18 Pretty Landscaping Ideas For An Above-Ground Pool - MyDomaine

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18 Pretty Landscaping Ideas for an Above-Ground Pool By Lindsey Lanquist

Lindsey Lanquist Lindsey Lanquist is a design expert for MyDomaine, covering the latest home trends and design tips. She has over 6 years of digital media experience. In addition to serving as former senior editor at StyleCaster and staff writer at Self, her work has appeared in Cosmopolitan, Byrdie, Verywell, SheKnows, Nylon, and more. MyDomaine's Editorial Guidelines Published on August 04, 2022

An above-ground pool tucked inside a wood-lined patio that's surrounded by cacti and succulents — Villa Plunge Pools

Deciding to invest in an above-ground pool is one thing. Figuring out what your yard should look like with an above-ground pool in it? That’s another. Because while pools are show-stoppers in any backyard, they’re not the only thing there. Without the right landscaping, a pool can feel out of place—or maybe even in competition with the elements around it.

Thankfully, this fate is pretty easy to avoid. With a little care and creativity, you can make your pool feel like part of the landscape. And you don’t have to splurge to make it happen.

To show just how easy above-ground pool landscaping can be, we’ve rounded up 18 yards that have pulled it off masterfully. In some cases, people merely lined their pools with flowers. In others, they reenvisioned the whole yard. But in every case, they softened the transition between the pool and the yard—making the pool feel like a feature, and not a last-minute addition.

17 Above-Ground Pool Deck Ideas That Make a Splash 01 of 18

Line Your Pool With Palm Trees

An above-ground pool surrounded by palm trees and a concrete patio — Design: The Designory, Photo: Jessie Prince/The Quarter Acre

Make your backyard feel like a getaway by planting palm trees around your pool. The tropical plants won’t hold up in every climate, but if you live somewhere with hot summers and mild winters, snagging a set of pretty palms will make you feel like you’re on vacation every time you take a dip.

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Frame Your Pool With Flower Pots

An above-ground pool surrounded by a stone-lined patio and matching stone flower pots — French Mill Stone

Landscaping isn’t just about putting stuff in the ground. If your patio is covered with stone, wood, or tile, look for other ways to introduce greenery into your space. Score a set of planters that match your patio, and fill each one with flowers. These flower pots can do the work of traditional landscaping, dressing up the edges of your pool without being planted in the ground.

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Go All in on Grass

A contemporary above-ground pool surrounded by a wood-lined patio and a grass-filled yard — Design: Becky Fuller Homes, Build: Modern Pools

When it comes to landscaping, grass may seem like a boring option. But it’s a classic for a reason. When you climb out of the pool—and your feet are cold and wet—stepping on soft grass feels really good. So, keep your landscaping simple, and go all in on grass. (Your feet will thank you later.)

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Plant Cacti Along Your Steps

One easy place to put plants? Along a staircase. If there’s a set of stairs leading into your pool, line one side of it with succulents and cacti.

Since the slow-growing plants aren’t prone to sprawl, you won’t have to worry about them spilling onto your steps and tripping you up.

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Line Your Pool With Ivy

An above-ground pool lined with ivy and surrounded by grass — Brannelly Outdoor

Turn your pool into a fairytale-worthy oasis by lining the outside of it with ivy. Since ivy grows so quickly, it will do most of the work for you. Just plant it at the base of your pool—and be sure to trim it once it reaches the top.

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Create a Fence of Flowers

An above-ground pool surrounded by a clear panel fence that's lined with tall flowers — Install: Backyardz Company, Pool Design: Plungie

If you want to fence off your pool without building a full-blown fence, line the outside of your pool with tall flowers. The flowers will create a boundary between your pool at the rest of your yard without blocking off your pool or obstructing your view.

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Let Grass Peek Through Your Pavers

A sleek above-ground pool surrounded by imperfect paver stones and pops of errant grass — House of Harvee

Pavers—or paving stones—are great for creating pathways, and those pathways can be as neat and tidy as you want them to be. Pair geometric tiles with grout to create sleek, orderly pathways. If you want something more organic, snag a set of uneven paving stones and let plants grow between them.

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Sneak a Flower Bed Inside Your Patio

A contemporary above-ground pool lined with flower beds that have been built into the patio around it — Enkipools

Low on green space? Build a flower bed into your patio. You can do this the easy way, building a raised bed that sits on top of your patio. Or you can do it the hard way—carving out part of your patio and building a flower bed inside it.

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Let Vines Creep Up Your Backyard Walls

A concrete above-ground pool tucked against an ivy-lined wall — Design: mm+j architects, Photo: Julie Crespel, Build: Hampton Constructions, Landscaping: Sprout Studio Landscape Architecture

Set the scene in your outdoor space by letting vines climb all over your fence and your backyard walls. This landscaping choice won’t take much effort: Just plant the vines, and let them do their thing. But it will totally transform your outdoor space, even if you decide not to plant anything else.

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Flank Your Pool With Snake Plants

An above-ground pool surrounded by steps and snake plants — Jeri Koegel Photography

Your pool is packed with natural focal points like entrances, waterfalls, stairs, and slides. These architectural features already draw the eye. But, by framing them with snake plants—or other easy-to-grow plants—you can dress them up, making them even more striking than they already are.

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Plant Monkey Grass Everywhere

A contemporary above-ground pool lined with monkey grass — Design: Raffaello Rosselli, Build and Install: Bondi Landscapes

Monkey grass is a go-to in lots of outdoor spaces. Why? It’s low-maintenance and easy to grow. So when in doubt, put monkey grass everywhere. Since the plant doesn’t get too unruly, it’ll look great lining your fences, your walls, and the edges of your pool.

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Build a Garden Below Your Pool

A contemporary above-ground pool that looks out over a plant-filled garden — Install: Backyardz Company, Pool Design: Plungie

Instead of lining the outside of your pool with plants, build a garden right next to it. By designing a garden that’s a different size or shape than your pool, you can add some eye-catching contrast to your outdoor space.

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Let Flowers Drape Over Your Pool Walls

A stone-lined above-ground pool lined with trailing flowers — Design: Demetriades Walker, Photo: Peter Peirce, Build: Dobson Pools

Make your pool feel ultra-romantic by lining its edges with flowers—and letting those flowers drape over the sides of your pool. If your pool walls are thick, this is easy to pull off: just top the walls with planters full of dangling flowers.

If your pool walls are thin, you’re not out of luck. Plant flowering vines at the base of your pool walls and let them climb to the top.

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Pair Short Plants With Tall Plants

An above-ground pool lined with short grass on one side and tall bushes on two sides — Garden Constructions

When mixing and matching different plants, be sure to play with height. Tall plants—like shrubs and trees—look great lining fences, where they can add privacy and sound insulation without obstructing your view. Shorter plants—like grasses and flowers—are ideal for the other sides of your pool, where they can dress up your yard without closing anything off.

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Sneak a Garden Between Your House and Your Pool

A contemporary above-ground pool lined with fountains on one side and a narrow garden on the other — Third Wave Design

If your pool and your home are just feet apart, consider tucking a garden between the two. The feature will instantly dress up your yard. And it’s a welcome alternative to what would otherwise be a plain ol’ patch of grass.

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Alternate Between Grass and Paving Stones

A tile-lined above-ground pool surrounded by grass topped with square paving stones — Design: Prideaux Design, Photo: Matt Vacca

Remember that you don’t have to seal your paving stones with grout. Instead, you can space out your pavers and let grass grow between them. This approach is great if you want a defined pathway and a yard that still feels lush and green. By alternating between grass and pavers, you can get both—and you’ll end up with an outdoor space that looks lovely.

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Give Yourself a Great View

A contemporary above-ground pool with minimal landscaping and an excellent view — Design: Nicola Isetta and Paola Rebellato (REISARCHITETTURA), Photo: Alessandra Bello

Landscaping isn’t just about sticking a ton of plants in your backyard—it’s about making the most of what you have. So if you’ve been blessed with a great view, use your landscaping to accentuate it. Stay away from tall shrubs and bushy trees, which might obstruct your view. And stick to shorter, sleeker plants that will dress up your yard without taking away any of its advantages.

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Mix and Match Your Plant Selection

An above-ground pool surrounded by an array of grasses, bushes, and flowering trees — Design: WAX Design, Photo: Sam Noonan

Picking one plant—and sticking to it—is an easy way to create clean, cohesive landscaping. But if you like lots of different plants, don’t hold yourself back. Plant flowers along the edges of your pool. Plant bushes by your pathways. And sprinkle in a few trees for good measure.

The goal is to end up with something you love, so don’t be afraid to take risks. Remember, you can always dig up your mistakes and try something new.

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