Plants for your Pool and Beach Landscape

Although you may consider these environments very different, they are similar in that they both pose challenges when it comes to successfully growing and maintaining your landscape.

Although you may consider these environments very different, they are similar in that they both pose challenges when it comes to successfully growing and maintaining your landscape. Planting your favorite flowering trees or shrubs in an unfavorable environment could bring disappointment. If you understand which plants tolerate these extreme conditions, and have realistic expectations about your plant choices, you will be pleasantly surprised with the results.

A few things to consider before you plant:
Although you may consider these environments very different, they are similar in that they both pose challenges when it comes to successfully growing and maintaining your landscape. Planting your favorite flowering trees or shrubs in an unfavorable environment could bring disappointment. If you understand which plants tolerate these extreme conditions, and have realistic expectations about your plant choices, you will be pleasantly surprised with the results.

• Most salt tolerant plants will work around pools. This is due to salt's chemical formula, NaCl (Sodium chloride). Chloride (Cl) is the reduced fonn of chlorine, the chemical used in pools and hot tubs. Both affect plants in a similar way.
• Many studies indicate that plants with thick, waxy or pubescent (fuzzy) leaves are generally more tolerant of chlorine and salt air.
• Evergreen plants, especially palms are ideal around pools as they don't shed their leaves. No one wants to spend their Saturday afternoons cleaning leaves out of a pool!
• Depending on your proximity to the beach and what zone you live in will determine what plants will thrive in your garden. 
• You will also need to take into account wind speed and 
  consistency of winds as they will dry out and burn the foliage on many palms, trees and shrubs. If you live directly on the beach, you may have a hard time growing anything that you don't already see growing there naturally.

Have any ideas or questions about plants to use near the pool or beach? Comment below!