Welcome!

You've come to the right place. I'm sure you'll get lots of great advice. Pictures would help a lot! Link to instructions are below.

Kate

Here is a link that might be useful: Easy Photo Posting Instructions

Thanks so much...wow, that's easy - I already had an account w/ Photobucket, I was unsure which code to use...have a good one!

I don't have a pool, but my sister has one in full sun in your zone. Over the years, I've seen her go through a plethora of poolside plants. Succulents have been the champions for longevity, year round beauty and ease of care. Good luck!

I never had a pool until we moved and I can tell you what I learned, don't use bamboo :-) I had it in pots around the pool and it sheds and gets into the filter and clogs it.

I also had roses and the flowers drop petals that I have to pick up. Bamboo and roses are now outside in the garden.

The two things that work well for me are succulents (like imatallun said) and native Florida fern that volunteered and is maintenance free. Both like full sun southern exposure.

Hi Gabbie,
Welcome. I quickly learned why non-flowering plants are recommended for pool landscaping. The flowers are a big nuisance to clean up from the pool deck. Some plants that work well for me are variegated plants such as draecena "Song of India". You can get a splashy (sorry, couldn't resist the pun) look that is low maintenance. I also like crotons (yellow ones can take more sun) for color and easy maintenance. Good luck, Lynne

I was going to say crotons too. There are some that will take full sun. Easy care,nearly pest free, yet colorfully. I agree, anything that flowers will be a problem with the pool equipment.

BTW, welcome to the forum. ;o)

I have been trying to post pictures, but have been unsuccessful...I'm getting this error message...

Either you did not provide a name for your link, or this does not appear to be a valid Internet URL.

Please make corrections below:

Make sure you are using the third address which is the HTML address and begins Then you have to give a title such as my pool ir flower beds or just link

Welcome and you will soon be invited to a swap and then the trouble begins as you will go home with so many plants and you do not have to bring any as we gardeners love to share. You have found a bunch of enablers here who will have you reguesting dirt, mulch and plans or presents instead of clothes etc. Wait a minute - I always need clothes and jewels - yeah - clothing in the form of a gardening apron and clogs and a hat and jewels in the form of orchids and gingers and lilis and uh I think you get the picture. Welcome. Another plant you never want near your pool is bouginvilla. I had pineapples growing near mine and got to eat the fruit and dracanea with violas planted aound it ad they did not get into the pool. I just love plnats and enabling others to get more More MORE Linda

Welcome to the Forum. The link below may be helpful.

One question, is your pool screened in? If it is, the mesh reduces the available light to the point where some semi-shade loving plants can take being left out in what appears to be direct sunlight.

Here is a link that might be useful: Our Pool

For sheer ease of maintenance, a split-leaf philodendron gives you a nice tropical look, without any work at all. I also have a couple coonties and a mixed hedge of different kinds of crotons next to my pool. The coonties are a bit slow-growing, but they're natives and host a local butterfly.
Heliconias will give you flowers without the problem of dropping petals all over the place, but they'll also pop up all over the place. And I'm pretty much in love with persian shield because it's so easy and has wonderful purple leaves - no flowers necessary.

(And I'm one of the true amateurs on this forum, so if I can grow them, anyone can.)

Two other suggestions I remembered today: Xanadu and African Iris.

Linda & Lynne, great posts. Bsewall, what a marvelous pool. Just holler if you ever need a house sitter! Wow!

GG - if you are copying the HTML Code link in Photobucket, don't paste that into the "optional Link URL" space. You want to paste it directly into the Message space.

Kate

Flax is a beautiful foliage plant. However, I have it on the outside of the pool screen. It flowers a lot I think that the seeds are messy.