What plants should I avoid near a pool?

Avoid plants that drop heavy debris into the pool. The worst offenders are live oaks (constant leaf drop and catkins), crape myrtles (flower petals clog skimmers), bougainvillea (thorns and flower litter), cottonwood and hackberry (seed pods and sap), and any tree that drops fruit (mulberry, fig, pecan). Also avoid plants with invasive root systems that can damage pool plumbing and decking — bamboo, willows, and large fig trees. Generally, keep all trees at least 15 feet from the pool edge and choose plants with minimal litter.

What is the best pool deck material for Austin?

Travertine and limestone are the best pool deck materials for Austin. Both stay cooler underfoot than standard concrete in direct sun, provide natural slip resistance when wet, and complement the Hill Country aesthetic. Travertine pavers cost $20 to $35 per square foot installed and come in warm cream and tan tones. Limestone runs $30 to $50 per square foot. Large-format concrete pavers in light colors are a more affordable alternative at $18 to $35 per square foot. Avoid dark-colored materials — they absorb heat and become too hot to walk on barefoot by early afternoon in summer.

How do I create privacy around my pool?

Layer multiple screening methods for effective privacy. A 6-foot wood or steel privacy fence provides the base layer. In front of the fence, plant a row of evergreen screening plants — wax myrtle (fast-growing, 12 to 15 feet), yaupon holly (dense, 10 to 15 feet), or bamboo muhly (feathery, 6 to 8 feet). Add ornamental grasses along the pool edge for a third layer. For modern designs, a steel trellis with star jasmine or crossvine creates a living screen on a narrow footprint. The goal is visual density at multiple heights, not a single wall.

How much does pool landscaping cost in Austin?

Pool landscaping in Austin costs $15,000 to $60,000 or more depending on scope. A basic package with a concrete or paver deck, steel edging, mulch beds, and native plantings runs $15,000 to $25,000. A mid-range package adding a fire feature, seat walls, landscape lighting, and screening plants runs $25,000 to $40,000. A premium package with travertine or limestone deck, outdoor kitchen, pergola, custom lighting, and full planting design runs $40,000 to $60,000 or more. These costs are for landscaping around an existing pool — the pool itself is separate.

Should I landscape before or after the pool is built?

After. Pool construction destroys everything within 10 to 15 feet of the pool excavation — equipment access, soil stockpiles, and plumbing trenches will damage or destroy any existing landscaping. Design the landscape plan before pool construction starts so you can coordinate drain locations, electrical runs, gas lines, and deck elevations, but install plants, hardscape, and lighting after the pool shell, decking, and equipment are complete. The exception is large trees — if you want a tree near the pool, plant it during construction so roots establish before the deck is laid around it.

Pool Landscaping Ideas for Austin, TX

The pool is the centerpiece, but the landscape around it is what makes it feel like a destination. Deck material, planting, privacy, lighting, and the connection to the rest of the yard — these are the elements that turn a pool into an outdoor room. In Austin’s climate, pool landscaping also has to survive extreme heat, watering restrictions, and clay soil movement without creating a maintenance nightmare of leaf litter and root intrusion.

Here are pool landscaping ideas that solve those problems and look better for it.

Pool Deck Materials

Material	Surface Temp	Slip Resistance	Look	Cost / sq ft
Travertine pavers	Cool	Excellent (tumbled)	Warm cream/tan	$20–$35
Limestone	Coolest	Good	Light, Hill Country	$30–$50
Large-format concrete	Cool (light colors)	Good	Modern, minimal	$25–$45
Standard concrete pavers	Moderate	Good	Versatile	$18–$35
Poured concrete	Moderate–hot	Good (broom finish)	Clean, affordable	$12–$20
Flagstone	Cool	Excellent	Natural, textured	$20–$40

Surface temperature is the deciding factor for pool decks. You walk barefoot on a pool deck in July. Dark concrete and brick can reach 150°F+ in direct afternoon sun — painfully hot. Travertine, limestone, and light-colored pavers stay 20–30°F cooler because they reflect more solar radiation. If your pool faces west, surface temperature is especially critical.

Idea 1: The Modern Minimalist Pool

Clean lines, restrained planting, and a limited material palette — the pool as architecture.

Deck: Large-format concrete pavers (24×24 or 48×48) in light gray, running flush to the pool coping with tight joints
Coping: Poured-in-place concrete or matching large-format pavers as a bull-nose edge
Planting: One specimen tree (desert willow or vitex) for scale, 3–5 agaves in a steel planter at the far end, and a mass of Mexican feathergrass along one side for movement
Edge: Steel edging at every transition between deck, planting, and gravel
Lighting: Uplights on the tree and agaves, FCOB under-cap on any seat walls

Why it works: The restraint reads as intentional and high-end. Fewer plants means less debris in the pool. The steel edging keeps gravel and mulch out of the deck joints. The agaves provide year-round structure without seasonal leaf drop.

Idea 2: The Hill Country Resort

A naturalistic design that uses local stone and native plants to make the pool feel like a spring-fed Hill Country swimming hole.

Deck: Flagstone or limestone in irregular shapes, set in mortar with planted joints (creeping thyme, silver ponyfoot)
Boulders: 3–5 large limestone boulders placed at the pool edge, partially submerged or sitting on the beam, creating a natural rock edge on one side
Planting: Drifts of lindheimer muhly, bamboo muhly, and autumn sage around the boulders. Texas mountain laurel for evergreen screening. Turk’s cap in the shaded areas
Water feature: A natural stone waterfall or scupper flowing into the pool from a raised boulder
Ground plane: Decomposed granite paths connecting the pool to the rest of the yard

Why it works: The limestone, native grasses, and boulders evoke the natural Hill Country landscape that surrounds Austin. The pool feels discovered rather than constructed. This style works best with freeform or organic pool shapes and darker interior finishes that mimic natural water.

Idea 3: The Fire & Water Pool

A pool flanked by fire features that create a dramatic contrast between the two elements.

Fire features: A linear gas fire table running along one side of the pool (6–10 feet long), or two Corten steel fire bowls placed at diagonal corners of the pool
Deck: Poured concrete or large-format pavers in charcoal or warm gray to complement the fire tones
Seat wall: A concrete seat wall between the fire table and the pool, 18 inches high, with FCOB lighting under the cap
Planting: Minimal — ornamental grasses (Mexican feathergrass) backlit by the fire, and a single specimen tree uplighted at one end
Pool lighting: Color-changing LED pool lights set to warm amber or white to complement the firelight

Why it works: Fire and water together create the strongest visual contrast in landscape design. The fire draws the eye and provides warmth on cooler evenings, extending the pool season into October and November. A linear fire table along the pool edge doubles as a visual barrier between the pool and the rest of the yard.

Idea 4: The Outdoor Living Pool

A pool integrated into a complete outdoor living space — kitchen, dining, lounge, and pool all connected as one room.

Layout: Pool on one side, outdoor kitchen on the opposite side, dining area between them under a steel pergola or pavilion
Deck: Continuous travertine or limestone surface from the back door through the dining area to the pool edge — one material, no transitions
Tanning ledge: A shallow (8–12 inch deep) tanning shelf inside the pool along one edge, with submerged lounge chairs
Bar: A swim-up bar or raised counter at the kitchen end, where the pool edge meets the kitchen countertop
Planting: Screening plants on the property-line sides, accent planting in steel planters at the kitchen and dining zones

Why it works: This is the full outdoor room — everything you do inside (cook, eat, lounge, socialize) happens outside around the pool. The continuous deck surface and single material palette unify the zones. The tanning ledge and swim-up bar keep people in or near the water even when they are not actively swimming.

Idea 5: The Xeriscape Pool

A pool surrounded by xeriscape planting and gravel ground planes instead of traditional grass and garden beds.

Ground plane: Decomposed granite or gravel in the areas surrounding the deck, contained by steel edging
Deck: Floating concrete pads (large slabs) set in the DG field, creating a stepping-pad approach to the pool
Planting: Agave grids, red yucca clusters, ornamental grass drifts, and native perennials (autumn sage, blackfoot daisy) — all drought-tolerant, all zero supplemental water after establishment
Mulch: DG as the universal ground cover instead of hardwood mulch — no organic debris near the pool
Boulders: Limestone boulders as sculptural accents among the plantings

Why it works: No grass means no mowing, no clippings in the pool, no fertilizer runoff into the water, and no irrigation adjacent to the deck (which causes soil movement and deck settling). DG does not decompose or blow into the pool the way organic mulch does. The xeriscape planting provides year-round color and structure with zero supplemental water — critical under Austin’s watering restrictions.

Plants for Pool Landscaping

Best choices (low litter, pool-safe)

Plant	Type	Why It Works Poolside	Height
Agave (multiple species)	Succulent	Zero litter, sculptural, evergreen	2–5 ft
Red yucca	Succulent	Minimal litter, long bloom season	3–5 ft
Mexican feathergrass	Grass	Fine texture, minimal debris	1–2 ft
Autumn sage	Perennial	Small leaves, no messy drop	2–3 ft
Dwarf yaupon holly	Evergreen shrub	Dense, no leaf drop	3–5 ft
Wax myrtle	Evergreen tree	Fast screen, minimal litter	10–15 ft
Desert willow	Tree	Light canopy, small leaves, flowers	15–25 ft
Lindheimer muhly	Grass	Tall screen, light seed heads	4–6 ft

Plants to avoid near pools

Live oaks: Constant leaf drop, spring catkins, acorns — the worst pool-side tree in Austin
Crape myrtles: Flower petal litter clogs skimmers and stains decking
Bougainvillea: Thorns near bare feet, heavy flower litter
Mulberry, fig, pecan: Fruit and nut drop attracts insects and stains
Bamboo (running types): Invasive roots damage plumbing, decking, and pool shells
Any tree with surface roots: Roots heave decking and crack pool shells over time

Privacy Screening

Privacy is the most-requested element in Austin pool landscaping. Layer these methods for effective screening:

Fence: 6-foot wood or horizontal steel slat fence as the base layer (required by code for pools in most jurisdictions)
Evergreen row: Wax myrtle (fast growth, 10–15 feet), yaupon holly (dense, 10–15 feet), or Eastern red cedar (tall, narrow, 20+ feet) planted 4–6 feet in front of the fence
Mid-layer: Ornamental grasses (lindheimer muhly, bamboo muhly) at 4–6 feet for seasonal density
Steel trellis: A modern alternative to a solid fence — a steel frame with star jasmine, crossvine, or Carolina jessamine growing on it creates a living screen on a narrow footprint

The goal is visual density at multiple heights. A single row of trees leaves gaps at the base; a fence alone feels enclosed and institutional. Layering creates a soft, living perimeter.

Pool Landscape Lighting

Landscape lighting around a pool serves two functions: safety (seeing the pool edge, steps, and deck at night) and atmosphere (making the pool area feel like a destination after dark).

Uplighting: 2–4 lights on specimen trees and large plants for drama and vertical light
Path lighting: Low fixtures along the walkway from the house to the pool for wayfinding
Under-cap FCOB: FCOB strip lighting under seat wall caps, planter edges, and stair treads for a continuous ambient glow
Deck wash: Recessed or surface-mounted fixtures at deck level to illuminate the walking surface without glare
Pool lights: In-pool LED fixtures (white or color-changing) that illuminate the water from below

Match all exterior lighting to 2700K warm white to complement the warm tones of the pool light reflecting off the water. Do not mix color temperatures around a pool — the eye catches the mismatch immediately.

Pool Landscaping Cost Guide

Scope	Includes	Cost
Essential	Concrete deck, steel edging, native plants, mulch beds	$15,000–$25,000
Mid-range	Travertine deck, seat walls, fire feature, landscape lighting, screening plants	$25,000–$45,000
Premium	Limestone deck, outdoor kitchen, pergola, custom lighting, full planting design	$45,000–$80,000+

Costs are for landscaping around an existing pool. Pool construction itself is separate ($40,000–$100,000+ for a custom gunite pool in Austin).

Why Red Agave

Pool landscaping is one of our core specialties. We design the deck, planting, lighting, fire features, outdoor kitchen, and privacy screening as a single integrated composition — not as separate add-ons. Every plant is selected for low litter, drought tolerance, and year-round structure. Every material is chosen for surface temperature, durability, and design quality. Browse our signature projects to see pool landscapes in finished form, then request a free consultation.