Landscaping around a pool first involves choosing the kind of look that you want — tropical, natural, sleek, and so on. Keep the following practical considerations in mind when making your plans and selecting your plants:

• Don’t create shade. Plants shouldn’t cast shade where you don’t want it. Choose low-growing or dwarf-type plants. Palms are different — even big ones may not cast too much shade.
• Stay away from mess-makers. Avoid leaf, blossom, and berry shedders that drop debris into your pool.
• Avoid bee-attracting blossoms. Many summer annuals fall into this category.
• Choose low-maintenance plantings. You probably want to use your poolside areas for relaxing and not for heavy-duty gardening.

Here are few suggestions for plants that work well around a pool:

• Low shrubs and ground covers: Agapanthus, juniper, moraea, rosemary
• Medium-sized to large shrubs: Holly, Japanese black pine, pittosporum, pyracantha