Pool Area Landscape Redesign with New Plantings and Black Mulch

Here's what we were working with - a pool area that had an old fence, overgrown and tired-looking beds, and no real sense of design. The bones were there with a nice pool and patio, but the surrounding landscape wasn't doing it any favors. It needed a full reset.

We pulled the old fence out, cleared the beds, and started fresh. New plantings went in along the pool perimeter - arborvitaes for structure and privacy, coral bells for color, and forest grasses to add movement and texture. Each plant was chosen with purpose. Nothing random about it.

The black mulch installation really ties everything together. It creates a sharp contrast against the fresh sod and the lighter stone patio. That combination of deep, rich mulch with the natural boulder border and new green plantings gives the space a clean, finished look that feels intentional - not just patched together.

What stands out most about a job like this is how much the details matter. It's not just about putting plants in the ground. It's about how each element relates to the next - the curve of the bed edges, the spacing of the arborvitaes, the way the boulders anchor the planting area. Get those details right, and the whole yard looks better.

Pool areas are high-visibility spaces. You see them from the house, from the yard, and every time you're out back. A landscape redesign like this one turns what was a neglected area into something worth looking at - and spending time around.