Landscaping Around a Pool for Privacy in Dallas, TX

image of a pool landscaping

Do you ever feel like you don’t have enough privacy around your pool? Whether you like sunbathing in the summer rays of Texas or swimming laps to beat the heat, privacy by your pool is something you never want to be compromised. With today’s modern landscaping options, you can have privacy without sacrificing your yard’s perfect ambiance. 

Here, we provide you with the best landscaping ideas for privacy around your pool in Dallas, TX.

Fences

A white colored painted pool fence
Photo Credit: Pexels

One of the best ideas to make your pool private is to put a fence around it. Fences act as a barrier between your pool and the world outside, allowing you to enjoy life with your family without any worries. Fences are available in various materials like wood, aluminum, vinyl, etc, to match your landscape style.

This guide to fencing types, uses, and cost will help you select the best fence type according to your requirements.

You can install a fence yourself, but you’ll probably get better results by hiring a contractor. Hiring a professional to install a fence costs an average of $3,400.

Note: For safety reasons, homeowners in the state of Texas are required to install a fence of at least 48 inches high around swimming pools. The fence can have no gaps larger than 4 inches wide, and chain-link or slatted fences that are easy to climb don’t count. 

Hedges

image of hedges around a pool
Photo Credit: Ted Eytan / Flickr / CC BY-SA 2.0

Hedges are known as living barriers. If your fence doesn’t provide enough privacy, hedges can be a natural, stylish alternative. Well-placed hedges with a height ranging from 5 to 10 feet serve as an excellent privacy screen around a pool.

The best privacy hedges for Dallas include:

  • Boxwood
  • Cherry laurel
  • Holly
  • Leyland cypress 

When landscaping around a pool, plant hedge species that do not shed a lot of needles or leaves so they don’t clog your pool filter. Consider regular hedge trimming and pruning for better growth and visuals. 

You can grow annuals like Lantana among the shrubs to add color and texture. Want to go for some tropical plants for privacy? You can use palms, like dwarf palmetto, as specimen plantings in a privacy hedge. They are drought-tolerant and thrive in North Texas.

Trellis or Lattice Screens

Trellis and lattice screens are similar types of privacy sources for your pool. A trellis is a framework commonly made of metal or wood that supports growing plants and shrubs. A lattice is a bit thicker, crisscrossed wooden frame. Either of these can be used as privacy screens when installed around your pool.

To add some visual attractiveness to your landscape around the pool, you might grow vines like fig ivy. Vines will beautify your trellis or lattice screen and provide extra coverage from the unwelcome eyes of your neighbors. 

Privacy Plants

image of privacy plants around a pool
Photo Credit: Pexels

Plants can be a great source of privacy, as they both protect your pool area from neighbors’ prying eyes and enhance your landscape design. Growing native plants, including trees, vines, and succulents, is one of the best privacy options, as they require low maintenance and are adapted to the Dallas climate. 

Just be sure you know where your backyard and pool are vulnerable to outsiders, so you can place plants and trees accordingly. If done correctly, plants can also reduce noise pollution in the pool area. 

Go for tropical trees like palm trees which can survive the Dallas temperature to cover your backyard poolside. For added privacy, grow smaller tropical plants like hibiscus to fill in the gaps at the lower levels of your landscape. 

Some ornamental grasses, like Mexican feather grass, can also serve as a privacy screen for an inground pool in Dallas. This species thrives in hardiness zones 6-10 and is drought-tolerant. Its mature height is between 18 inches to 2 feet, making it a good choice for seclusion.

Layered Flower Beds

Layers of flower beds act as a privacy barrier around your pool deck. In these flower beds, you can use flowers native to Dallas, like lemon beebalm or purple coneflower. You can arrange various grasses and shrubs in the bed from shortest to tallest, starting at the front. This attractive landscape feature will improve the look of your pool while preventing nosy neighbors from seeing into your yard.

Hardscapes Around the Pool

Hardscape around a pool.
Photo Credit: Ethan / Flickr / CC BY 2.0

Of course, a pool’s privacy solution doesn’t have to use merely plants or flowers. A gazebo or pergola are examples of outdoor living spaces that can serve as effective privacy screens for your pool. Keep in mind your privacy and then strategically place them along the poolside landscape.

Adding drop-down screens or shades to a pergola or gazebo creates an exclusive environment to enjoy the outdoors with your friends and family.

Privacy Roofs

Sometimes it’s not strangers at the street level that are the problem. You could be trying to block the view from the second floor of the house next door. If your privacy concern is above your pool, a privacy roof may be what you need. It does double duty and protects you from the harsh Texas sun, too. 

If you don’t have construction experience, you should seek professional help building a privacy roof above your pool. You want seclusion and shade, not stuff falling in the pool — or even worse, falling on people in the pool.

FAQ

How long does it take to construct an entirely new pool?

Depending on circumstances like your location, weather, the time of year, and the size of your pool, a new pool may be built in 6-12 weeks. That includes preparation, permit acquisition, excavation, and installation.

Which materials work best around a swimming pool?

Pool areas should be constructed with materials that are non-slip and have a low heat retention rate to minimize injuries from falls and burns.

Which is better, pebbles or mulch, for edging an in-ground pool?

Mulch shouldn’t be used close to the pool, as it displaces easily. Use gravel, pebbles, or other decorative rocks instead. 

What are the best landscaping tips for Dallas?

Besides pool landscaping, LawnStarter can help you out with many guides to landscaping and lawn care in Dallas. Here are a few to get you started:

● Find out the best grass types for Dallas to choose the best turf for your landscape. 
● See the hottest landscaping trends in Dallas to boost your curb appeal and keep your outdoor space stylish. 
● Get tips on how to incorporate trees in your Dallas landscape

Have Fun Enjoying Your Private Pooltime in Dallas

An attractive pool area may be both an investment and an escape from the stresses of everyday life. But how can you make the area surrounding your pool intimate and inviting? Create a pool landscape in Dallas following your local climate and unique privacy needs. Consider hiring a landscaping professional in Dallas, Texas, to help design a private poolside landscape today.

Main Image Credit: Pexels

Taha Javed

Taha Javed

Taha Javed is a blog writer with a green thumb, sharing her expertise in lawn care and maintenance. With a knack for nurturing nature, she blends her love for writing with a passion for vibrant lawns, offering readers expert advice to transform their outdoor spaces into green havens.