A swimming pool is a significant investment—often $40,000-$80,000 for quality in-ground installations on the Central Coast. Yet so many homeowners spend all that money on the pool itself, then skimp on the landscaping that surrounds it.
Here’s the truth: the pool is just one element of a backyard transformation. The landscaping, paving, fencing, lighting, and integrated outdoor spaces determine whether you’ve created a functional swimming area or a genuine resort-style retreat.
We’ve landscaped pool areas across the Central Coast—from modest family pools in Gosford to luxury resort-style settings in Terrigal and Avoca. Let’s explore how to create pool landscaping that elevates your entire property.
Why Pool Landscaping Matters
The landscaping surrounding your pool serves multiple critical functions beyond aesthetics. Safety requires proper surfaces that prevent slips, appropriate fencing meeting regulations, and lighting ensuring safe evening use. Functionality means well-designed spaces for lounging, dining, and pool equipment access that make daily use enjoyable. The right materials, plants, and design elements create that resort feeling you’re after.
Property value increases dramatically with quality pool landscaping—often adding $50,000-$150,000+ to your property value, frequently exceeding the pool’s own contribution. Smart material and plant selection also reduces ongoing work and costs, making maintenance manageable rather than overwhelming.
Paving Materials: The Foundation Decision
Your pool surround paving might be the single most important decision. You need something safe when wet (slip-resistant), comfortable underfoot, resistant to pool chemicals and salt, beautiful to look at, and durable for decades.
Travertine Pavers: Premium Choice
Travertine is our most requested material for good reason. This natural limestone stays relatively cool underfoot—critical for our summer conditions—and provides natural slip resistance. It offers cool surface even in direct sun, excellent slip resistance, beautiful natural variations, doesn’t reflect heat or glare, and lasts 50+ years. Consider higher initial investment ($180-$350 per m²), requires sealing every 2-3 years, and avoid acidic pool chemicals (use saltwater systems).
We specify travertine for clients who want the best and plan to stay long-term. Combined with our paving expertise, it creates stunning pool surrounds.
Bluestone Pavers: Contemporary Elegance
Bluestone delivers sophisticated, contemporary aesthetics perfect for modern pool designs. Australian bluestone is proven in our climate, extremely durable, requires minimal maintenance, and handles pool chemicals well with non-fade color. It can get hot in direct summer sun and may be slippery when wet (choose honed finish, not polished), with costs of $150-$280 per m². Check our detailed guide on bluestone pavers for more insights.
Concrete Pavers: Excellent Value
Quality concrete pavers offer outstanding value without compromising aesthetics or safety. Modern concrete pavers mimic natural stone beautifully at affordable costs ($120-$180 per m²), with vast style and color ranges, non-slip finishes available, proven durability, and easy individual paver replacement if needed. Some products get hotter than natural stone, and quality brands minimize fading. We detailed concrete vs. natural pavers in this comparison article.
Pool Fencing: Safety Meets Design
Central Coast pool fencing regulations are strict—and for good reason. Your fencing must meet Australian Standard AS1926.1 while complementing your landscape design.
Glass pool fencing ($350-$650 per linear metre) maintains views and openness with contemporary aesthetics and minimal visual impact, though requires regular cleaning for salt and water spots. Aluminium slat fencing ($280-$450 per linear metre) offers modern appearance with integrated privacy, low maintenance, and powder-coated finishes in various colors. Timber screening ($250-$450 per linear metre) provides natural aesthetics and privacy while softening hard pool finishes, though requires more maintenance.
Our fencing services include all pool fencing compliance and certification—we handle the entire approval process.
Plant Selection for Pool Areas
The right plants soften hard surfaces, provide privacy, and create that resort atmosphere. The wrong plants drop debris into your pool and create constant maintenance headaches.
Never plant near pools: deciduous trees (leaf drop nightmare), berry-producing plants (stain pool surfaces), plants with invasive roots (damage pool structure), high-pollen plants (messy water surface), or plants requiring heavy fruit (cleanup burden).
Perfect Pool Plants for Central Coast
Architectural statements include Bangalow Palms (classic pool plant, no mess, tropical feel), Cordylines (vertical structure, minimal drop, colorful varieties), Agaves (sculptural, zero mess, water-wise), and Yuccas (dramatic structure, low maintenance). For screening and privacy, consider Bamboo clumping varieties (fast screening, coastal hardy), Lilly Pilly (dense evergreen, Australian native), Viburnum (fragrant, excellent screen), and Magnolia ‘Little Gem’ (compact, beautiful foliage).
Low maintenance groundcovers work well including Lomandra (coastal hardy, minimal care), Westringia (silver foliage, low water needs), Native violets (soft groundcover, shade tolerant), and Dymondia margaretae (drought tolerant, soft texture).
Pro tip: Create planting zones at least 1.5-2m from pool edge. This gives you visual softness without constant maintenance.
Integrated Outdoor Living
The best pool landscapes we create integrate swimming with comprehensive outdoor living. A covered outdoor entertainment area adjacent to your pool creates a space usable regardless of weather, including outdoor kitchen for pool-side dining, covered dining zone, comfortable lounging space, and bar area for summer entertaining. Investment ranges from $30,000-$80,000 depending on size and finish, with value extending pool use season and creating genuine lifestyle transformation.
Lighting: Creating Evening Magic
Pool area lighting serves both functional safety needs and creates stunning visual impact. Our garden lighting approach for pools includes LED pool lights built into pool during construction, paving and pathway LED strip lighting, landscape uplighting for feature palms and trees, and ambient entertaining lights with string/festoon lighting over covered areas. Budget $4,000-$12,000 for comprehensive pool area lighting.
Complete Pool Landscaping Budgets
Basic Pool Surround: $15,000-$30,000
40-50m² concrete paver surround, pool fencing (glass or aluminum), basic garden beds with hardy plants, simple pathway lighting, basic edging definition. Best for modest family pools and budget-conscious projects.
Mid-Range Pool Landscape: $35,000-$65,000
50-70m² quality paver or bluestone surround, premium pool fencing, comprehensive planting design, feature trees and screening, quality landscape lighting, outdoor shower, integrated garden beds with irrigation, and feature elements like small water features or fire pits. Best for properties where pool is central feature.
Premium Resort-Style: $75,000-$150,000+
80-120m² travertine or premium bluestone, extensive covered outdoor entertainment area, complete outdoor kitchen, comprehensive lighting package, multiple outdoor living zones, feature planting with specimen trees, water features, spa integration, cabana or pool house, retaining walls creating levels, and high-end finishes throughout. Best for luxury properties and comprehensive lifestyle transformations.
Drainage Considerations
Proper drainage is critical around pools—both for surface water management and protecting your pool structure. Essential drainage elements include surface drainage sloping away from pool (1:100 minimum gradient), adequate drainage for paved areas after rain, protection from stormwater running toward pool, and pool overflow management.
We install comprehensive drainage systems in every pool landscape to prevent water issues that plague poorly designed projects.
Ready to Create Your Pool Paradise?
Whether you’re planning a new pool landscape or wanting to transform an existing pool area, we’d love to help create your vision.
We offer complimentary pool landscape consultations where we’ll assess your pool area opportunities, discuss your style preferences and lifestyle needs, provide initial design concepts, give you realistic budget guidance, and share examples of similar projects we’ve completed.
Contact Ocean Landscapes today for expert pool landscaping on the Central Coast. With extensive experience creating stunning pool environments, we’ll help you design and build a space you’ll enjoy for decades.
Related Services: Paving Services | Decking | Garden Lighting | Fencing & Pool Fencing | Screening Solutions | Irrigation Systems