What To Plant Around A Swimming Pool

Now that your sparkling new swimming pool is fully installed, your next priority is a natural one: swimming pool landscaping. You definitely want to make an effort to help your pool blend into its surroundings, allowing it to become a pivotal part of a much larger whole. You'll want plants that will thrive and maybe even offer you some shade on those hot summer days of the year, while also being low maintenance. A lot of success in this area will come down to what you choose to plant around your swimming pool.

What Makes a Plant Pool-Friendly?

According to the Swimming Pool and Spa Association, a plant must have a few key characteristics if it can be officially classified as "pool friendly". These plants are selected not just for aesthetics, but for their ability to withstand the unique conditions of a poolside environment.

Drought Resistance

Drought resistance is essential for hot, dry Australian summers. Pool-friendly plants should be able to survive and thrive with minimal irrigation once established. This not only supports sustainable landscaping, but also reduces the time and cost associated with regular watering. 

Australian natives such as the Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos spp.) and Bottlebrush (Callistemon spp.) are known to thrive under these conditions, though there are a number of exotic options too, including:

• Agave (Agave attenuata)
• New Zealand Flax (Phormium tenax)
• Frangipani (Plumeria spp.)

Low Maintenance & Minimal Pruning

Pool-friendly plants are generally low maintenance, requiring little to no pruning throughout the year. This is ideal for pool owners who want a lush outdoor space without the added burden of constant upkeep. Choosing plants that maintain their shape and health without frequent intervention keeps your pool area neat and hassle-free. Examples include:

• Mat Rush (Lomandra spp.)
• Coastal Rosemary (Westringia fruticosa)
• Agapanthus (Agapanthus praecox)
• Cordyline (Cordyline fruticosa)
• Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon japonicus)

Sunlight Tolerance

Outdoor poolside areas are often fully exposed to sunlight throughout the day. As such, plants need to be able to cope with intense UV and heat, especially during peak summer months. Selecting sun-hardy species ensures your landscaping remains vibrant and healthy, even in extreme conditions.

• Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae)
• Bougainvillea
• Cycads (Cycas revoluta)**
• Liriope (Liriope muscari)
• Lilly Pilly (Syzygium australe)

**NOTE: All parts of the Cycas revoluta are toxic if ingested. Caution around pets or kids is strongly advised.

Chlorine and Salt Resistance

Plants located near pools—especially those that use salt chlorination—must tolerate occasional splashes of chemically treated water. Chlorine or salt exposure can damage sensitive plants, so choosing species with high tolerance helps maintain a healthy, green environment without worrying about discolouration, leaf burn, or stunted growth. While prolonged exposure to chlorine should still be avoided, some poolside plants are more resistant, including:

• Coastal Banksia (Banksia integrifolia)
• Creeping Boobialla (Myoporum parvifolium)
• Bromeliads
• Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)
• Pigface (Carpobrotus spp.)

Best Australian Natives for Pool Area

Not only do Australian native plants tend to excel in the above criteria, generally being highly drought and sunlight resistant, they also help to support local biodiversity. These plants provide food and shelter for local wildlife, including bees, butterflies and native birds, helping to further maintain your garden and support ecological balance. Some of our favourite Australian native poolside plants are:

• Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos spp.)
• Bottlebrush (Callistemon spp.)
• Coastal Rosemary (Westringia fruticosa)
• Mat Rushes (Lomandra spp.)
• Native Violet (Viola hederacea)

Plants to Avoid Around Pools

Whether it’s a plunge pool or a lap pool, an Albatross swimming pool is designed to be low-maintenance, and your landscaping should be too. Choosing the wrong plants around your pool can make your life harder, and can even damage your pool and its surrounding area via their root systems.

Heavy-Shedding Plants

The key to planting success is to select plants that don’t require regular pruning, or those that don’t shed berries or needles. You'll also want to avoid anything that will drop leaf litter onto your pool or the surrounding area, meaning that anything that hangs overhead just won't do. Deciduous plants are still okay, as they only require one large clean up session per year, whereas evergreens will require year round maintenance.

Plants with Invasive Roots

Invasive root systems can wreak havoc on paving, plumbing, and pool surrounds. Bamboo, Umbrella Trees (Heptapleurum actinophyllum) and Rubber Trees (Ficus elastica) should all be on your “under no circumstances” list, as they are all known to cause problems with underground plumbing and paving.

Spiky or Sharp Plants

Your new Albatross swimming pool should be an inviting, family friendly environment, so avoid planting that can drop spines or sharp leaves. These plants are often spiky as a natural defence, meaning you will need to keep your distance. Pool users won’t appreciate dodging spikes on their way to the water, and it will likely make pool maintenance that much harder for yourself.

Ideas for Poolside Plant Setups

At Albatross Pools, we’re experts in designing and building innovative swimming pools – it’s what we’ve been doing since 1969. While we’re not landscape designers, our roots run deep in the world of gardens. In fact, our founder was a passionate gardener whose backyard show garden was once featured on Burke’s Backyard, and we’ve learnt from experience what works, and doesn’t work, with regards to pool landscaping over the years.

If you’re stuck for ideas, here’s an example setup we love, emphasising beautiful Australian natives to create a hardy and vibrant pool area:

For Screening:

Bottlebrush (Callistemon spp.)
– Upright growth, vibrant red flowers, ideal for privacy and attracting native birds.
Coastal Banksia (Banksia integrifolia)
– Wind and salt-tolerant, great for natural screening.

For Mid-Level Planting:

Kangaroo Paw (Anigozanthos spp.)
– Bold, upright flowers add colour and height contrast.
Coastal Rosemary (Westringia fruticosa)
– Hardy, compact shrub that offers form, texture, and low maintenance.

For Ground Cover:

Mat Rush (Lomandra spp.)
– Tough, clumping native grass that handles dry conditions and splash zones.
Native Violet (Viola hederacea)
– Beautiful soft foliage for shaded pockets.

Our preferred landscape designer, Anthony Scott from Anthony Scott Landscape Design, offers this advice:

"Creating the perfect poolscape is all about finding the balance between functional space, the right furniture and of course plant life."

That balance becomes especially important when you’re choosing plants to place around your pool. The layout and function of your pool—how close the water sits to garden beds, how much sunlight it gets, and who will be using the space—should all guide your poolside plant selection.

Contact Albatross Pools today for more information about swimming pool installation, swimming pool landscaping and so much more.