Swimming pools are the ultimate luxury and a great source of joy for the family. However, it can be hard to appreciate your pool if the neighbors can easily watch you swim or listen in on your conversations. Nothing ruins the mood more than unwanted attention. This would lead anyone to seek out pool privacy ideas.
Fortunately, there are many features that you can add to your landscape that will provide privacy around your pool. These features include plants, fences, screens, free-standing features, and water features. Many of these options have other value as well, either adding to the aesthetics of your landscape or providing other practical uses.
Adding one or a combination of these pool privacy ideas will bring you the peace of mind you need to enjoy your pool. The neighbors will be unable to watch your activities and will be less likely to hear your gossip. Of course, all of these features vary in cost, required maintenance, aesthetics, and practicality. Below is everything you need to know about the most popular pool privacy features.
Pool Privacy Plants
Adding some greenery is a great way to add privacy to your yard while also enhancing the natural beauty of your landscape. But which plants are best for providing privacy? Choosing which plants to put by your pool can be overwhelming as there are thousands of options available. To narrow down the list, there are a few characteristics that you should look out for. The perfect pool privacy plants will have the following traits:
- Tall: This ensures that your neighbors can’t peek over them.
- Evergreen: These plants don’t lose their foliage in the fall, ensuring year-round privacy.
- Low maintenance: Unless you enjoy gardening, you probably don’t want to worry constantly about keeping your plants in great condition
- Dense crown or foliage: Dense foliage prevents neighbors from peeking. You don’t want large gaps that can easily give anyone a view of your pool.
- Local: Non-native plants always have a risk of becoming invasive. Many invasive plants have root systems that are notorious for destroying foundations, pools, and underground structures.
The most common plants cultivated by pool owners for privacy are hedges and evergreen trees. These plants not only prevent neighbors from peeking into your yard, but they also provide a touch of elegance to the landscape.
Hedges
Hedges are probably the first thing that crossed your mind when thinking of pool privacy plants. They usually grow just tall enough to ensure privacy and can be pruned into geometric shapes for added elegance. If planted and cared for properly, hedges act as the perfect natural wall for anyone who doesn’t want to build man-made features, such as fences, or just wants the added beauty of greenery.
Many shrubs work perfectly as hedges. As mentioned earlier, you want to choose species that have dense evergreen foliage. Some popular options include:
- Japanese Holly
- Lilly Pilly
- Hardy Hibiscus
- Inkberry Holly
One thing to be cautious of is that some hedges bloom flowers that are very attractive to bees, insects, or other pests. Even with privacy, it’s hard to enjoy your pool if you have bees buzzing around everywhere. If you wish to avoid this, make sure to select a species that either doesn’t bloom flowers or, at the very least, doesn’t attract these pests. However, if this doesn’t bother you, then you can have the added benefit of beautiful flowers throughout the spring and summer.
Evergreen Trees
Adding a few evergreen trees to your yard will add some extra privacy. They grow much taller than shrubs, ensuring that neighbors in upper stories can’t peek down into your yard while you’re swimming. Natural pool shade is one of our favorite privacy methods.
Most people envision needle trees when thinking of evergreens. However, many broadleaf trees are evergreen as well. There are pros and cons to both types, but the availability of either may be primarily dependent on your region and climate.
As mentioned before, find a tree with a dense crown to ensure the most privacy. Some trees that pool owners love include:
- Norway Spruce
- Colorado Blue Spruce
- Green Giant Arborvitae
- Taylor Juniper
- Palm Trees
- Bamboo
The only downside of planting trees is that they can take years to grow tall enough to provide privacy. If you choose to grow them from seed, then you will want a species that grows quickly. However, you can find some trees already a few feet tall in pots at local nurseries. These trees are ready to be planted and should have a dense enough crown to ensure some privacy.
Fake Plants
Though some people may scoff at this option, fake plants are a legitimate way to enhance privacy without the downsides of normal plants. Plants add natural privacy and beauty around your pool but can often be a mess and require a lot of care. Those who love gardening may jump at the opportunity to care for more plants, but others may be more hesitant. Fake plants are for those who want privacy and beauty without the mess and maintenance required.
Pool Privacy Fences
Besides plants, fences are the most obvious choice for pool privacy. They act as a clear barrier that prevents neighbors from peeking at you while swimming.
Though most people immediately think of wood fences, fences can come in all sorts of materials and types. Some of them include:
- Wood
- Wrought Iron
- Stone
- Aluminum
- Plastic
Fences come in all colors, shapes, heights, designs, and price tags. The best fences will offer not only privacy but also safety (for unattended small children) while being aesthetically pleasing. Though budget is always something to consider, you probably don’t want a fence that is a complete eyesore or gives the impression that you are in a prison. Look for a fence that doesn’t break the bank but also provides privacy and is aesthetically pleasing.
Pool Privacy Screens
Pool privacy screens are another popular option with added benefits that plants and fences do not have. Unlike the former options, screen enclosures can be easily taken down and transported when they are no longer needed. This makes them a great option for those who live in climates where outdoor swimming cannot be enjoyed year-round.
Screens also provide a few other benefits that other features don’t. While still allowing sun and fresh air to reach the pool area, screens prevent bugs, leaves, and other debris from entering the pool area.
Furthermore, screens are often more affordable than installing fences or a multitude of plants.
So if you are looking for privacy on a budget, privacy screens are your best option.
Other Landscaping Pool Privacy Ideas
Though plants, fences, and screens are the top three most popular pool privacy features, there are some other options available. Other landscape items like free-standing structures and water features have practical uses, added aesthetic value to your yard but still, provide privacy.
Free-standing Structures
Free-standing features are the most practical features mentioned in this article. They can add extra shelter from the sun or provide a great space for lounging and socialization. Many features can be used when not swimming and can be utilized year-round. Some great free-standing features to add around your pool include:
- Pool houses
- Gazebos
- Pergolas
The only downside of these features is that they are a bit expensive. However, if you want something that will provide privacy and enhance the social aspect of your pool activities, then you’ll want to invest the money. These structures can be purchased through contractors or popular home and garden stores such as Lowes.
Water Features
Out of all the features mentioned, none of them provide a natural sound barrier. When considering privacy, not only do you want to keep your neighbor’s prying eyes from peeking into your yard, but you also want to ensure they are not listening to your conversations.
Features with running water, such as fountains, are the perfect option to drown out the noise. Not only will your neighbors be less likely to hear you, but the water will also drown out the noise from the rest of your neighborhood. These features also have the added benefits of being aesthetically pleasing and adding a relaxing atmosphere to your landscape.
Combine Multiple Options
You probably already know this, but utilizing multiple options is more effective than just sticking with one. For example, if you decide just to add hedges, you may still have issues with neighbors peeking in from higher stories. Furthermore, while adding a fence or screen prevents your family from being watched, they don’t prevent your neighbors from eavesdropping.
Combining a variety of the aforementioned pool privacy ideas will ensure that your pool area is the perfect paradise. For example, you may want to add a few tiers of shrubs and trees to ensure your yard is private from all angles. Furthermore, you may have a nice fence or free-standing structure, but you may also want to add a running water feature to ensure no one hears your conversations.
Final Thoughts
Privacy is essential if you want to thoroughly relax and enjoy your pool. Luckily there are plenty of pool privacy ideas that will not only provide you with some peace of mind but also add aesthetics or practical value to your yard. Through the use of plants, fences, screens, and other features, you can create a perfect paradise around your pool that makes your pool area fun, relaxing, and private.