You certainly don't want to put trees/shrubs near the pool that will drop leaves, especially prickly leaves like hollies (and hollies DO drop leaves, just not all at once like a deciduous tree would).

As a fellow owner of a pool, you really do not want trees in that narrow space. For one thing, the space is too narrow for their roots; for another thing, the leaves and/or fruit fall into the pool and sometimes caterpillars chew on the leaves and poop in the area (true for us). And believe me, the automated pool robot can't keep up with all that all the time. In the fall, we are emptying that 'bot out daily (but we do like our trees and are willing to do it).

Shrubs are certainly an option although some leaves will fall and blow into the pool. However, I suspect you were wanting some screening effect which shrubs will not accomplish.

Italian cypress might be a good choice, and I agree that a nice tree in the corner by the diving board would be attractive.

What are your goals? Screening the neighbor's views? Covering the fence? Something that changes with the seasons? There are various Junipers(Wichita Blue, etc.) and the Italian Cypress that could fit in that space. Hopefully there is dirt on the other side of the fence and not pavement or cement. If you just want to cover the fence, perhaps an espalier would do the trick. If espalier, think about extending the post tops (various ways to do this) and creating horizontal supports using COATED wire rope. The train your branches onto those lines. How about a Potato Vine for a really long flowering season? There is a really oddball plant that would work in your situation if it will grow in your climate: Chamaecyparis thyoides 'Red Star'.

I understand why professionals would not be getting back to you. Your space is TOUGH and will take some major out-of-box thinking to solve the problems you have created.

Oddly enough, they've all said its pretty much a no-brainer, with groups of 3 shrubs staggered between the main savannah's or mary nell's, its just that they're so busy. We finally got one to get back with a plan, but its going to be a jungle once its mature. I'd prefer there be a little space between since balls and pool toys will be constantly flying around.
Our goal is simply to break up the monotony of a 300' fence. Low maintenance is also a BIG priority!

I have three suggestions. One is to consider Emerald Arborvitaes for your "trees" along the fence. They are tall cone shaped shrubs that top out at l0 to 12 feet, instead of 20' like Italian cypresses, which will look out of proportion to your house. They won't get much over three feet wide if you don't do alot of pruning on them. (and there's no reason to). They are soft, not stickery, and their shedding is extremely small, mostly in the wintertime. As a bonus, they will grow in full sun AND in almost complete shade. I know. I have them everywhere in my landscape, which is almost exactly on a straight line with you, East to West.

Second, if you plant a Japanese Maple, be sure it is going to receive afternoon shade. Your heat and sun will be entirely too intense otherwise. The easiest and fastest growing one, not to mention the least expensive, is the straight species Purpurea, although Bloodgood and Crimson Queen do well in our heat too.

Finally, I recommend that you INSIST that the landscapers space your plants according to their tags. In other words, if the tag says the plant will grow four feet wide, make them plant them four feet apart, from center of plant to center of plant. Measure with a tape measure!

You are right. They nearly all cram entirely too many plants into the space. I think it's for instant gratification for the homeowner and for extra $$ in their pockets. But it's a waste of money on the front end and a nightmare for maintenance on the back end (which they are only too eager to charge you for too.)
If you buy fewer plants, you can afford bigger ones, and you can afford for the installers to do a good job of soil prep. If you use mainline shrubbery and the soil is well amended and prepared, your garden will be mature and perfectly spaced in 3 to 5 years. Perfectly spaced translates into minimal maintenance, by the way. It will be worth the wait.

It might not be so obvious from the house, but from the shot you showed in the first pic, it is interesting that the pool is not parallel with the fence. I suspect the pool is parallel with the house, so its probably a non-issue when you are on the ground in the pool area. But even so, if it were me, I would want to place plants in such a way to obscure the uneven parallel line. My OCD is showing !!!

Possibly any plantings will do the job because the straight line fence won't be as visible as it is now. But on the other hand, a straight line of a plant will still be a straight line. Maybe the line of plants can be parallel with the pool??? Maybe there will be a little room for some layering in the wider spots. Even a few perennials or some easy care daylilies (sun) or hosta (shade) might take the straightness away.

I like the idea of some J. Wichita Blue if the area is sunny enough. The blue will play off the blue of the water.

Note that if you do all the same plant, you run the risk of being in a bind if something happens to one of them in the future. Hard to fill in such a hole. So a variety of plants would be wise. Varying verticle heights will be effective too design-wise.

Exclamatory conifers like columnar arborvitaes or upright junipers would emphasize the straight lines and rigidity of the fence and pool rather than soften it. Choose naturalistic rounded and arching plant shapes instead. Much of the bed in front of the fence is so narrow that really there is only space for climbing plants. This would be a good way to furnish the fence will keeping the planting back away from the water. If shade or additional screening is desired maybe it is possible to add an arbor to the top of the fence.

There really only is enough bed width for a tree in the corner. Maybe with an existing tree nearby you don't need to add that many more to get a comfortable area. When selecting shrubs you don't want anything with a mature height more than 1 1/2 times the width of the bed at the point where it is planted. Much taller than that and the planting often begins to appear looming, overgrown, too tall.

And as mentioned in your situation choosing from the restricted range of plants suitable for use near swimming pools will be important if you are to avoid headaches.

Thanks for all the good suggestions. I think the pictures I posted make the bed look narrower than it is, so I've added some other pictures from a different angle. I put my son in the pic for a size reference, and where he's standing is about 6 feet across. The uneven lines have never been an issue, and it doesn't look weird when its not an aerial shot. I was also wondering about another tree like the one in the pics below that is mushroom shaped. I always thought it was a Yaupon, but I'm not sure. If I could get one that was a single-trunk (or a few) and kept it in a natural form, I think it would work. Its always green, doesn't drop anything, and grows very slowly.

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It's still not a whole lot of room; for instance, the prostrate Japanese plum yew (the one the dog is sniffing) in the foreground of the last photo will spread to at least 4' over couple of years, maybe to 6' after a longer period - I grant, you can cut them back with ease. And while they will grow in full sun, with plentiful watering, they are happier in part shade, in my experience. However, the plant will soften the edges of the walkway around the pool, so is a good choice for that.

Indian Hawthorn, Abelias (the smaller varieties), the smaller purple-leaved Loropetalums all seem like possible other choices - they will handle hot, dry areas, and not get too big, while accepting of pruning if need be.

I agree that the tree looks like a Yaupon holly, and that another one could do well in the corner - it won't throw much shade, however.

When you're selecting plants to enhance a swimming pool or spa area, keep several requirements in mind. First, look for smooth branches, foliage, and flowers; anything bristly, prickly, sharp or thorny can injure pool users. Second, choose plants that are virtually litter-free; any leaves or spent flowers they do shed should be too large to pass into the pool's filter (which rules out many conifers). Finally, of course, aim for good-looking plants that will enhance this enjoyable part of your landscape

--Sunset WESTERN GARDEN BOOK (2007, Sunset Publishing, Menlo Park)

Trees and shrubs they list for this use (check regional suitabilities) are

Aucuba japonica
Bauhinia blakeana
Brugmansia
Camellia
Cocculus laurifolius
Cordia boissieri
Cordyline
Cycas revoluta
Dracaena
Ensete ventricosum
Eriobotrya deflexa
Fatsia japonica
Feijoa
Ferns (tree types)
Ficus auriculata
Fig, edible
Firmiana simplex
Geijera parviflora
Hibiscus rosa-sinensis
Hydrangea macrophylla
Lantana
Lavandula
Melianthus major
Musa
Palms (some)
Persimmon
Pittosporum tobira 'Wheeler's Dwarf'
Plumeria
Portulacaria afra
Raphiolepis 'Majestic Beauty'
Schefflera
Stenocarpus sinuatus
Tabebuia chrysostricha
Ternstroemia gymnanthera
Viburnum davidii

Vines suggested are

Beaumontia grandiflora
Bougainvillea
Fatshedera lizei
Lonicera hildebrandiana
Mandevilla
Monstera deliciosa
Solandra maxima
Tetrastigma voinieranum

Many of these are subtropicals or look like they would be, if your part of Texas is mild enough for such plants you could make your pool area look like part of a tropical resort.

Thanks for more good info. The plum yew is spaced on exactly 4' centers in the pic, and is just under 2 feet off the edge of the decking. I'm planning on keeping them trimmed to about 4'. They will also be in almost full shade from about 12 or 1pm on. I got an E. Palatka Holly for the far corner behind the diving board, and I'm thinking about possibly wax myrtles in the skinny bed???

What about the warning (above) about the small parts of such plants passing through the filter? Might that be a problem for you later?

No worries on little stuff. There's a ton of it that gets in there anyway from other trees and things. Just means cleaning it out a lot more... So far I haven't really considered anything that drops too much stuff anyway.

Fatsias, palms, bananas and cannas are among plants suggested for around pools in this area - the first 2 are evergreen, the 2 last die back in our winters.

While banana leaves can get tattered with wind - shorter specimens would stay below the fence for the most part, and give a lush, exotic look.