The Best Types of Shrubs to Put Around Your Arizona Pool
Landscaping around your home’s pool can elevate it from a place to take a quick dip to a true summer oasis. You can plant a variety of grasses, trees, and succulents as accents, but the base of every great poolside garden is a healthy line of the best shrubs.
Shrubs are easy to care for, add an extra measure of privacy, and can even withstand the occasional splash with chlorinated water. Growing shrubs in Arizona requires finding plants that will thrive in the state’s loamy, alkaline desert soil. This means that the best types of shrubs for your pool landscaping will be hardy, native plants that are both attractive and low maintenance.
Ready to find out which poolside shrubs you should plant in your yard? Let’s dive in.
Fairy Duster
Are you looking for a colorful flowering shrub that can also double as a privacy fence? Calliandra eriophylla and Calliandra californica (also known as pink and Baja red fairy dusters, respectively) fit the bill.
These desert shrubs for landscaping grow between 3-5 feet tall and 4-5 feet in diameter. It’s best to buy these shrubs small and plant them with space in between, but be aware that they can be slow growers.
Fairy Dusters don’t do well in shade or cool weather, meaning they’re perfect for withstanding the harsh Arizona sun. They’re evergreen and only require a small amount of water, making them extremely low-maintenance.
The biggest bonus of a Fairy Duster is that it’s one of the best types of shrubs for attracting hummingbirds. The fluffy blossoms are light pink or bright red and can bloom twice per year.
False Indigo
Amorpha fruticosa, commonly called False Indigo, is a shrub in the pea family. This plant grows into large bushes, reaching 6-10 feet tall when mature, but can be pruned to your desired height.
False indigo gets its name from the dark purple flowers that grow in stalks when the shrub is in bloom. Their dusty-green leaves are delicate, rounded, and grow thickest on the top 2/3 of the bush. This makes A. fruticosa a great background shrub to plant behind a row of shorter, denser plants, creating a beautiful layered effect.
Mexican Petunias
The gorgeous Ruellia brittoniana (also called Mexican petunia or Purple Showers) isn’t native to Arizona, but its home is just across the border. It grows well in hardiness zones 8-11 which means it’s suitable for most parts of Southern and Western Arizona.
Despite the name, this shrub isn’t closely related to petunias. They do, however, bloom with bright purple petunia-like flowers in the summer. They stay a vibrant green throughout the rest of the year.
Mexican petunias grow quickly, prefer full sun, and require low-levels of water. Because their foliage is so dense, they’re the best shrubs for camouflaging backyard features you’d rather not see. A mature shrub will grow to be 3-4 feet in height.
Use These Different Types of Shrubs to Build Your Poolside Oasis
When it comes to turning a standard backyard pool into a luxurious retreat, planting the right types of shrubs in your landscaping can make a huge difference.
Nothing says luxury, though, like a custom-built pool. If you want to feel like you’re entering a 5-star resort when you walk out your back door, give No Limit Pools & Spas a call. Contact us today to see how we can help you remodel your existing pool or create something entirely unique.
No Limit Pools & Spas has unique landscaping ideas using the best shrubs around pools that will flourish in Arizona weather. The areas we serve are Scottsdale and Phoenix, AZ and the surrounding areas of Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Gold Canyon. Tempe, Paradise Valley, Fountain Hills, Ahwatukee, Glendale, Carefree, Cave Creek, and beyond.
