Get your landscaping 'off the ground'
Around the pool

So the pool is finally installed, and for all intents and purposes it's swimming time. But that's not to say your pool project is done: far from it, in fact. Just plopping a concrete box in the ground and filling it with water is hardly a noteworthy swimming pool design. If you don't mind jeers and scorns from your upper-crust neighbors, feel free to enjoy the cool water and call it good. If you want your pool to look as good as it feels, however, your job isn't finished.

There are many things to consider when planning your pool's landscaping. How much room do you have to work with?

Are you considering an allinclusive design that dominates your entire back yard, or are you just thinking of a patio or deck around the pool itself? For an above-ground pool, a deck may be your quickest and least-costly option. If you have an inground pool that already has a scarred concrete patio, however, finishing the project is going to require a little bit more in-the-dirt work.

There are literally hundreds of elements that you could incorporate into a landscaping design. You'll want to start your design out with the basics, however. Work from the inside out by deciding how you want your walkways to lay out. Is there simply going to be one that leads from your backdoor to the pool, or are you planning on having some more scenic detours?

Multiple walkways could lead one to the pool and another to a scenic area with a rock garden, some shrubs, a flower garden, a natural landscape and a gazebo. The options are literally limitless.

When choosing your shrubbery for around the pool, keep a few things in mind.

• Don't plant trees or shrubs that are eventually going to grow so big that they detract from the natural landscape, if you have one. A scenic view of the mountains is great, and you'd hate to plant a tree that years later is going to ruin the view.

• Be careful of planting trees and bushes that are going to shed in your pool. Large deciduous trees and needle-bearing evergreens are off-limits.

• Avoid fruit trees and flowers too close to the pool. They attract bees.

• Think about whether you'd like a privacy screen or a wind block. Some bushes and shrubs lend themselves well to forming walls, like shrubs, yews and bamboo.

Another consideration in landscape design could be the inclusion of a fence. Fences around pools are a necessity if you have children, but they don't lend themselves well to picturesque design. With a decent landscape design around the fence and leading up the gate, however, a fence doesn't have to be a death sentence for your backyard atmosphere.

Unless you have experience with landscaping, actually putting your plan into action may be something best handled by the professionals. If you're determined to do it yourself, however, do your research.

The Internet has virtually thousands of resources that can help you design, implement and carry out your dream design. Just remember to be patient and don't rush the process.

If you get stuck, don't be ashamed to call in a real landscaper. It's better to have a worthwhile, well-conceived design than to stubbornly finish a job that's obviously going downhill.