Best Pool Landscaping Plants in Australia

Luxia Pools
Jun 28
6 min read

photo of a pink plant for landscaping around pools Australia

Pool landscaping plants in Australia need to do more than look good — and that requirement rules out a significant proportion of what would otherwise be obvious planting choices.

Plants adjacent to a pool are exposed to chlorinated or salt-chlorinated water splash and runoff. They may be subjected to regular hosing from pool maintenance. Their roots, over time, can affect the pool shell, the surrounding paving and the drainage infrastructure if the wrong species are selected. Their leaf drop directly affects pool maintenance frequency.

Getting the planting right from the beginning — selecting species that look the way you want the outdoor space to look and that behave well in a poolside environment — saves significant maintenance effort and avoids costly replanting down the track.

What Makes a Plant Right for Pool Landscaping in Australia

Before getting to specific species, it's worth understanding the characteristics that make a plant suitable — or unsuitable — for a Queensland pool environment.

Low leaf drop. Every leaf, flower, seed pod or berry that falls into the pool goes through the filter. High leaf drop species — deciduous trees, plants with persistent seed pods, heavily flowering species that drop petals continuously — increase the frequency of filter cleaning and skimmer basket clearing. Low leaf drop species dramatically reduce pool maintenance.

Non-invasive root systems. The roots of plants near the pool can, over time, affect the pool shell, the surrounding paving and the drainage infrastructure. Species with aggressive, wide-spreading root systems — certain figs, for example — should not be planted within several metres of the pool. Species with compact, non-invasive root systems are safe at close range.

Salt and chemical tolerance. Pool water splash — whether chlorinated or salt-chlorinated — lands on poolside plants regularly. Species sensitive to salt or chlorine will show leaf burn and decline over time. Species with good salt tolerance perform reliably in this environment.

Size at maturity. A plant that looks appropriately scaled at installation may, at maturity, overwhelm the poolside space, block sightlines to the pool from the house or create a maintenance burden. Understanding the mature size of every species before planting avoids this common problem.

Spine and thorn-free. Any species with thorns, spines or sharp edges is inappropriate directly adjacent to a pool where barefoot swimmers are the primary users. Roses, bougainvillea and similar species belong elsewhere in the garden.

Best Pool Landscaping Plants in Australia: By Category

Screening and Backdrop Plants

These are the plants that create the visual backdrop to the pool — providing privacy, defining the edges of the pool space and giving the landscape depth and mass.

Lilly Pilly (Syzygium species). One of the most reliable screening plants for Queensland pool areas. Dense, fast-growing, responds well to clipping, low leaf drop when established, salt-tolerant. Available in a range of sizes from compact hedging varieties to large screening plants. The new growth is often coloured — bronze, red, pink — which adds seasonal interest.

Bamboo (clumping varieties). Clumping bamboo — as distinct from running bamboo, which is invasive — creates dramatic vertical screening without the spreading root system. Varieties such as Bambusa textilis and Bambusa oldhamii are well-suited to Queensland conditions. The rustling of bamboo in the breeze adds a tropical quality to the pool environment that few other plants replicate.

Camellia. For homeowners who want year-round screening with seasonal flowering, camellias are an underused choice in Queensland pool landscapes. They are dense, low-dropping and respond well to shaping. They prefer filtered light and protected positions — not ideal for the full-sun, exposed positions around many Queensland pools, but excellent in sheltered spots.

Viburnum. Dense, reliable, low-maintenance screening plants with good salt tolerance. Less visually exciting than some alternatives but consistently good performers in a functional screening role.

Feature Plants and Focal Points

Frangipani (Plumeria). The quintessential Queensland pool plant. The branching structure, the large tropical leaves and the heavily scented flowers make frangipani one of the most evocative poolside plants available. It is deciduous — losing its leaves in winter — which increases leaf drop seasonally. In full leaf, it is excellent. Position away from the pool edge to minimise leaf drop into the water.

Bird of Paradise (Strelitzia reginae and Strelitzia nicolai). Clumping, upright, dramatic and extremely tough. The smaller Bird of Paradise (reginae) suits compact poolside spaces. The giant form (nicolai) creates a bold tropical statement in larger pools and resort-style settings. Both are low-maintenance, salt-tolerant and produce remarkable flowers.

Cordyline. Available in a range of colours from deep red-purple to lime green, cordylines add colour, texture and vertical accent to pool plantings. They are tough, low-maintenance and tolerant of poolside conditions. Avoid excessive overhead water — they prefer good drainage.

Agave. For contemporary, architectural pool settings, agave provides dramatic form without the maintenance demands of many tropical species. They are slow-growing, extremely drought-tolerant and require no pruning. Ensure the species selected is spine-free at the leaf tips — some agave varieties have sharp terminal spines that are incompatible with barefoot poolside use.

Ground Covers and Edge Plants

Mondo Grass (Ophiopogon japonicus). The most widely used pool garden ground cover in Queensland — and for good reason. Dense, evergreen, low-maintenance and reliable. It provides a clean green carpet between paving and garden beds without the maintenance demands of lawn. It tolerates shade, handles some chlorine splash and has a non-invasive root system.

Liriope. Similar in use to mondo grass but slightly larger and available in variegated forms that add interest to the planting. Reliable, low-maintenance and appropriate for pool edges.

Dymondia (Dymondia margaretae). A low-growing, silver-leaved ground cover that performs extremely well in the cracks between paving stones in pool areas. It tolerates foot traffic, handles dry conditions and creates a visually refined alternative to the standard mulched garden bed edge.

Creeping fig (Ficus pumila) — used with caution. Creeping fig on a wall adjacent to the pool can create a beautiful green backdrop. However, it requires management — without regular trimming it will extend onto the pool coping, into the pool drainage and eventually over the fencing. It belongs in the category of plants that are excellent with consistent management and problematic without it.

Palms

Palms are the defining element of the tropical Queensland pool landscape — and the category with the most important species selection decisions.

Foxtail Palm (Wodyetia bifurcata). Native to Queensland, the foxtail palm is one of the best pool palms available. Clean, self-cleaning fronds that drop tidily. A compact root system. Excellent salt tolerance. Fast-growing. The foxtail palm is the species most likely to produce a genuinely tropical pool atmosphere without creating ongoing maintenance problems.

Golden Cane Palm (Dypsis lutescens). A clumping palm that creates a dense, lush tropical backdrop without the height of a single-trunk species. Low-dropping, salt-tolerant and available in a range of sizes. One of the most widely used pool palms in Queensland — with good reason.

Alexander Palm (Archontophoenix alexandrae). A tall, elegant single-trunk palm native to Queensland. Excellent for creating vertical height in a pool landscape and providing dappled shade over the pool edge. Self-cleaning fronds. The crownshaft drops periodically — manage the drop zone to minimise pool impact.

Palms to avoid near pools: Cocos palms produce significant fruit and frond drop that creates ongoing pool maintenance. Phoenix palms have sharp spine-tipped leaves that are incompatible with barefoot use. Date palms are similarly problematic.

Mulch and Ground Treatment

The ground treatment between plants adjacent to the pool affects both aesthetics and maintenance.

Pebble mulch — small rounded river pebbles — is the most pool-compatible ground treatment. It doesn't blow into the pool in the wind, doesn't decompose into the soil and doesn't wash into the pool in heavy rain the way organic mulch can.

Organic mulch — bark chips or similar — is fine for garden beds that are not immediately adjacent to the pool. In beds within a metre or two of the water, organic mulch that blows or washes into the pool increases filter maintenance.

Exposed aggregate or decomposed granite can work well as a ground treatment in more formal pool garden settings. Both require periodic topping up as they compact over time.

Keep Exploring

Want to get the planting right from the beginning?

Luxia Pools designs and builds complete outdoor environments — pool, paving, fencing and landscaping — for homeowners across the Sunshine Coast, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. If you want planting recommendations specific to your pool design and your outdoor space, that's a conversation we can have as part of the broader project.

Book a chat and one of our team will be in touch. No pressure — just a clearer picture of what's possible.