Planting around a pool in Mallorca
Planting round a pool has to survive splash, reflected heat and bare feet, and it must not fill the water with leaves. Get those three right and the pool stops looking like a blue rectangle in a paved yard. Planting around an existing pool typically costs €2,900 to €4,100 as an element within a larger garden job.
Key takeaways
- Planting around an existing pool runs about €2,900 to €4,100 as part of a wider project.
- Keep anything that sheds heavily, drops fruit or has thorns well back from the water.
- Reflected light and heat off the water and paving make the pool edge one of the hottest places in the garden.
- Screening on the prevailing wind side keeps leaves out of the water more effectively than any plant choice.
What copes at the water’s edge?
Tough, small-leaved, sun-hardy plants that tolerate the occasional splash of chlorinated water. Rosemary, lavender, santolina, myrtle and dwarf mastic all work. Agaves and other succulents suit the hottest corners, though not right where people walk barefoot. Ornamental grasses give movement without dropping much into the water.
Anything soft-leaved and thirsty struggles here, because the pool edge combines full sun with heat radiating off paving and water.
What should stay away from the pool?
| Keep back | Why |
|---|---|
| Fruiting trees, including figs and citrus | Fruit drop stains and blocks the skimmer |
| Bougainvillea, close in | Beautiful, but thorny and it sheds constantly |
| Pines | Needles and resin, both hard to clear from water |
| Anything with invasive roots | Pool shell and pipework are not worth the risk |
| Oleander, where children play | The sap is toxic, so position it thoughtfully |
How do you keep leaves out of the water?
Position beats plant choice. Find the prevailing wind direction and put the screening planting on that side, back from the edge, so debris blows into a bed rather than the pool. A raised bed or a low wall between planting and paving also stops soil and mulch washing across the terrace every time it rains.
What about shade?
Everyone wants some by mid July. The options are a pergola with vines, which gives shade without dropping much, or a tree set well back so its canopy reaches over the paving but not the water. Carob and olive both work. Planting a large tree beside a pool because it is the only place with space is a decision that gets regretted every autumn.
Does the paving matter?
For planting, yes. Light stone reflects heat into whatever is planted next to it, which raises the demand on those plants considerably. A metre of gravel or mulch between paving and planting takes the edge off and keeps the irrigation working properly rather than evaporating off hot stone.
How the matching works
We do not build pools and we do not do the planting ourselves. We keep a list of vetted planting companies on Mallorca and pass your job to those covering your area. Send a photograph of the pool area, ideally showing where the sun sits at midday, and they will quote directly.
What can I plant around a pool in Mallorca?
Rosemary, lavender, santolina, myrtle, dwarf mastic, ornamental grasses and succulents. They tolerate sun, reflected heat and the occasional splash of chlorinated water.
What should I avoid planting near a pool?
Fruiting trees, pines, anything thorny close to the edge, and species with invasive roots. Keep oleander away from areas where children play, since the sap is toxic.
How do I stop leaves blowing into the pool?
Put screening planting on the prevailing wind side and set beds back from the edge, so debris collects in planting rather than in the water.
How much does planting around a pool cost?
About €2,900 to €4,100 as an element within a larger garden project, depending on the area and the size of plants used.
Plan the wind first
Where the wind comes from decides the layout more than the plant list does. Send a photograph and the orientation and vetted Mallorca companies will quote the planting directly.
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