As 2022 begins to slow down, we are sharing some of our favorite things from 2022, and we are starting with plants.
When hiring Bask Pools + Outdoors to plan and build your pool, you not only get top notch service by Reggie Baudoin, our licensed pool contractor, and his team of pool renovation experts, but you also work with Ali Pugh, our landscape architect. Ali’s role is to ensure your pool is not just a fun hole in the ground, but a gorgeous backyard feature. She merges the style of the home, the client’s design desires, yard size, and knowledge of hard and soft landscaping options to create a gorgeous space that is as beautiful to look at as it is fun to swim in.
As 2022 begins to slow down, we are sharing some of our favorite things from 2022, and we are starting with plants.
When hiring Bask Pools + Outdoors to plan and build your pool, you not only get top notch service by Reggie Baudoin, our licensed pool contractor, and his team of experts, but you also work with Ali Pugh, our landscape architect. Ali’s role is to ensure your pool is not just a fun hole in the ground, but a gorgeous backyard feature. She merges the style of the home, client’s design desires, yard size, and knowledge of hard and soft landscaping options to create a gorgeous space that is as beautiful to look at as it is fun to swim.
Here are Ali’s favorite plants we used in our pool renovation projects in Lafayette, LA, in 2022. For more tips and tricks on how to remodel your pool in style, be sure to follow our blog or browse our gallery for inspiration!
Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae)
Bird of Paradise is a tropical evergreen that features colorful flowers when in bloom. The large lush leaves provide beauty year-round, and will bloom in full sun — tolerating the full sun of a pool area brilliantly. They are a large plant, growing up to 4-6 feet tall and 2-3 feet wide, and make a large visual impact when used in pool softscapes. They enjoy being a bit crowded and work well planted in containers as well as in the ground.
Mediterranean Fan Palm (Chamaerops humilis)
Mediterranean Fan Palm are the hardiest of all palms, and so perform very well in landscaping in South Louisiana’s Zone 9. They produce multiple trunks which produce small rounded clumps of blue green deeply cut fan shaped foliage. They add textural interest throughout landscaping without worry of massive growth that can be associated with other palms such as sago or palmettos.
Hibiscus
There are so many varieties of hibiscus that are hardy for Zone 9 we couldn’t list them all here. Their summertime blooming season makes for a beautiful show during peak pool season. Colors vary across the rainbow: reds, oranges, yellows, blues, purples, pinks, whites, and even nearly-black. Their shiny deep green leaves are attractive between flushes of blooms. Hibiscus are woody plants and can grow rather large, with some up to 12 feet! Luckily, there are dwarf varieties available, and every range between. They are bred for new varieties often, keeping your options ever-changing. Hibiscus are also a favorite of pollinators.
Star Jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides)
Looking for a unique and exciting way to add some exotic greenery to your swimming pool renovation project in Lafayette? Try star jasmine, which may be the most romanticized vine in the South. The fragrant blooms of jasmine are synonymous with strolls through southern gardens, and with good reason. Jasmine are hardy for Zones 8-11. Their delicate vines tendril along fences, posts, and pergolas. They are quick-growing and can provide organic privacy screens for pool owners.
Ornamental Ginger (Zingiberaceae)
Another species with a large swath of varieties available to those of us in Zone 9. Ornamental ginger give gorgeous displays via their foliage and blooms. The leaves of ornamental ginger can be beautiful too, with varying shades of bright greens, with some having dark green contrasting striations as well. The flowers are typically conical in shape, and emit a lovely, slightly spicy aroma. Their size and flower color is highly variable depending on the variety chosen.
Holly Trees (Ilex)
This evergreen tree provides beautiful dark green shiny foliage year round, with minimal leaf-drop into your pool. There are several varieties, with only one not suited to Zone 9: English Holly (Ilex aquafolium). Holly trees are well known around the holiday time with their bright red berries contrasting with their dark green leaves. Some may not feature the berries, however, because holly trees are naturally dioecious – they need both male and female plants to be present in order to produce these beautiful berries.
Japanese Yew (Podacarpus)
This evergreen shrub is hardy for Zone 9, and can provide a privacy screen in pool landscapes. They have a rough-textured appearance to their foliage, and add textural interest in pool landscapes. They’re one of our favorite additions to our swimming pool renovations in Lafayette, and your guests are sure to agree!
We hope that you gained some inspiration for a little revamp of landscaping inside your home, and maybe some ideas to bring to the table when designing your backyard oasis with Bask Pools + Outdoors. We offer world-class pool remodeling services to homeowners in Lafayette, and our passion is helping you achieve the resort-style living you’ve always dreamed of! So, if you’re interested in taking your backyard pool to the next level, contact our team today!