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The yard is surrounded by a high wooden fence that I'd like to distract the eye away from. The back right corner and right side are always shaded due to giant jacaranda above, and the back and left side are in sun during the morning but by mid afternoon are also in shade (back left corner generally also shady). While there is a decent amount of space at the sides of the pool, at the back there is only a 2/3 meter cement walkway and then a 2/3 meter grass area before it hits the fence - not much room!

Someone had recommended me to put a couple solitaire palms interspersed with tiger grass along the back wall, but I wasn't sure if a palm would grow in such a narrow space (would the roots damage the cement pool?) and if it would hit the jacaranda 5-6 meters above.

My husband has his heart set on putting two clumps of china gold bamboo on the left of the pool in the front and back corners, but this leaves me with the problem of trying to figure out what to put in between the two clumps that won't look weird next to tall bamboo and that will distract the eye from that fence. I'm not too keen on an entire fence of bamboo.

As to the right (shady) side, I thought sticking one of the spiky cycads in the corner would be interesting - I really like them - but I suspect it is too shady. As for the side, there is existing running bamboo sprouting there from the neighbor's garden and even should I dig it out (aggh) I am not sure what to put there.

I thought it would be nice to underplant with cordyline/croton/rhoeo/xanadu and so forth but I've got to figure out the tall/fence-distracting stuff first!

I've been agonizing over this for weeks, roaming the neighborhood in search of ideas. Any input would be most appreciated! Thanks!

just to get a perspective the home is on the west side of have pool is that correct?

anyway hey you could go mad with a mixed planting of sub-tropicals and natives over a whole rang of species, would steer clear of the tree type plants as your neighbours have plenty of them any way.

and yes the pool is very ordinary looking hey one would wonder as to why someone would have such a pool built. i would suggest if it is not already so to consider converting it to salchlor in the future much more easier to look after, also look into a 100% solar pool heater well worth the cost you will be able to swim at some time all year, and don't forget somesort of cover nothing flash.

anyhow look for natives to s.e qld hey here's a list:

palms - bangalows (not alexander), macarthur, ivory cane (no queens or royals), kentia palms bottle palms, majestic palms.

bamboos the clumping varieties some grow up to 8 meters tall and some have edible sprouts, talk to a good bamboo nursery.

even room for a pony tail or 2.

then dracaena's and cordylines for understory plantings there are oodles of varieties with different leaf shapes and colours.

if you can let me know roughly what part of brissy you are in i may be able to suggest other contacts? send me and e/mail vai our web site i have a link to your web page on our desktop.

would suggest you consider a good sized tank nothing under 15,000 litres 25,000 litres better (buy from bundaberg tanks they deliver to brissy talk to me further on this when you decide), also put a back flush tank (app' 1800 to 3000 litres) in the back corner for the pool overflow water, this water can be used for plants but is good so you ahve your own top up water, see our page for pics of what we have done, do tanks etc before plantings.

waht i envisage is you having an edge about 6"s high around the pool path and then creating a mass planted garden between that and the fences then mulching it with hay and covering that with maybe 40mm sandstone stones or chipped tree mulch, then have some ground covers to creep over some of it, there will be no grass i would suggest.

you have an open pallet there and when you finish the pool will look better as your plants will detract the eye away from it to them.

draw a rough plan so you can plot your plantings with the tallest plantings to the back and the lowest ones to the front around the pool.

len

Thanks so much for your wealth of information. I've gone ahead and ordered a bunch of palms to start with. Digging so many holes will be fun :-P

We are definitely looking into converting the pool and getting a cover. We also plan to get a greywater tank in the future - are currently trapping rainwater with some home grown solutions.

The house is east of the pool (and at a lower level - whole thing is on a hill).

Out of curiosity, why is it that you say bangalows not alexs? What is the difference? I thought that they were almost identical?

which way does the ground slope to ie.,. from the high ground to the north down to the south or alternatively any other combination. the aspect of the land will have a bearing on your micro' climate and therefore on your plantings.

the alexander is a north qld native palm and is fast becoming like a weed down here but along the way it is cross pollinating with our native bangalow down here so we are on the way to losing our gene pool of true bangalows. they are the same family of palm there are differences for the trained eye as well.

we must be careful when using the tag native as a plant indemic to one area may in fact become a weed in another and there are lots of cases of that in oz'.

you have a unique opportunity to get many plants that are indemic and use them in your lanscaping of the pool area.

i would also suggest you consider putting in a back flush tank for your pool so you can have top up water for the pool have you had a look at our pic's yet? this is best done in the pool area and before any plantings.

len

1.. take some note of summer and winter sun tracks, in summer a lot of eastern sun and nearly all western sun is undesirable in your system as it will add to & magnify the natural discomforts that could be there.

2.. and the one that the most never consider is the aspect of the land (this gives you your micro climate), at this stage to me the land appears to have a southern aspect, while that isn't as bad as a western aspect it does have its problems ie.,. how much winter sun it may get and where in the yard it may get that sun. winter sun is going to be needed to warm the home and the pool. so if so look to other trees around or buildings that could shade the winter sun out.

winter sun will rise in the east/north/east, and set in the west/north west.

if you consider a solar heater mat on the roof for the pool then be sure to go for a 100% mat, so you cut out the need for or minmise the need for and electric/gas backup.

a hint to help with hole digging plot our where you want to plant this batch of plants then remove a piece of turf/sod(usa term) loosen the soil with say a pick or pointed crow bar, not very deep just open the surface a bit, then for a couple or few days before digging to plant keep watering those spots with say your shower or washing machine water this will soak in and make digging that much easier.

i will guess you have the regular clay soil brissy is noted for? if so buy a bag of gypsum and use heaps at planting time. the best gypsum comes in 26kilo' bags from the produce agency.

len