Recently, while I was at my local outdoor pool, I couldn’t help noticing that the whole 40 or so minutes I was swimming, the attendant spent scooping up leaves from the water. It was a bit of lost cause, as the leaves kept falling as fast as he removed them – all of which got me thinking...
It got me thinking about pools and plants. In this case, the pool is surrounded by large evergreen native and deciduous exotic trees. While we often think of deciduous trees as being the big leaf droppers, all trees in fact drop leaves to varying degrees.
One example is Metrosideros excelsa, pohutukawa. While you shouldn’t have these trees anywhere near buildings or structures due to their very damaging roots, they do in fact drop not just leaves but flowers, fruit and twigs; especially after big winds.
While deciduous trees – like the Liriodendron at this pool – do drop all their leaves at once, it is usually when the pool is empty.
Ideally, we want trees or shrubs nearby that aren’t big shedders, or smaller plants with leaves that don’t shed easily.
If you need a hedge screen further from the pool, Corokia x virgata and Griselinia littoralis are two examples of plants that don’t shed too much.
Otherwise, focal plants with succulent leaves, such as Xeronema callistemon or Aeonium Schwarzkopf, are worth considering in large pots. These are also drought resistant and handle full sun as well.
There isn’t often a lot of room around fenced pools for plants in pots, so it’s better to use the principle ‘less is more’.
Jon Muller has owned Wellington Gardens Ltd for 24 years. He practices landscape design and construction, with an emphasis on planting design.
He has taught at polytechnics and university, mostly in soft landscape subjects. He has written six gardening books, including Wellington Gardens, and enjoys helping clients find landscape solutions. He also helps students and workers studying for their landscape qualifications.