Pool + Courtyard plants - Suggestions? (maintenance, live, moving)

[antispam]

We are putting in a pool and are having a difficult time with selecting plants/trees to put around the pool and a small courtyard (see below)



The Courtyard now has a 6' x 4' planter. I want to put something there that will give us some privacy (neighbor's windows . Ideally, something that will be low maintenance, is attractive and does not shed much leaves/fruit.
If we can put something that grows tall and branches out, that will be ideal.

Also, for the pool side, we are thinking of putting 2 Mediterranean Fan Palms, 2 Sago Palms and 2 Pygmy Date Palms. Am I making a mistake?

Around the pool and on the other areas in the backyard, the landscape guys are also putting in Red Hibiscus, Orange Jubilee and New Gold Lantana. Will these shed much leaves / flowers into the pool?

We are new to AZ and any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!

[lewdog_5]

I have most of your suggested plants around my pool and love the "tropical look." 1 big Mediterranean fan palm, 1 sago palm, 2 pygmy date palms. Red, pink and peach colored hibiscus. Gold and Purple Lantana along with Little Johns. It all looks great when blooming. Nothing sheds much at all and I have not noticed an increase in matter in the pool compared to last summer with no plants around the pool (talk about ugly!).

On the other half of our yard we went with more desert species around our paver patio with golden barrels, fish hooks, Agave varieties, purple sage, prickly pear, fire sticks, desert spoon, Englemann's Hedgehog and two fruit trees.

We couldn't be happier as before it was pool on one half and grass on the other for our yard. Nothing else! The vegetation is worth it! Even if is does require a bit more work to maintain. We had a drip system installed to make watering easy. We also wanted very little shedding with our plant choices and what we planted is doing just that, very little shedding. Hope our selections help you and any nursery should be able to give you low shed ideas for the pool area. I've seen people make big mistakes with large trees around pools and they spend countless hours skimming their pool weekly from the crap they dump in there. A local nursery should be able to give you tons of ideas of plant types that don't make pool cleaning more difficult.

Here are some pictures from a few months ago. Things are bigger, blooming more and fuller now but you'll get the idea. All was planted just this past November. Give it a few years and I think it will look awesome.






Don't mind the crap in the pool. Post storm and leaves from neighbors huge trees!







Other side of yard opposite of pool.

[DavidBilly]

I cant help but I want to see after pictures...please, looks like a great area to work with.

[antispam]

Oh wow! @lewdog_5 thanks for the awesome pictures! After seeing your suggestions, the pool-side plants / palm trees are confirmed!

Now, I just have to see what trees to put in the courtyard planter. I have electric and water to the planter. Can add lights and/or a fountain too. Lots of possibilities.

[lewdog_5]

Originally Posted by antispam

Oh wow! @lewdog_5 thanks for the awesome pictures! After seeing your suggestions, the pool-side plants / palm trees are confirmed!

Now, I just have to see what trees to put in the courtyard planter. I have electric and water to the planter. Can add lights and/or a fountain too. Lots of possibilities.

Definitely. Tons of variety to plant! Are you having a landscape company doing it or doing it yourself?

Definitely pictures when you're done! Any more questions that I can help with please ask. I'm not sure on a big tree to block neighbors that doesn't shed much so I'll leave that to someone else. We are three years here in AZ and we love all the plants that can grow here!

[imagineAA]

This site has some good info on native plants, and they are so beautiful. Succulents ROCK!

Unfortunately a lot of people seem to plant non-native plants that suck water or blow pollen all over the place. (I'm talking about you, olives!)

I am gradually removing non-native plants from my property. The native plants tolerate the environment much better and are so much easier to maintain.

[antispam]

Originally Posted by lewdog_5

Definitely. Tons of variety to plant! Are you having a landscape company doing it or doing it yourself?

Definitely pictures when you're done! Any more questions that I can help with please help. I'm not sure on big tree to block neighbors that doesn't shed much so I'll leave that to someone else. We are three years here in AZ and we love all the plants that can grow here!

Nope... not doing it ourselves. It's the pool builder's landscape division that is doing everything. You are right, there is so much variety in the desert plants and they are all awesome!
Will post progress soon..

[stevek64]

Plants for poolside list from the the AMWUA:

Directory of low litter plants for poolsides.

[asufan]

For your courtyard I think something like a yellow oleander would look good, but it does drop flowers. A lemon tree would probably grow fast and provide great privacy but needs to be trimmed fairly often. you can look into a ficus but I'm not sure if the roots would maybe cause a problem in the planter or to the pavers.

[PHOENIXtreeguy]

I'd try Lantana. They take full sun and need just a small amount of water. You'll get flowers all year.

AZ Plant Lady Lantana pictures