LandScaping around Pool Ideas?

[intrepid]

My wife and I like to do our own landscaping when we can. We completed our front yard and are very happy with it. We are just getting started on the backyard. I already dug a trench for a sprinkler systems and will put it right next to the rock wall. It will be spraying away from the pool.
I also have already three Foxtail palm trees and three sagas I’m going to use. I have been looking on the Internet for ideas I might like. I don’t want a bunch of leaves falling in the pool, and I like the idea of a tropical scheme.
Anyone have any ideas on what plants might look nice, using a tropical scheme?

I not sure what boarder I’m going to use. I want to keep the rocks as ground cover between the back fence and where the landscaping start next to the pool. I’m guessing I will need to use bricks for a boarder.
I would like input from anyone that might have ideas on what would work best.
Thanks.:)

[intrepid]

Lets see if this works.............

[intrepid]

From the otherside.

[GLAN]

Calla Lillies

Hibiscuss


I think of more.......I'll post them

[Turtle]

Tai Plants, crotons, Miami supreme gardenias,trinette arbicola Call them trinettes here variegated scheffleras other places

[Fine Edge]

Depending on where you are located: Banana trees ( Musa basjoo - very hardy ) , coleus, elephant ears, lantana ( not many - spreads quite a bit ).

[intrepid]

I'm in zone 9, Houston Texas.
I was looking around on the internet and found some really nice pictures of what I like.
Anyone have pictures of their yard using a tropical scheme?

I also have a question about tropical plants. It will be the first time I have planted these types of plants. I think tropical plants would look best around my pool. I hope to get some color in the mix using some of the nice flowers I have seen. They should look nice next to the rock wall that has five waterfalls that spill into the pool.

What happens to these plants in the winter? Which ones still look nice in the winter? Will everything die off each years and come back in the spring? Are there some that look nice all year round?

[Fine Edge]

Most of your tropicals ( hibiscus, bananas, elephant ears & all perennials) will die off in the winter leaving you with nothing. It's important to do a little research on what will come back and try to incorporate some evergreen ( gardenias, Nandina "Gulfstream") into the whole picture.
The sad truth is, if you want a truly tropical, colorful garden, you'll have to sacrifice some foliage once the cold hits.

[intrepid]

Everything is coming out great on my pool-landscaping job. My wife and I are very happy with the way it is turning out. I have a question about my three Foxtail palms? I have two of the four braches on each tree that is turning brown. My buddy told me that it was normal for these trees to go into a little shock after replanting them. I have not planted palms before so I’m not sure if he is right.
These palms are 14 feet tall and I got them from Home Depot so if they don’t make it I guess I can get new ones. Plus a lot of work digging these up and planting new ones.

I did some reading on this website, and remember someone saying planting palms too deep equals dead to them. I planted them about an inch or two deeper that the bucket they came in. I’m guessing this is not the reason I have two brown braches on each tree?

Should I be worried about my palms making it

[Fine Edge]

From my experience , I have always been told and have seen palms that were planted well above existing grade ( 4" - 5" ). If you planted yours deeper than the pot in which it came, I might advise you to raise them up a bit.They also seem to do better around here if the soil has a sand mixture in it.
I really don't plant palm trees because of their cost and the forwarding cost to the customer that I would have to charge to recoup some of my $$$ if I have to replace them.

[start2finish]

send some more pictures

[intrepid]

What to you guys think of my project? It was a lot of work, but I loved doing it myself. I have three 10 watt lights that light up the palms at night. They stay on all night and really look nice.
I also installed a 3/4" sprinkle system with 8 tips. It covers the area nicely.

I am thinking of adding to it this year. What do you think would like nice? :D

[intrepid]

What to you guys think of my project? It was a lot of work, but I loved doing it myself. I have three 10 watt lights that light up the palms at night. They stay on all night and really look nice.
I also installed a 3/4" sprinkle system with 8 tips. It covers the area nicely.

I am thinking of adding to it this year. What do you think would like nice?

[intrepid]

Resizing these is hard for me. Well at work anyway...

[Matt Kulp]

Everything looks nice. If I would do just one thing, it would be to paint or replace the fence. Maybe something with a lattice top?

Second, maybe adding to the stone coping with a build up for a waterfall into the pool, what do you think?

[intrepid]

Yes, I hate the wooden fence. I am thinking of adding a header at the top and bottom. I'm sure you know what I'm talking about. I may even water blast it again and stain it. What color do you think? Do the header and stain it?

(Everything looks nice. If I would do just one thing, it would be to paint or replace the fence. Maybe something with a lattice top?)



The pool has five water falls already. I can not keep the picture large enough to see everything in detail, and still load them on this website.
My firewall is blocking me from downing a picture resize I want to use. Save the picture to your desktop, then blow it up

(Second, maybe adding to the stone coping with a build up for a waterfall into the pool, what do you think?)

[intrepid]

Some of the stuff will come back in a month or so. I my son's rabbit he use to have got out and had a snack.

[intrepid]

Here is an update on how things turned out. This is a winter picture in Texas, not as nice as it looks in spring time. I stained the ugly fence and it looks better. I will be replacing the fence soon, but I'm not ready just yet.
What do you thing?