can look more elegant than a traditional, wider pool," says Andy.

Andy Carr

Andy has over 30 years of experience in the construction industry. His expertise has helped build Guncast into the leading UK luxury swimming pool provider it is today.

3. Use decking as a surround

Decking can be used around a pool area for a naturally softer look and feel underfoot. However, wood and water can be a tricky mix.

"Consider using garden decking around the pool rather than stone, but be mindful to use hardwood with a high resin content that will not be slippery. Alternatively, you could look at using a composite," says Fi Boyle.

Composite decking won't rot in the same way the natural wood will, be sure to use joists and a sub-base which will have equal longevity too.

4. Allow room for the surrounding area

"While it may be tempting to choose the largest pool to fit in your garden, budget allowing, you don’t want the pool to dominate the entire space. Leave enough room to be able to enjoy the garden for dining outside or relaxing in the sun," says Thomas Goodman, construction expert at My Job Quote.

"For a successful design, it’s important to get the ratio of pool to landscaping right. You also need to leave at least 1.2 metres, all the way around the pool for safety and access," says Thomas.

It's also important to leave sufficient space around the edge of indoor home swimming pools.

5. Hide unsightly pool covers from view

Here is where the reality of UK living kicks in. "If your pool is close to the house, it is important to consider that the pool will be covered for most of the year (possibly any time it’s not in use, for safety)," says landscape designer Marlene Lento.

"Pool covers are large and can be a real eyesore, so it is important to consider this in the placement of your pool landscaping ideas and planting in particular. A substantial raised bed or evergreen planting between the house and the pool provides screening and a pleasant outlook from the house as well as from the pool area," says Marlene.

Remember that permanent structures built directly overhead may require you to have swimming pool planning permission.

Marlene Lento

Marlene Lento designs bespoke gardens that encompass every aspect of today’s outdoor living space including outdoor entertainment areas, lighting and planting schemes, pools, and natural swimming ponds.

6. Factor in practical landscaping elements

It's easy to want to ignore the less glamorous aspects of pool landscape ideas such as pool heat pumps, equipment and storage. But failure to properly account for these elements could really bring down your overall design.

"Make sure you have a big enough pump room or cupboard, which also provides a storage place for chemicals and cleaning supplies. Speak to your contractor early on about the location for ground source heat pumps, as the location options for the units is restricted and you don’t want to find yourself looking at it from the kitchen window or your lovely new pool or deck," says Marlene Lento.

7. Add lush planting around your pool area

One way to really make your pool feel at home in a landscape is by incorporating generous patio planting.

"Whether in the ground or in large planters - be bold! Some well-clipped evergreen clear stem or multi-stem trees add structure, and you can fragrant plants close to seating or lounging areas," says Marlene.

"Evergreens and grasses are the least messy (although there is always maintenance). Avoid shrubs with berries, or be sure to prune them after flowering to stop them from developing. The same goes for plants with sharp seedheads. You may also want to steer clear of flowers which appeal to bees and wasps," says Marlene.

8. Put in a shaded area next to the pool

If your pool area is very sunny, consider adding a garden sunshade idea such as a pergola or gazebo, these can be traditional or modern, depending on the style of your garden and adjacent house advises Marlene.

"A vine-covered pergola is magical as a lunch spot or for lounging, and it softens what is traditionally an area with lots of hard surfaces. Parasol-shaped trees can make a beautiful natural ‘pergola’," says Marlene.

Shop pool shade ideas

9. Consider your lighting for nighttime ambience

"Even a couple of lights inside a pool make the body of water glow like magic," says Marlene. If you don't have lights within your pool, it's still possible to create the impression of this using garden lighting.

"For the surrounding area, highlight structural elements such as specimen trees or pergolas. If some of these are close enough to the pool and you don’t have lights within the pool (or they’re off), you can get the illuminated feature’s reflection in the pool."

"It’s essential to check angles of reflection from the area where you’re most likely to view this, such as from your patio doors. Festoon lighting is cheap and cheerful and looks great draped along a garden fence, or over pergolas surrounding pool areas," says Marlene.

11. Make a pool boundary into a feature

Things like pool boundaries can be essential safety elements if you have pets or children, in order to prevent accidents. Rather than these being considered at a later date, Fi Boyle suggests making them part of your design.

"If you fence your pool area, don’t make the enclosure an afterthought- make it a feature. Plant a hedge or make it a beautifully detailed wall and pay attention to the gate - these details make a huge difference," says Fi.

11. Consider a natural pool for wild look

"The most usual shape for a pool is rectangular and the reason for this is practicality, both in the construction of the pool but also because most pools need a cover to keep warmth in," says Fi Boyle.

Fi reasons that a pool could be any shape you want but by going away from the norm you will add to the cost of building it.

"It also depends on if you are building a traditional pool or a natural swimming pool. If you want a more natural and wild look to a pool then a natural swimming pool is definitely the way to go."

12. Be creative with paving around pools

"Rather than just running a 3m or so strip of garden paving all around, use only as much paving as you need and add more planting," advises Marlene Lento.

"Create little niches surrounded by planting in sun traps bordering the pool where you can place your sun beds. Choose the colour of your pool finish wisely, as you’ll live with that blue or turquoise for a long time. How brilliant or how subtle that colour should be considered within the style and palette of the garden," says Marlene.

FAQs

How to make a pool landscape?

For your pool and garden landscape to sit seamlessly together, Andy Carr, Group COO & Managing Director of Guncast highlights the importance of collaboration with your pool designer.

"It's important to create a pool that feels a natural part of a space, rather than overwhelming the home or garden. We find a lot of clients push landscaping to the bottom of the list, but it’s something that needs to be included and considered from day one," says Andy.

Where the pool is positioned in relation to the rest of the space is also key. "Consider where the steps should be, what materials will work around the poolside, as well as practical elements such as the necessary drainage, pipework and plant room," says Andy.

"Some clients want their pools sitting right outside the house for ease of use and an extension of the home, so this could result in a design that ties in very specifically with the architecture of the home and grounds. Others prefer an oasis at the end of the garden, so this would need to take a very different approach that is completely unrelated to the home."

There are lots of things which can go wrong with pool design and installation, and as they're quite a large investment it's important to be aware of potential pitfalls ahead of time. Have a look at our guide to swimming pool mistakes to avoid any issues.